Program Reviews

Thailand 101 equaled to be the best two weeks of my life! From the beginning of applying to saying our sad goodbyes at the airport, I have never been affected by so many things in my life, in just a short period of time. So far everyday after coming back from Thailand I have found myself daydreaming about my experiences and how badly I want to go back.

Going to Thailand would never be the same without Loop Abroad though! I applied really late to the program, but when I contacted them they went out of their way to make the application process as smooth and easy as possible. Especially being from Canada it could have been so much more complicated, but they were there every step of the way. They helped me get set up with other girls that needed to stay in New York for the night and already it was so incredibly easy to make friends there! Almost everyone there doesn’t know anybody and are very keen to make friends.

In fact the girls that are were with me in my Thailand 101 group are some of the best friends I have ever had in my life. I have never connected so easily and so quickly to people before! These girls are quality friends and will be dear to my heart forever and some of us even have plans to travel together for the following year. Besides the immediate people in my group, all of the staff was absolutely incredible! They invested everything that they could for us and did their best to make sure that we had the safest but most incredible journey. As soon as we showed genuine interest in the trip they would go out of their way to help us experience and learn as much as we could.

Another thing that was amazing about the trip was the food! Thai food is absolutely incredible and your leaders will take you to the best places! The Elephant Nature Park has a lot of food as well, but it isn’t usually people’s top choice as it is vegetarian and didn’t always taste the best. I found it helpful saving a bit of money for the Elephant Nature Park to be able to buy some American snacks.

Throughout the trip we were never bored! There were always so many activities to do. Our leaders took us to the waterfalls, zip-lining and hiking through the jungle, white water rafting, visiting different temples, meditation classes, shopping in the markets, taking a Thai cooking course, etc. We were always having so much fun!

The elephant nature park was a different vibe completely though! There were so many things to do all of the time, but we had a lot more relax time and it was the perfect way to finish off the two weeks and really reflect. Our breaks could never come at a better time though! While we were at the Elephant Nature Park we worked incredibly hard to help out. It was some of the hardest work I have ever done, but was very rewarding to see how it helped. We were always very proud of our work after!
Tip: Drink tons of water throughout the day!

Since our days were so busy and packed full of different activities, we would come back to where we were staying very exhausted. Luckily our accommodations Loop Abroad set up for us were far better than what I expected. The hostel we stayed at in our first week was very quaint and comfortable. Adjusting to the heat and humidity can be very hard at first so the air-conditioning during our breaks in the day and at night going to sleep came at the perfect timing. In-between Chiang Mai and the Elephant Nature Park we stayed in a really nice, air-conditioned hotel.

Once we arrived at the Elephant Nature Park I was dreadfully picturing little huts crawling in bugs and mosquitoes. Thankfully to my surprise we stayed in types of cabins with very pretty mosquito nets wrapped around our beds and I was never more thankful for them!

Overall this trip was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life and completely changed me for the better. I could not thank Loop Abroad enough and for the life-long friends I have made for making this the most incredible experience and journey ever! If you are looking for change and adventure then you should definitely sign up for this. You won’t regret it!

Loop Abroad and Thailand was absolutely amazing! It was definitely the best life experience that I have had so far. I learned a lot while over there. I loved getting to know Thai culture especially because its so different from my own. The food was amazing, before this i had never even tried Thai food before! Spending time with the animals at the shelter was awesome.I really enjoyed elephant nature park! I love what loop abroad stands for; they do not ride elephants. And that's the best part because that's when you know you're volunteering for the best! The staff was very supportive. Overall I would recommend for anyone to go to Thailand with loop abroad!
P.s. I miss Thailand all the time!!

I loved this program more than I could put into words. I have posted countless photos and told countless stories. I talk about it so much I think my friends started to get annoyed. I made friends that'll last forever and that I love dearly. The staff was incredible and kind and organized and perfect for the job. I miss Thailand and my experiences with Loop Abroad everyday and I hope one day I can go back and volunteer again at the Elephant Nature Park. I was bitten by the (Asian) travel bug and this has inspired me to try and make another overseas volunteer program happen. I have already recommended this program and the vet program to my many of my friends and I will continue to do that when the opportunities present themselves. 5 stars all around.

