{"id":15715,"date":"2017-06-06T16:59:05","date_gmt":"2017-06-06T16:59:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.spcollege.edu\/international\/?p=15715"},"modified":"2024-01-30T12:06:39","modified_gmt":"2024-01-30T17:06:39","slug":"elephant-mentally-physically-healthy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.spcollege.edu\/international\/elephant-mentally-physically-healthy\/","title":{"rendered":"SPC Students Working Hard in Thailand to Help Each Elephant Stay Mentally and Physically Healthy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>After spending about a week working with wildlife, my classmates and I were moved over to the elephant schedule. We were very excited, but a tad hesitant. We were given the down low on how the days were from our other classmates, which gave us a little more preparation. We heard that the days were generally easy and fun, but very very hot, excluding the dreaded “harvest”. With that in mind, we went into the first day with a positive mind set and had a blast. The schedule was\u00a0 set up similar to the wildlife schedule. The only difference, was that there was only 13 elephants, so instead of working in a certain area, you were assigned to a specific group of elephants. In the mornings, we would head to our elephant area and get right to work! Every day, these elephants would get something called, a banana ball. A banana ball was a ball made of mushed up bananas, bran, and elephant pellets, and it was super messy, but definitely my favorite part. After making the banana balls, we would get to feed them! \"\"<\/a>It was crazy watching these giant creatures use their trunks to grab this mush ball from your hand and feed themselves. It was amazing.<\/p>\n

Working with the elephants was something I can’t even begin to explain. It was scary, amazing, hard, unbelievable, but overall one the best opportunities life could have given us. We were able to get close and comfortable with these elephants, creating bonds in such a short amount of time. It felt like we were making friends, not just working with an animal, it felt stronger. This feeling made it easier when it came to the hard parts of working with them. I personally felt a better appreciation when it came time to clean their enclosures and harvest their banana trees. \"\"<\/a>And that says a lot because harvesting was probably one of the hardest tasks I have ever done in my life. Staying out in a banana tree field for two hours in the smoldering Thailand heat carrying dozens of banana trees didn’t seem that bad when you later put your hard work to good use by feeding them, and creating enrichments. Our hard work ultimately kept these elephants mentally and physically healthy, and what better feeling is that.<\/p>\n

\n

Click here <\/a>to read other stories from the SPC Thailand Study Abroad program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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