Children's Home and Elephant Sanctuary

This trip has completely changed me, and I am so happy that it did. Before this trip I was so ungrateful for my education and would most often than not, dread going to school. Seeing how limited the Thai people were to education changed my beliefs forever. When I first arrived the Kapuang School, my heart filled with love when I saw all of the students for the first time. All of the students had the biggest smile on their faces and you could see how much determination they had to learn. This experience of teaching at this school actually made me realize that I wanted to be a teacher. Making education available to everyone is now one of my main priorities because it is so important to having a good life. On another note, waking up at the Children's Home every single day put a smile on my face. Whether it was playing kane ball with the locals or singing and playing the guitar with the leaders, I had a smile on my face the whole entire time. I don't think I have ever been that happy. Another component that made my trip much better was being able to disconnect from my phone. I am usually always attached to my phone, and not having to worry about it for 3 weeks made me a much more relaxed person. I recommend everyone to turn off their phones on any Rustic trip, because it betters your experience. I made so many strong friendships on this trip with all of the leaders and I am so grateful and happy to have been able to meet all of the people tha I met. Although when arriving to the Elephant Sanctuary I was very shocked, I still had an amazing experience. A 4-star hotel was not what I was expecting but it was nice to have an actual shower! If you are looking for a more "rustic" trip (as in roughing it, or homestays) I would not recommend the elephant sanctuary for you. But if you are a first time traveler, it may be very comforting!