Hello from Orem, UT!
Our office is made up of staff who have all volunteered with us at one point or another, including the Program Directors who dreamed up and started ILP 25+ years ago! We’re here to share our own experiences and help answer your questions about volunteering with ILP.
Representative Supervisor
KEILANI
keilani@ilp.org
Volunteer in Costa Rica Spring 2019
What’s the best thing that you got out of the program?
I got to feel like I was part of, and accepted by, a new culture. My experience influenced the way I view people around the world.
What was your favorite vacation?
We spent our 9-day vacation island hopping Bocas Del Toro in Panama. My favorite part was looking at the green, luscious mountains outside our hostel, boat, or bus, wherever we were. Just opening my eyes cheered me up. Everyone’s favorite activity we did was white water river rafting!
Friends you'll always remember?
My volunteer group became my best friends. We played games every night and did everything together. We will forever talk about all the cute kids we taught and the funny things they did on the daily.
Assistant Rep Supervisor
Katherine
katherine@ilp.org
Volunteer in the Romania Fall 2017 and Russia Spring 2019
Why did you decide to volunteer with ILP?
I wanted to find a way to explore Europe, but also give back and serve!
What was your favorite vacation?
My favorite vacation was Rome, I spent three days there, and it was honestly perfect. The weather, the sites we saw, the food, and the gelato!!
What's the best thing that you got from volunteering?
The best thing that I got out of going was the friends that I made!
Volunteer Relations Coordinator + Head Teacher Coordinator
EMMA
vrc@ilp.org + headteachers@ilp.org
Volunteer in Ukraine Summer 2014; Head Teacher in the DR Spring 2016 and Summer 2017
Why did you decide to volunteer?
Each trip was for a different reason, but initially I really wanted to work with the kids and be able to learn about new cultures and places!
What's the best thing you got out of the ILP program?
Friends. Every single trip I went on I made life-long friends – both within my group and with some of the native people living around me!
What's a funny memory you'll never forget?
The first time some of us learned how to play dominoes in the DR, our neighbor, Papi took like 10 minutes explaining that it was a science. He would give us different looks every time we laid something down based on whether it was a good move or bad move and it was hilarious to watch him!
Representative
CASSIE
cassie@ilp.org
Volunteer in Romania Fall 2017 and Uganda Fall 2019
Why did you decide to volunteer with ILP?
I went on ILP for the kids! I love working with kids and wanted to get some experience for my future resume. I also wanted life and travel experience.
Are there any teaching experiences that stick out to you?
I had a student in Uganda who didn’t speak a word of English other than “hello” at the beginning of the semester – even though her regular school classes were being taught in English! She was so eager to learn and was engaged in every activity I had planned. By the end of the semester I was able to hold conversations with her everyday!!! It also helped her to be successful in other subjects at school, because she was finally able to understand some basics of English.
What was your favorite vacation?
My favorite vacation was either hanging out on the island of Santorini in Greece, riding donkeys up a mountain and watching amazing sunsets, or Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda, where our hostel was a private island and we got to trek after some zebras!
Representative
CAROL
carol@ilp.org
Volunteer in Ukraine Spring 2019
Who did you meet that you'll always remember?
My host mom is definitely #1 on the list of best friends I met. There is also a group of six of us that were in the group together, and we still talk to each other every single day and go on little trips together. I 100% consider them to be some of my best friends and we never would have met if it wasn’t for ILP.
What did you do to afford to volunteer?
I paid for my trip by doing a fundraiser on Facebook!
What was your favorite vacation?
My favorite vacation was going to Italy!! Some of my very closest friends and I went to Rome for a few days during our long vacation and goodness it was such a DREAM! It was so warm and beautiful and all of the people were so kind and all of the food was SO delicious. 10/10 for sure.
Representative
ABBIE
abbie@ilp.org
Volunteer in Costa Rica Fall 2021
Are there any students that stick out to you?
My favorite student was Jamiro, he was so funny and crazy. We would go to his family’s pizza restaurant and he would sit and talk with us, as well as bring out our pizzas!
Who did you meet that you'll always remember?
I will always remember our cook, Marlene. She didn’t speak great English, nor I Spanish haha, but she was so sweet and taught me how to make her famous lasagna and arroz con leche!
What did you like most about ILP?
I like how involved the program is in your experience.
Representative
ABBEY
abbey1@ilp.org
Volunteer in Costa Rica Spring 2022
Why did you decide to volunteer with ILP?
I have always wanted to serve others and doing an LDS mission didn’t feel right so ILP felt perfect for me! I also loved that I was able to travel so much while on my semester.
What's the best thing you got out of the program?
I got like 20 little besties! I learned so much from my students and loved being their “Teacher Abbey Nugget”. I also was able to understand in such a personal way why my grandparents moved to and loved living in Costa Rica when they were first married.
Who did you meet that you'll always remember?
I will always remember Ronald. He was a driver for the school but often was our private driver for our vacations and did so many activities with us. We called him our Grandpa away from home.
Representative
KATELYN
katelyn@ilp.org
Volunteer in Costa Rica Spring 2021
Who did you meet that you'll always remember?
A jungle hiking guide told me one time “I’m poor by society’s standards, but really I’m the richest man in the world because I have the jungle”.
What was the best thing you got out of the ILP program?
The relationships I made with the other volunteers.
What was your favorite awesome foreign experience?
I walked by a macaw that was sitting in a tree and it said “hola” to me!