Loop Abroad - College Veterinary Service Program

I got to visit the amazing country of Thailand! While there I spent one week exploring all of Thailand from temples to dog shelters to a place called Tiger Kingdom! On my second week I volunteered at a place called Elephant Nature Park where I got to do vet work on elephants and feed and bathe them regularly! This was a trip of a lifetime and I would recommend anyone to go!! I met so many new people and made some life long friendships!

I first heard about Loop Abroad when an ad for the “Vet Service” trip popped up on my facebook newsfeed. I immediately called my mother and said “Mom, I’m going to Thailand this summer.” While my mom and my dad were skeptical about the trip, we did proceed to set up a phone interview with Addam, one of Loop’s Founders and directors. He answered all my questions and even recommend that I talk to previous students. My parents were still skeptical, first for my safety and then for the cost. However after more phone calls and emails with Addam and Jane, Loop’s other Founder and director, my parents really felt safe letting me travel to Thailand with Loop!
I did find out about Loop Abroad in May so it left very little time for fundraising. However, with the finical aid I received and my determined fundraising skills I was able to cover the cost of the trip with no finical burden. To be honest spending some money that I had saved for years on this trip was the best decision and “purchase” that I have ever made!
A few weeks before our trip Loop sent out an email with the names of other students that would be in our group. We all immediately reached out to each other through Facebook and Email. Upon meeting at the airport we all clicked right away! One thing that I love about Loop Abroad is that we fly out of the country with one of their staff members. This really helped me and others feel safer; especially when many of us were going out of the country for the very first time.
The flights and the layover times were great bonding experiences. And we all became friends by the first layover. When we landed in Chaing Mai we were greeted at the airport by Addam, and got to take Tuk Tuks to the Spicy Thai. Spicy Thai became out home for the first week. Spicy is an amazing hostel and Aum and Noom are amazing hostess.
My group spend the first week volunteering at The ARK. There we taught by Hannah one of Loop’s Vets. She taught us so much! I got to do physical exams, give vaccines, draw blood, and assist in surgery! By the time I started my first semester in college after my trip to Thailand, I was ahead of many of my classmates. Surgery Day at ARK was by far one of my favorite days! We neutered 3 dogs! Between the 6 of us we each got to rotate through different roles in surgery! During the week we also got to know many of the dogs at the Shelter. By the end of the week we all had our favorites! My favorite by far was NaKorn who we named Winn Dixe prior to knowing his name.
Our week wasn’t just spend doing volunteer work, we also got to learn a little bit about the culture. We went to many different markets, but my favorite was the Night Bazar. You can’t really leave any Thai Market without a pair a famous pair of Thai Pants. At the end of our first week everyone had at least 2 or 3 pairs of Thai pants. Another activity that we did one night was going to a monk chat! It was so awesome! We got to help the Monks practice English while they got to teach us about their culture. We learned that our Monk was secretly loving all of T-Swifts music! His favorite song was 15!
During the weekend we spent the days traveling around Chaing Mai! We visited the Chaing Doi caves and Temples. The caves were amazing! I had never been in a cave prior and these were just gorgeous! Though we visited many temples, they were all so special and so unique.
Another one of my favorite adventures was going to the Tiger Kingdom. I got to bottle feed a tiger cub!! Who else can say that!? Who can say they have kissed a tiger before!? Well if you go to Thailand you’ll be able to too!!!! In addition to the caves and Tiger Kingdom we also visited the Orchid and Butterfly garden. I had never been to a butterfly garden before, so naturally I had never really seen so many butterflies before!
My group also went on a hike to another beautiful temple and a waterfall! Pictures don’t do justice sometimes! On Monday my group travel to Elephant Nature Park and got to work alongside vets treating elephants! ENP really isn’t JUST elephants, you can find animals of all kinds at the ENP!
At the end of the 2 weeks I wasn’t ready to travel back home! Chaing Mai is beautiful and the friendships that I made with not only my group, but also other Loop groups and Loops staff are amazing, I wasn’t ready to say “see you later.”
Traveling to Thailand with Loop Abroad was truly the best thing that I have chosen to do!! I not only had the best time of my life, but I also learned so much that has been beneficial to my education. Everyone should apply, even if it’s not on the vet trip, Loop Abroad is a life altering experience. Any High School or College student should travel with Loop!!!

I held the rice ball up to her truck. Noi nah, a relatively new elephant hesitantly picked it up. A downpour started around us and quickly coated our clothes to us like glue. It seeped into my bones, but I did not care. I loved this moment, these creatures, and the friends around me as we ran back to the shelter. We all fell into a laughing heap and a sense of complete happiness washed over me. These are the kind of moments that are created here. Moments that will stick in your mind forever.

This trip was amazing! I've never had such an experience in my life. Part of this was because Thailand was the prettiest place I've ever been. Part of it was because elephants are awesome! But mostly it was because the people I was surrounded by were so great! All of the cute cute dogs also helped and I learned a lot.

This trip is unique because it is a vacation and study abroad experience all in one. These two weeks were stress free and so relaxing, yet I gained veterinary knowledge that I wouldn't learn until vet school. I loved working with the elephant vets at ENP and as well as Dr. D (Dana)! Dr. D gave me responsibilities that my own vet that I have worked for for 2 years has not allowed me to do. This trip will open many doors for me and has strengthened my desire to become a vet!

This experience was a once in a lifetime. I had an amazing two weeks spent with really great staff. Not only is it hands on learning but an eye opener to the rest of the world. As a pre- vet student, it was awesome to work alongside a vet.

This program opened my life up to the world of travel while simoltaniously helping me persue my dream of becoming a veterinarian. It was so hands on with animals during the day and then at night you were emerged into the Thai culture. This honestly is a once in a life time experience and anyone that has a chance needs to take it. I was able to learn how to draw blood, learn the basics of a general check up, how to administer shots and many other veterinary basics. I spent a great deal of my time growing up volunteering at my hometown zoo and I was a very active member of FFA but Loop Abroad gave me a chance to really work one on one with animals. I came home with veterinary experience but even more important I was able to meet two girls who became my best friends and enough stories to last a lifetime.

To this day, I still claim that the two weeks I spent in Thailand were by far the best two weeks of my life. I had never traveled overseas by myself before so having all of us meet in New York and fly out together to Thailand was very helpful. I believe it also gives us a chance to socialize with one another before we get there. Once you arrive in Thailand, the hospitality begins from the start. I think that is one of the most significant things about Loop Abroad. They make you feel at home when you are thousands of miles away from the U.S. The dynamic duo of Spicy Thai and Loop Abroad makes your trip abroad a welcoming experience.

The first week, we volunteered at the ARK Shelter under the supervision of a veterinarian. Throughout the week, you are getting hands on experience every day. You have surgery days, blood drawing days, and a special day to visit the cats at another shelter. Not to mention, everyday spent in Chiang Mai you get some kind of cultural experience. You visit in town for lunch, dinner, and shopping in the markets.

The second week was spent at the ENP where elephants roam freely within the parameters of the sanctuary. There are special feeding times as well as bathing times for the elephants that you can partake in. Throughout the week, we switched off with helping out at the dog shelter on campus and learning medical knowledge from the elephant veterinarian. I can not explain the feeling of being so close to the elephants every day. They are gentle giants and it gives you a sense of ease when you are able to work with something so beautiful and so up close. Over the week, you begin to pick out your favorite elephants and, later, find it hard to leave them behind.