Submitted by Bethany Pasmore on the 2024 Winter DIST program in Thailand …
Well, my study abroad trip to Thailand has come to an end. It has been an incredible experience – one that I will never forget. My favorite activity this week was our visit to an elephant sanctuary called Into the Wild in Chiang Mai. The elephants were very friendly and fun to be around. First, we helped feed the elephants bananas and watermelon. I was surprised to watch them gulp down unpeeled bananas. They could eat so quickly! One of the younger elephants named Grace was especially greedy. She would quickly take as much food from people as she could, even if she was still chewing what was in her mouth! I enjoyed feeding her the most. After some pictures, my group went on a scenic hike up a nearby mountain with the elephants. We enjoyed following their lead and watching them interact with one another. Afterwards, we returned to the main part of the camp and ate lunch. The lunch consisted of various native fruits, chicken and potato curry, and papaya salad. It was delicious! Then, we learned about medicine balls. According to their caretakers, elephants need to eat medicine balls composed of various natural herbs to aid their digestion. So, we mashed up a concoction of sugar cane, tamarind, grains, bananas, vines, etc. to feed the elephants. After eating a few medicine balls, the elephants were led to a mud pit, where we gave them a mud bath. The tour guides enjoyed throwing mud at each other and smearing mud on our backs. Now that we were all muddy, everyone ran to the water and jumped in. The elephants joined us for some swimming as well! The highlight of my experience was being able to ride on one of the elephants while she was swimming. It was extremely fun! Overall, the elephant excursion was a unique experience that taught me a lot about caring for elephants. I will miss Thailand and the beautiful Asian elephants, but I hope to return there one day! (Submitted on January 29, 2024)
