My GVI Family !

Throughout my 4 weeks in Thailand working with GVI Chiang Mai project, I had the chance to experience not only the beautiful culture of the Karen people in Huay Pakoot, but also the beautiful nature of Asian elephants in their natural habitats. What surprised me the most was the abundance of community work available for us to take part in. This included going to the local school 2 days a week as a TA, doing one on ones with individuals around the village, mahout dinners, cooking classes, bamboo cup making classes and many more ! There was constantly something going on to ensure we were completely immersed in the community and constantly learning and experiencing. Like many things, it is the people that ultimately make the experience. That includes not only the villagers but the GVI staff, interns and the other volunteers ! We became a family and one that I will most definitely have for life. We hiked together, taught together, learned Pakinyaw (the local language) together and grew together ! This was the experience of a lifetime and I can hardly wait to get back and be reunited with my new GVI family in my new home of Huay Pakoot.