Brother Brandon Verkinderen’s (Phi/North Dakota State 2018) love of animals led him to a study abroad adventure in Thailand with the Loop Abroad organization. Loop Abroad gives students opportunities to learn more about careers and subjects that interest them through hands-on experiences.
“My study abroad trip was quite different from the traditional U.S. college lectures,” said Verkinderen. “The reason that I decided to go study abroad in Thailand is because Loop Abroad takes students who are interested in the veterinary profession and gives them the opportunity to work hands-on at an animal rescue and an elephant sanctuary. There was some class time and it involved me and five other students, but most of my time was spent working with a certified DMV (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine,)” he continued.
Most of Verkinderen’s stay was in Chaing Mai, Thailand.
“The first week that I spent in Chaing Mai I stayed at Spicy Thai Hostel,” said Verkinderen. “The second week I lived in a cabin that was in the elephant sanctuary. It was interesting sleeping at the sanctuary because my bed was surrounded by a mosquito net,” he added.
What was it like getting to work with live elephants?
“It was amazing being able to work on real elephants,” said Verkinderen. “It’s something that I never would have imagined myself doing in my lifetime,” he said.
What type of things did you do for the elephants?
“I assisted the veterinarians with cleaning out wounds and abscesses on the elephant’s feet. This was all done through closed contact, which means the elephants go willingly into a cage and put their feet through a slot in the cage for the veterinarians to work on them,” said Verkinderen.
The elephants do this willingly?
“Everything that happens at the sanctuary is done through positive reinforcement,” Verkinderen explained. “The elephants don’t have to go get their wounds cleaned, but they also won’t get the food that they are given while they are being worked on,” he said.
Did you do anything else at the elephant sanctuary?
“I participated in a diet study for the elephants, which meant I just got to hang out with the elephants for an entire day and recorded everything they ate,” said Verkinderen. "The study was being conducted because it is very expensive to feed elephants because they are constantly eating, and because many of the elephants at the sanctuary are overweight,” he explained.
Was there any time for traveling?
“Most of my time in Thailand was spent in and around the Chaing Mai area, but on the weekends we were able to go to a variety of Thai temples. At one of the temples we were able to meditate with a monk. It was extremely relaxing,” Verkinderen said.
Did you eat any unusual foods in Thailand?
“I didn’t try any unusual foods,” said Verkinderen. “My meals consisted of chicken, rice or noodles. Thailand has a variety of fruits that I had never seen before and I was able to try a lot of them. My favorite was the Mangosteen,” he said.
What is something about your study abroad that you will never forget?
“There are a few things from my trip to Thailand that I will never forget,” he said. “The first is the amazing people that I met on the trip. The second is that I will never forget the experience of having my feet cleaned by sucker fish, which is a common business in Thailand. Lastly, I will never forget the feeling of being able to help injured and abused dogs and elephants,” said Verkinderen.
Would you recommend a study abroad experience to your Theta Chi brothers?
“I would definitely recommend studying abroad to my Theta Chi brothers,” said Verkinderen. “Studying abroad is incredible! It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to go see the world while learning about what you are interested in, and meeting people from all over the world with the same interests as you,” he concluded.
