Help me learn about elephant conservation in Thailand!

Victoria Lindelof Start Date: Mar 4, 2024 - End Date: Jun 11, 2024
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Professional Development
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • Thailand

My Travel Story

by: Victoria Lindelof Start Date: Mar 4, 2024 - End Date: Jun 11, 2024
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Professional Development
  • Study/Degree Abroad
Hello everyone! My name is Victoria Lindelof and I am a sophomore at North Carolina State University studying animal science with a concentration in pre-veterinary medicine. Growing up, I always had the greatest desire to become a veterinarian, and I like to joke that I never grew out of that childhood dream :) Being a sophomore into my animal science degree, I have learned a great amount about the need for global conservation veterinary work. As I became more interested in this aspect of veterinary medicine, I learned about a study abroad opportunity through my university to study in Thailand for two weeks this upcoming summer. Through this program, I would spend a week at an elephant sanctuary where I would learn about elephant conservation and veterinary work. I find this experience to be extremely important to my education because it would provide me with such a unique opportunity to learn about how such small humans can impact the lives and safety of such a vast animal. Additionally, I would spend one week at a companion animal shelter in Thailand where I would work with dogs and cats. During this week, I would explore the more clinical side of veterinary medicine, including surgery techniques, suture methods, and diagnosing illnesses. I am especially excited about this week due to the fact that Thailand does not believe in the euthanasia of animals. As someone that has grown up with the norms of veterinary medicine techniques in the US, I find it extremely fascinating that this culture does not support euthanasia. I believe that the opportunity to learn about their methods of veterinary medicine and treatment structures will be one that I could not receive within the United States. The ability to learn about how different cultures impacts the practices that doctors adopt in clinical medicine is an extremely valuable experience that will allow me to become a much more well-rounded, educated student. 
Another aspect of this experience that I greatly value is the cultural exposure that I would receive from being immersed in Thailand. As someone who has grown up identifying themselves as Filipino, I have a great lack of knowledge of this culture and the cultures that surround this nation. I believe that attending Thailand will allow me to dive into some of these Southeast Asian practices that I have not been able to experience, despite my Filipino identity. This desire to connect with the culture of Thailand will allow me to greatly become involved in all aspects of this opportunity, rather than just the clinical and conservation topics in the trip. Having this appreciation for the culture will further influence the success of the program because I intend to interact with the culture and experience these moments with my fellow peers throughout the trip. Rather than approaching this trip as an individual, I plan to connect with those traveling with me and share the small amount of knowledge that I have on Southeast Asian culture. I believe that this collaboration of engagement with Thailand’s culture and citizens will allow me and others to gain different perspectives on the experiences that we are gaining. Whether this is exploring the local culture of Thailand, or discussing the knowledge that we gained from clinical practices, I believe that this community mindset that I possess will greatly bring further success into the experiences of myself and others. 
Thank you for spending time to look into my study abroad experience! Have a wonderful day :)
  • Thailand

More Travel Information