The Beauty All Around
Boon Rott
By Alyssa - 8 week intern
What a privilege it has been to slow down truly witnessing the beauty of nature all around me - to be able to learn and grow has been an amazing blessing. In the heart of the forest in Thailand, sitting quietly at the top of the hill, an elephant emerged from the surrounding trees. There below me stood Boon Rott - a gentle soul - living free amongst the trees, after countless years trapped in captivity. I saw him simply be, taking his time meandering through the forest picking out the most scrumptious leaves. The air on this particular day held a sacred stillness, as if all the forest had paused to embrace him. Watching Boon Rott simply exist was beauty in the purest form: an animal doing what it’s born to do!
Life in the village is slower, quieter (other than the roosters), and more intentional than life abroad - encouraging you to reconnect with your surroundings. The stillness is beautiful, stripping away all distractions, leaving you with just life’s essentials: nature, connection, and peace. The beauty of Thailand takes your breath away. Hiking in the forest makes you realize how small you truly are and how wonderfully vast the world is around you. A lot of the most beautiful moments of my 2-month adventure have come from appreciating the small moments - cold showers after a long hike, the smell of the forest after the rain, the chicks chirping in the morning, discovering unique looking bugs with the other interns on our hikes.
If you are debating an adventure like this - go now! Go be challenged & humbled; it will change you in ways you never realized you needed to be. The physical and mental challenges from lack of everyday comforts are soothed by outstanding nature, wildlife, and people. My perspective on life will never be the same. My time here has challenged assumptions, stretched my comfort zone, and has grounded me beyond words. My Thai adventure has brought me so much clarity in life - teaching me to slow down, listen, and live with a greater abundance of understanding. Reminding me that growth comes from tough, sometimes uncomfortable moments - stepping outside yourself can be the best way to truly find it.
