After a delayed flight, a quick 3 hour sleep on the floor of a friend’s apartment in Brooklyn, a $50 Uber ride, and close to a full 24 hours of flying, I finally made it to Bangkok, Thailand, our study abroad destination. A trip across the world is a great way to test your travelling abilities, and truly, I think everyone will agree when I say, boy were we tested. Due to all the travel delays, we didn’t end up getting to Bangkok until Sunday night. The class ended up staying at the cutest hostel, about 20 minutes from the airport, and it was almost a blessing in disguise. Having a hot shower, comfortable bed, and air conditioning was a secret God send before our time at the sanctuary began.

The next morning, we awaited the arrival of a few students who also had travel delays, and then we set out for the sanctuary! The sanctuary — Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) — was about 3 hours SW of Bangkok, and the drive was beautiful. We left the surprisingly industrial city and made our way towards the mountains and deeper into the green jungle. Upon arrival at WFFT, we were greeted by the volunteer coordinator who gave us a quick hello and welcome and then we were given our room assignments. We towed our suitcases to our dorms, settled in the best we could, and then headed to lunch. Afterward eating a filling Thai-esque meal, we were given a tour of the entire sanctuary, which was a whole lot bigger than what met the eye. As a class, we jumped in the back of a pick-truck, hit the dirt roads, and ventured through all of the acres of land — seeing the array of wildlife that we would be so lucky to work with.

Click here to read other stories from the SPC Thailand Study Abroad program.