An ethical, magical experience
By Erell - 2 week intern
Before coming to KSES sanctuary, I had hoped I was going to have a good time there, seeing elephants in the wild and getting to know and learn about the Karen people. But I didn’t know if all the previous interns articles were actually describing the sanctuary accurately. To be honest, I thought they might be exaggerating or talking only about the good stuff. But here’s the thing, there is nothing bad to talk about. My experience here has been way over my expectations.
Seeing elephants in the wild is in itself, a magical experience but getting to know each and everyone of them by observing them everyday is really something else. You will get to meet Dodo, Sri Prai, Mae Doom, Junior, Too Meh and Boon Rott, who all have their own characteristics and temper. You will learn a lot about them, their habits but also about elephants in general and how important they are. Moreover, you will hike in a beautiful jungly forest and discover the life of Mahouts, the elephants’ keepers and their interesting job.
The only things I would warn you of would be that you probably will be tired, as you will wake up early to hike in uneasy terrain, in a hot climate all morning. However we do get a lot of free time in the afternoon and at night so you’ll definitely have time to rest.
I couldn’t write about my time here without talking about the village and its people. Prepare yourself to experience a way of living that’s very different from the one you are probably used to. But be also prepared to love it. It’s amazing to learn about the village’s habits, its rhythm. I was truly amazed by how little the Karen people need to live with, and how good life seems here, at the village. People are always smiling, always being nice. Besides, the village is full of life : ROOSTERS, dogs, cats, chickens, pigs, buffalos, insects…
KSES is really trying to bond with the villagers, to share knowledge both ways so you will get to teach English to the kids for example while you will also learn a lot about them. You will also get to do some little projects to make the village an even nicer, cleaner, more sustainable place. The dinners, I think, might have been my favorite times. Trying new food, sharing it with cool people and getting to know everyone was really nice after a long day.
Lastly, I will say that the entire KSES team is beyond amazing. The staff are so nice, organized and attentive. You can tell your mom you will definitely be in good hands. Everything is easy at the village and with everyone at KSES. Everybody is here for a good time.
Lastly, you will meet really nice, interesting, smart and friendly people. People come here from all over the world, from different academic backgrounds which makes it really nice if you’re looking to broaden your horizons.
So if you are hesitating about coming here as an intern, I would definitely suggest you book your tickets now. I have absolutely zero regrets about coming here. It has been a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will cherish for a very long time. I cannot tell you more, you’d have to come to experience it yourself.
