Sasha Geschwind used to think the trick-performing elephants of Thailand were just quirky entertainers. But after spending her summer learning about the brutal living conditions they face, Geschwind went from unaware spectator to well-informed rescue worker.
Geschwind, a second-year undeclared student, spent two weeks rescuing elephants in Thailand. She got involved through International Student Volunteers, a nonprofit organization that offers a combination of volunteer projects and adventure travel, according to its website.
For Geschwind’s particular trip, students were sent to Thailand to assist at Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary and rescue center providing safety, security and a natural habitat to the many elephants rescued from harsh living conditions.
A large portion of the elephant population in Thailand is used for tourist attractions, Geschwind said. Whether the elephants are used for shows, drawing paintings with their trunks, or simply roaming the streets “begging” for tourists to feed them, they are all subject to harsh training practices, inadequate supplies of food and water, and living spaces much smaller than that of their natural habitat.
“I was stunned that this was a reality,” Geschwind said.
The UCLA student, along with 14 other women from universities around the world, helped maintain the park.
“We’d feed them, bathe them and do other maintenance things to help keep the park going,” Geschwind said. “There were 32 elephants at the park when we were there, and they had been rescued from a variety of different things.”
Geschwind added that some of the elephants were also used in logging. According to Geschwind, after laborers cut down trees, elephants are forced to pull the timber, which is physically harmful to these animals.
However, Geschwind’s trip to Thailand was not all work and no play. Divided into two parts, the program attributes the first two weeks of the four-week trip to volunteer work and the last two to adventure travel, said Simon Costain, international marketing director for the nonprofit.
Despite all the kayaking, rock climbing, scuba diving, cave exploring and shopping Geschwind immersed herself in, her favorite time was that spent with the elephants.
“I definitely enjoyed the volunteer portion of the trip more,” Geschwind said. “It’s a vacation, but a lot more fulfilling because you get to immerse yourself in the culture and learn about it.”
Nicole McIntyre, a third-year cognitive science student, also participated in the program. After traveling to the Dominican Republic to help build homes and schools, and teach underdeveloped communities about health and hygiene, McIntyre thought the division of volunteer work and adventure travel was a good mix.
“The travel part was more fun, but I learned a lot the first two weeks,” McIntyre said.
The volunteer part of the program is somewhat of a recent change that has brought high recognition, Costain said. Established in 1983, the program changed its focus from cultural exchange to volunteer and adventure in 2002.
Both Geschwind and McIntyre said their experiences were eye-opening.
“The whole trip made me extremely patriotic because I never really fully understood why I was so lucky to live in America,” McIntyre said. “I didn’t realize the extent of poverty in other parts of the world.”
As for Geschwind, her trip to Thailand reinforced her thoughts of incorporating sustainability and the fight against animal cruelty into her future.
“It makes me excited to know I have time to accomplish more things,” Geschwind said. “Animal cruelty has always had a soft spot in my heart. It’s something I really want to do and that’s why I was there.”