Working with Elephants

Overall this two weeks of volunteering was a fantastic experience. Being able to live in a small (300 people) village in the mountains in Northern Thailand was amazing. Although most of the villagers spoke little English, it was very interesting to find out how they lived, and staying in a homestay meant that we were able to experience the food and customs. Working with the elephants was a great privilege: we followed them into the forest, and twice a week did health checks which allowed us to touch the elephants and get close to them. We were assigned one elephant during our stay, and I felt very close to mine by the time I left. The staff on the project were extremely professional, with attention to safety and a thorough training programme. The interactions with the local villagers were always respectful and our impact on the village was always carefully considered. Top memories for me include watching the baby elephants playing with each other, teaching the Mahouts English, talking in a broken mixture of English and the local language to my homestay family, and meeting other wonderful volunteers and staff. The project wasn't too physical, but the village is located on a steep hill, and the hot climate makes activity draining at times. I learned a lot about the plight of the Asian elephant during my stay, and I really felt that I made a difference to the lives of the elephants, and the villagers, by volunteering on this project.