My experience with the Thai 101 program was one of the most memorable and life changing experiences. I cannot recommend the staff. They always made sure my group was comfortable, felt safe, and had what we needed. I felt like I was at home with family. Adam and Jane work to be experts in regards to their Thailand program along with the rest of their staff. I even remember feeling like Adam was really like a family member, mostly because he would lend me money when I needed it haha. There is also a lot of incredible knowledge thrown at you about the city of Chiang Mai, it's markets, its temples, and its people. We spent an entire week volunteering at the Elephant Nature Park and that is an experience I continue to talk about everyday, and keep very dear to my heart. I've in written two public speech about ENP and their story. Great Staff. Great Activities. And I felt like I received more than what I paid for. I cannot recommend Loop and their staff enough. They continue to stay in touch to this day with resources, e-mails, opportunities, and support.

When I was in Thailand, I met some really great people. Probably one of my favorite memories has nothing to do with Thailand, but the people I met there. With the Loop Abroad program in Thailand, you travel throughout the country in buses with the back open and windows that can open. My group brought a speaker with us on this bus and we listened to music from one of the girls' phones. Our vet, Dr. D., also traveled with us on the bus. One day, we were listening to music on the bus and the song "I Don't Mind" by Usher came on the speaker. When Dr. D. heard the lyrics to the song, she became surprised at them. In fact, she changed all of the lyrics to fit the veterinary field, changing words such as money to shots and such. We all laughed so much that she kept doing it for the rest of the songs we heard. It was such an awesome experience. The girls that I spent this experience with ended up being some of my best friends, and we became each others' support systems throughout the trip.

This trip was an amazing experience. I was so lucky to be able to see another country in a safe environment with people I could trust and be able to help so many animals while I was there. I learned so much about elephants, Thai culture, veterinary medicine, and myself while I was there. I am so thankful for this trip because it helped ensure me that I was taking the right path in life and it absolutely made a better person and the woman I am today.

Every day while in Thailand I found something new to fall in love with. Whether it be a dog on the street, a delightful coffee house, or a person leading their daily routine in life. You get a sense of realization at how beautiful everything is in its own state. There was so much to learn and grasp about the land and the animals and the way life went on on this side of the world. One thing that changed my sight was being with freed elephants, and seeing them glow and radiate happiness. I shared happiness with an elephant.

i HAD AN AMAZING TIME EXPLORING tHAILAND THIS SUMMER. mY MOST MEMORABLE STORY WAS WHEN WE WERE OBSERVING THE eLIPHANTS IN THE FIELD. wE HAD BEEN WATCHING THE BABY ELIPHANT INTERACT WITH HIS NANNIES FOR ABOUT 20-25 MINUTES. He began to get real frisky towards the end and decided he wanted to play with us. the nannies freaked out and sure enough we were running from a group of angry Eliphant Nannies. it was a blast!

From beginning to end, the high school vet program with Loop Abroad was an amazing experience. The staff is incredibly supportive and engaged in everyone who attends the program. My parents were very apprehensive to allow me to go to another country and one of the founders, Adam, made to sure to answer the many questions my mom asked him over multiple phone conversations. While traveling with the program, whether that was to Thailand, in Thailand, or coming back from Thailand; I felt very safe. I experienced so many eye-opening things and enjoyed having the opportunity to socialize with our designated Thai staff member everyday. One of my most fond memories is that of planting grass at the Elephant Nature Park. Myself and one other girl from my group went with participants from other Loop groups to go plant grass for the park. My groups’ Thai staff member, Jane, came with us. After we had been planting for no more than five minutes, it started to downpour. We kept planting but we soon got off track when Jane and another Thai staff member, Say, started a mud fight. After the fight, we cleaned off by swimming across the river instead of riding back in the trucks we came in. With the Loop Abroad program you are able to make unique and special memories like this because the staff take time to give you those opportunities. On top of being a fun travel program, it is also very informative. My groups' vet, Christy, was a very good teacher and created a productive learning environment for everyone involved.In addition, after the end of every groups' time in Thailand, the Loop abroad staff has the participants fill out a survey. They want your honest feedback and take it to heart. After you return home, Loop Abroad still keeps in touch with you by offering different opportunities they come across. I would highly suggest this program to anyone wanting to learn more about veterinary medicine, as well as anyone wanting to experience an amazing culture, and making lasting memories while doing so.

There was this time, early in the morning of course because we had stuff to do that day, and it was still foggy out, but it was so warm. I looked out and I saw 2 grown Asian Elephants. Not even 20 feet from where I was sleeping and I just felt relieved they were able to finally find comfort in their life. It's something I look back on, that situation in particular, because it was so surreal. I just remember thinking "Oh my god, I'm finally here." I still tell stories like this because until you experience a moment like that, you don't really realize that life is crazy. Like how did I even end up in Thailand?? Right?