Marine talks about her internship in an elephant reserve

Marine left for a 4-month internship in the heart of the Karen community, in Chiang Mai, to work with the reserve's elephants.

For me, this NGO internship on an elephant reserve was much more than an internship, it was a real life lesson.

She made me aware of many things, such as the fact that living simply and in direct contact with nature is much better for health and happiness than a stressful lifestyle... ( occidentale).

This experience in Thailand also made me think about my professional future.

If I had to tell a memory...

My best memories are :

- The first time I saw an elephant in the forest, I was overwhelmed with happiness and fulfillment.

- Meet people from all over the world and, despite the language barrier, make friends with them and become part of the group.

- Live in total generosity with the people of the NGO and the family in which we have been accommodated.

- Getting a tattoo in Pakinyaw, the local language spoken by the Karen people, from one of the mahouts who looks after the elephants.

If I had to rate my experience...

• Pre-departure information: 4/5
• Registration process: 5/5
• Supervision/ project coordinators: 4/5
• Volunteer and trainee timetable: 5/5
• Food and lodging: 5/5

I highly recommend this project to others, to make them aware of the threat to this animal and the generosity of the villagers. I also recommend RealStep!

Learn more about this elephant reserve internship program here!