Children's Home and Elephant Sanctuary Project

Emma Ahearn Start Date: Mar 16, 2017 - End Date: Jan 9, 2018
  • Thailand

My Travel Story

by: Emma Ahearn Start Date: Mar 16, 2017 - End Date: Jan 9, 2018
In the year 1800, more than 26 million elephants roamed the earth. Today, due to the rapid illegal killing of these gentle giants, more than 20,000 are killed per year causing the population of elephants to drop by 60 percent since 2002. If the trends continue and no initiatives are made to protect them, elephants will most likely be extinct by 2020. My passion for caring for all endangered species, especially elephants, has grown since I discovered an organization called Rustic Pathways. Through this organization, I plan on traveling to Thailand and spending one week at the Sappraiwan Elephant Sanctuary. Here, I would be fully trained as a mahout, or elephant trainer, by learning about elephant behaviors as well as caring for the elephants every day by feeding, bathing, and training them. This program will significantly impact my life and give me insight on how much I can change the world if I am truly passionate about an issue. 
The second part of this trip is located in the Rustic Pathways Children's Home in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The focus of this week is to tutor children from the Baan Rai School in an ESL classroom, or English as a Second Language. At this school, located in an extremely rural village of Northern Thailand, I will learn how to create lesson plans for the students and will create lifelong connections with the sweet Thai children. Seeing a culture completely different than my own is why I am so passionate about traveling to a foreign country such as Thailand. I would love to learn as much as possible about different customs, foods, religions, and societies in my life. I believe this summer program from Rustic Pathways will give me the opportunity to change my life and the life of others forever, but it will not be possible without the generosity of people like you. Thank you so much for your considerate donations. 
  • Thailand

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