AnonymousAngela: January 2011

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

WFFT Week 2

Compared with last week and the troubles adjusting to this new way of life, I have really started to get into it and enjoy it! I feel really at ease with my job, things are much easier now that I have been doing it for 2 weeks.

We have 2 outings this week, one to Cha-Am for Sadie's 23rd Birthday, and one to Hua Hin for dinner and to see the nightmarkets. I love Hua Hin, there is so much happening there! It's a huge Scandinavian tourist destination and most tourists are tall and blonde hehe!

I have been doing bears and nocturnal animals for most of the time as I have been quite ill with nausea, diarrohea and cramps. If we feel sick at all, we are not allowed to work with any Primates, as we are so genetically similar we can pass many illnesses onto them, which could prove fatal and sweep through the Centre's whole population.

After 8 days of feeling like this, I become very faint and dehydrated and have to go to Sao Paolo Hospital for treatment. The doctor prescribes me antibiotics to kill the infection in my stomach, also electrolyte sachets, and anti cramping and nausea medication, and of course, rest.

After recovering from that, I have my day off at the resort again. I'm not taking any chances and being adventurous trying to see everything and get sick again.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Week 1 - WFFT

Caught the bus to Cha-Am in order to start my 4 weeks volunteering with WFFT. I sat next to a 50ish man, I initially thought a man travelling alone to Cha-Am was a bit suspicious, but upon chatting to him, found him to be lovely, he was an English teacher from Bangkok and was going camping for the week. We got off at Cha-Am and hired some motorbike taxis to take us to the beach where we ate an icecream, then I called the Centre to come and pick me up.

Upon getting to the Centre I was met by Emma, the volunteer co-ordinator. She showed me to my room and I was pleasantly surprised, I had expected much worse.

I had my Centre tour with another girl who started on the same day, Liz from Newcastle in England. I was so shocked at all of the information we had to learn, and so quickly!

In 2-3 weeks we would be team leaders and in charge of teaching new people things!

There are nearly 300 animals at the Centre, 200 of them primates. There are 4 working teams split into different areas to make the work possible, Primates 1, Primates 2, Bears & Nocturnals, and Other Wildlife. I was put on Bears & Nocturnals for the first 2 days and thought the work was a bit hard, very physically demanding and in the sun and rain for most of the day. The next 2 days I was on Primates 1, which was a lot easier and mostly working in the shade.

My first day off couldn't come quickly enough, I went with Liz to the local resort and just relaxed by the pool and enjoyed some nice hot showers!

The resort was amazing, pure luxury in comparison to the Centre! Hot showers, air-conditioning, sun-bathing on sun-lounges by the pool, "Western food" of hot chips and vegie burgers, certainly a welcome change from pineapple curry!

http://www.petchvarinresort.com/Default.aspx?tabid=311&language=en-US

Thoughts on WFFT

Initially I was looking to visit China on my way to Europe. I saw tours which also volunteered at a Panda Sanctuary for 4 days. I wanted something longer, surely 4 days was a waste of everyones' time? As soon as the volunteers were trained up they would have to leave. It's also a waste of energy for the people who work at the Centre, putting all of their efforts into people who would be leaving in a few days.

I was interested in helping one of these organisations as I have been brought up with immense love and respect for animals, and to see others without these values is something I don't understand, yet something I wanted to help change. After quite a bit of research about how I could help, I stumbled across the WFFT website. WFFT helps to ease these horrifyingly mistreated animals back into the most fulfilling and natural life their circumstances allow

They are either:

a) Reintroduced into the wild if at all possible; or
b) Kept in the most comfortable and natural surroundings possible with all food, water and veterinary care for the rest of their lives if they are too badly treated or hurt and could not function properly again in the wild.

I had great respect for this and wanted to do all I could to help!

I caught a bus to Cha-Am, where someone at the Centre collected me to take me back for my 4 weeks working there. I will be working 6 days a week with 1 day free each week to do as I please...the pristine white sandy beaches of Cha-Am and Hua Hin are nearby (well, 1 hour away is pretty close given we are in the middle of the Thai jungle).

Bangkok III, Thailand

During my visit to Bangkok I stayed at the The Atlanta Hotel in Sukhumvit Road which is in the main shopping and entertainment area in Bangkok. Sukhumvit Road is HUGE and stretches all the way from the centre of Bangkok, all the way down to the beachside city of Pattaya.

The Atlanta Hotel was the epitome of glamour and style back in its day, and was a favourite haunt of writers and celebrities. It has the most photographed lobby of any hotel in Thailand, and it's still regularly used for photoshoots and filmsets, having not been touched since the1950s. The foyer was designed by Dr Max Henn and his wife in the 1950s and influenced by central European theatre architecture and set designs of the 1920s and 1930s.

It is famously intolerant of sex-tourists and flatly refuses entry to anyone who they suspect may be there for that reason.

There are resident terrapins and cats roaming around its various pools and quiet corners which I think only adds to its character.

http://www.theatlantahotelbangkok.com/

I met up with Salli (a friend of a friend, Jess) who was on my flight. Jess is also coming to Bangkok to meet us.

Jess, Salli and I spent the next two days going to Khao San Road and MBK, and just relaxing. I didn't want to do too much before starting work at the rescue centre.