By Anna 1 week intern-

“Lay gwah guchaw!” In Karen language, this means “Go to see elephants,” and Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary is the perfect way to do this! The Karen community lives in Ban Naklang village where the sanctuary is based, and it is an ethnic group in the North of Thailand. They are the latest minority group in Thailand, with a rich history, culture, and language.

They have a historical and spiritual connection with elephants, and I think this photo well represents this relationship; this is why I chose it. I decided to begin this volunteer project to see elephants in a natural way, and seeing them in that landscape was amazing, more than I expected. Elephants are very interesting animals, and studying their behavior and taking photos of them was so exciting. Every day we went hiking to see them in the forest, and even though the first day was a little bit hard for me, after the second day, it was much better.

I had the opportunity to enjoy many activities. These included teaching English to children and adults, focusing on basic words and phrases, going on a bio hike, collecting data about the biodiversity of the forest, creating an eco-bricks laboratory to recycle plastic, and learning Karen language, especially fundamental phrases that I could use during my stay.

My accommodation was very simple, but this is a good way to get to know the community much better. Karen women cooked delicious food for the interns every day, especially dishes based on rice, vegetables, and locally sourced meats.

The opportunity to see elephants in a natural way, the connection with Karen people, and the many ways to help them are strong points of this project, which I recommend to everyone!

Thank you to Kerry and Laura and to all the village that welcomed me with lots of smiles.