Program Reviews

Wow, if ever you really wanted good one on one time with a group of professionals this extra week is right for that. The groups are small and that means there are 2 in a group so that we can all get our questions answered and with great detail. The days were filled with new things to do. The staff at Toronga zoo were amazing and their facilities are just jaw dropping. My favorite day was working clinicals with the vets. We got to work with the meerkats, a possum, and my favorite was working with Echidnas. I was getting photos to share with my car tech school and the staff said I could actually hold the Echidna! It was the happiest day of my short week there. Handling an animal is just as important as just treating them to make aure we don't cause furthur harm. It was an amazing week.

The Australia zoo bonus week was really fun especially when we went whale watching and shopping at multiple locations. I liked the housing arrangements and the free time we had to explore Sydney. Spending time at the zoo was really fun too and I got to experience many new things with the zoo animals. However, the food situation should have been better thought out as a lot of the places we went to, nobody liked the type of food or anything on the menu. A better alternative might have been offering multiple restaurants or giving students money to go eat where they pleased. Also, the zoo staff wasn’t prepared for our arrival and were struggling to find things for us to do so it felt like we were burdening them more than anything. Overall, a good experience but should have been planned better.

First off you get to go around the world to a totally new place. When we got there we were all told of how Austalia is thr place that tries to "kill you" with all their dangerous animals. In the winter it wasn't somthing serious to worry about but the possibility is still there. The staff was so friendly and outgoing and really wanted us to learn about the many great animals that share their home with them. I learned so much about the native animals that when I went home people had to Google the info I was telling them to see if I was telling the truth. Kangaroos roam the area freely same with the emu. So many weird and wacky animals but they have so many great qualities about them and facts that make them truly adaptable. Australia has problems with invasive species too that we go on to learn about. This is a great place to fill your mind with knowledge.

The Australia Veterinary service was such a great trip! I learned so much about exotic animals from handling to their anatomy. We also got to learn about amazing cases that zoo vets had worked on and how they solved them. The hands on experience and one on one talk with wildlife vets was an invaluable experience. We learned about the park animals, diets, average days, and their upkeep. I also formed a bond with some of the animals, especially the one's I did my project on.

I also recommend the program if you are looking to make some new friends as everyone was so welcoming and kind. I got to meet 40 new people, including other college students, vet students, zoo vets, and park rangers. I still keep in touch with many of them because you get to know each other well when you live together for 2 weeks.

This trip was so amazing. I was scared to go by myself and be so far from home without anyone I knew but the staff as well as the other people in my group made it so easy and so much fun. I can barley describe the experience because there was so many amazing things! I thought the elephant Nature Park week was the most unique experience I have ever had and getting to follow the vet around and see how they take care of all the elephants was so amazing. The week in Chang Mai was also super fun because we got to get a lot of hands on experience with the animals and veterinarians. Overall it really helped me in realizing how many options there are around the world to serve as well as options to work with animals. As soon as I got back to the US I wanted to figure out if it would be possible to do the semester abroad because my experience was so amazing.

I studied abroad with Loop Abroad in Thailand for the two-week college veterinary service. This experience was so enriching and I learned so much about veterinary medicine in Thailand, elephant medicine, shelter medicine with stray dogs and cats, and more! We also had so many opportunities to get hands-on experience practicing the skills we learned in class.

In addition to veterinary lessons, I grew to appreciate Thai culture, food, and language. Loop Abroad organized the two-week trip in a way that afforded me the opportunity to feel like I truly experienced Thailand to the fullest! I tried new foods, wore baggy Thai pants, learned a few traditional Thai dances, and even went zip-lining through the jungle! I would recommend studying with Loop Abroad to anyone looking for adventure, rich culture, and personal growth as a future veterinary medical professional!

I knew I was going to be learning exciting new things but I didn't know how out of this world this trip was going to be. Everyday was jam packed and everyone was exhausted from all the information and hands on experiance we were getting. I especially became close to a Gibbon named Joshua. I learned so much about animals I didn't even know existed. The staff made sure we were getting our questions answered and doing things out of our comfort zone so we knew we were getting the most out of our trip. There were times when we all got serious talking about animal issues that nearly brought me to tears and made me realize conservation might be the path I take in life. I hadn't even considered it before this trip. This experince has truly changed my life and for that I am extremely grateful.

This trip not only broadened my knowledge of zoo medicine but it gave me something I didn’t expect—relationships with people from different parts of the world. From different lifestyles, cultures, and perspectives I came home from this trip with a new understanding and appreciation for life. The knowledge and hands on work I was able to participate in confirmed to me that I was working in the correct field. One of the main things that I brought home from this trip was the notion that becoming a veterinarian is an option and well within my reach. This was thanks to the endless support and motivation I received during this program. All the staff reminded us endlessly that all our goals could be accomplished and that this was just a stepping stone for our futures.

I have been apart of many different trips and organizations over the years where I went through the motions. I never made any real connections with people and never had an experience leave an imprint on me like this trip did. If you want to light a fire under your butt and you want to come home excited this is the trip for you. I was able to experience so much in three weeks: conservation workin the forest, SCUBA diving, conservation survey in the ocean, meeting a monk, visiting temples; The list never stops. I feel like Wild Tropics is the best program to give you a true taste of Thailand because you go everywhere. I do think that a lot of my fantastic experience came from the people I was with. The tour guide our group had was hands down the best person to ever walk on the face of the earth. Jing cared about all of us and tried every second of the day to make us happy. Also the group of students I was with quickly became like a family to me. I can honestly say that Loop gave me a summer that made saying goodbye at the end of the program so hard.

I do not have enough amazing things to say about this program and trip. I walked away with practical veterinary skills and lifelong memories (and new best friends)! To anybody looking for a pre-veterinary study abroad program, Loop Abroad is the best. They made sure the trip went smoothly and that everyone got one of the best experiences of their lives. This is one experience I cannot wait to talk about in my hopeful vet school interviews and with friends and family for the rest of my life. Both the week spent at the dog rescue clinic and at Elephant Nature Park were absolutely amazing and filled with many adventures. I would take this trip all over again if I could and can't wait to help others at my school travel through Loop Abroad too.