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Volunteering Thailand – Anneliese
In our animal welfare project in Thailand volunteer Anneliese dedicated herself to help stray dogs and cats in need. Learn more about her time on Koh Lanta.
Volunteering in Thailand
I am back home for a week now, and would like to pack my bags and head straight back to Thailand! I miss the dogs, the cats, the people and even the work at the center. The two months I spent at the center have affected me in a positive way and I will never ever forget my adventure on the island. It definitely is hard work without any luxury comfort. You did not promise too much there! You clean, sweep, scrub, remove the dog poop and other nice things. But there is always enough time to cuddle with the dogs and cats, get in contact with the tourists and to get to know all the other wonderful and interesting people in the center. Within a short time it feels like being a big family, you go out together, party together, eat together or sit and tell stories. To have that kind of friends around you is very important!
I remember my worst experience at the center: One night, someone had left a cat in front of the center. I found her badly injured after I came home from a bar. After the attempt to rescue her failed I could only hold her in my arms while she was put down. You simply need to be able to handle sad situations like this.
After six days of hard work you are more than happy about a day off, which (if you start organizing in advance) can become a great experience. The island and its surroundings have so much to offer. I went snorkeling, took a boat ride, went hiking at a waterfall and in a national park, saw elephants (no worries I just saw them, and did not pay for feeding them or anything like that) and relaxed at beautiful beaches and pools to recover from my work at the center. I also took part at the free cooking class and am now able to prepare Thai dishes.
I had the chance to discover the Island with a scooter, which gives you the ultimate feeling of freedom, when you have a scooter to drive around wherever you want. But at the end of the day you are looking forward to cuddle with your favorite dog, get a little slobbery kiss and fall into bed to be ready to get back to work the next day and do your best.
It was an awesome experience!
