Started her volunteer work in college, Nerea Sanchez enjoys gaining knowledge and encountering various people through her assignment. She is a 29-year old Spanish National who believes in imparting gifts and services to the underprivileged, as she states, "volunteerism is sharing with the community what you are lucky to have."

At 18, Nerea had volunteer works for her University in Spain. The assignment was in a prison where they conducted seminars and workshops for the prisoners, the aim was to get them ready for the outside world that they have been deprived of by the four walls of the institution.

After graduation, she was sent to Nicaragua to work as the Volunteer Team Coordinator for the Spanish NGO "Axunica". Her initial plan was to stay only for two months, but realizing that it wasn't enough, she decided with the organization to extend her work for a year and a half. She enjoyed the place as well as the people, and stayed in Nicaragua another year serving as an Assistant Director ("Infancia Sin Fronteras"). In Madrid she also worked as an International Development Project Officer (Spanish National Scout Association)

As the UNDP Management Support it is her duty to monitor activities in the Philippines, and through that task, she was able to see the diversity of cultures and the fun of learning them. As a multicultural institution, United Nations helped Nerea adapt, accept and understand different cultures.

It was her curiosity and willingness to learn and understand things that first motivated her to volunteer. She believes that the most important benefits of volunteering are the lessons, experiences and knowledge gained. Of course, this doesn't mean she doesn't miss home. New technology has helped Nerea cope with the distance between her and her family. She uses the computer as a bridge to at least feel closer to them and to stay in touch despite being apart.

By merging her expertise with her passion, Nerea hopes to pursue her career in child psychology without giving up volunteering.

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Interviewed and written by Francheska Garcia, UNV Communications Intern
Editted by Louise Pine, Online Volunteer