Fourth Day of Surveying:)

Lohith and Anna are explaining the occurrence of events today.

We started our day by eating breakfast, per usual and headed off to Mae Tang Elephant Park for more survey work. Compared to the day after the king's birthday, today was a lot more successful! Most of the tourists that we survey have English as their second language which creates a language barrier. However, today was a lot more of a relief. A lot more of the tourist spoke English well which allowed us to conduct more surveys:). Due to the prior day of survey being a Thai holiday, there weren't as many people who came to the park therefore there not as many surveys were conducted. Today the number of surveys that were completed spiked up! This concludes the surveying at the Mae Tang elephant park (where elephant shows take place). 

At Hug Chang, just a few minutes away by drive, three members of our group are chosen to survey at this location. Due to a high volume of Chinese tourist that come to this area, it is nearly impossible for the group of students to match the number of surveys to the students that are at Mae Tang. This gave our members a chance to bond with the faculty more and to learn more about elephant preservation. For example, Lohith talked to one of the mahoots. He explained in depth about ancestral elephant domestication practices. She talked about how in order domesticate wild elephants, ancient Thai tribes would create a barrier around these majestic giants, allowing them to monitor their position. They then would take oats to treat the elephants with proper respect. By doing this, as well as feeding them, it would gain the elephant's trust, allowing them to train them in necessary tasks, such as transportation of large objects. Along with learning about ancestral domestication of elephants, the others at Hug Chang were able to bond with the elephants working. Overall, at Hug Chang there was one European, Chinese (who did not contribute to the survey), and Israeli group. This concluded our day of surveying, making members of the group eager to get the most surveys tomorrow. Today Garret received the most surveys with 12. 

At 6pm the group headed out for dinner. Today was a twist from the normal occurrence. Rather than having Thai food, as usual, the group indulged in healthy American food (protein shakes, salads, and wraps). It was lit! It was interesting to eat food that we were familiar with which made us feel a little homesick. It was fun being able to reflect on our days and share our different experiences on this trip while being able to eat some good food. Finally we headed back to the hotel to get some rest, eager to wake up tomorrow and conduct more surveys.

Lions, Tigers, and Baylor Bears, Oh My!

How We Felt This Morning

Today was a much needed day of rest from our survey work! Kayla and Garrett, here, filling you in on our many fun adventures with exotic animals!
This morning we took a trip over to the Chiang Mai Zoo to experience a different kind of animal encounter than we have at the elephant sanctuaries. This zoo was very different from those we have in the states. It was extremely spread out, with animals inhabiting their own little corners of the property. Unlike zoos at home, we had to drive between the many different areas, some being separated by nearly a kilometer.
While at the zoo, we saw many different animals at the zoo, many of which are quite rare to find at United States zoos. Our first stop was the panda exhibit, which was very isolated from the rest of the animals in the area. We had to go through a long tunnel with panda facts on the walls just to view the black and white bears. The next exhibit over was the big cat section. This zoo had two white lions, some regular lions, Bengal tigers, black panthers, and a jaguar. They even had a station for us to feed the jaguar, which the boys were more than happy to oblige.
To our great amusement, there was a large exhibit for domestic goats right across from the big cats. Though we have seen these creatures on farms many times, we were still very fascinated by them.
Later on, after visiting some sleepy koalas, a giant group of deer, and an elusive orangutan, we were treated by seeing the ONLY Indian rhinoceros in Thailand. It was quite different from the African varieties, displaying a somewhat green tint and a strangely sectioned off body resembling armor.
Next to the rhino were a few gibbons, which were probably Dr. M's favorite part of the whole zoo!
We ate lunch at a ritzy neighborhood café, and headed to a woodcrafting village. The village was full of wooden art, from small statuettes to large dining room tables. Surprisingly, Lohith walked away with only two things, and a full wallet.

Baylor Nation Is Everywhere!

To end the day, we went on a couple of night safaris. While waiting in the main section of the park, we met Timon the meerkat, an albino porcupine, and a couple of iguanas. These were just a taste of what we were about to experience, though! We started with a "Predator Prowl" tour. This took us on a large golf-cart-like vehicle through the jungle to view the many predators in the park. We were able to see hyenas, pumas, lions, sun bears, and three different species of tiger. Between predator exhibits, there were deer and hogs wandering the roads, some of which we were able to pet! The other safari was the "Savanna Safari." When we began, it was getting very dark, so the animals were a little hard to see. On it, we saw goats, bison, deer, kangaroos, emus, rhinos, elephants, wildebeests, kudus, and ostriches. The most exciting part of the drive was the section with roaming zebras and giraffes. They inhabited a very large plot of land, and were very friendly toward us. The giraffes would bend down to look at us in the cart, while the zebras trotted alongside.
We had a great day off and we will be back at Mae Taeng for survey work tomorrow!

Survey Thai-m!

Happy Monday! Daniela, Maleeha, and Savannah here! 

This past weekend was an eventful one! 

Friday we had a vet from Patara Elephant Sanctuary,  Dr. Thittaya Janyamethakul, come and speak to us about zoonotic diseases. She talked to us about diseases like Brucellosis, TB, Leptospirosis, rabies, and more. On Friday we also went to the Romborsang Umbrella Factory and learned how the paper umbrellas were made, and we even got to paint our own! We also went to the Shinawatra Thai Silk factory where we learned how to differentiate between fake and real silk made in different regions of Asia. For dinner we were able to explore a little more of Thailand in the Night Bazaar, which is a street lined with multiple stalls of merchandise and food similar to the walking street. 

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were full of surveys and tourists at Mae Taeng Elephant Park & Clinic. We spent about four hours a day, alternating groups during lunch, to survey the tourists that came to interact with the elephants. Furthermore, about three people were stationed at the Hug Chang facility to survey the tourists there. Many of the tourists did not speak English, but with the help of two translators we were able to effectively communicate with both the Chinese and Thai tourists. The first day was very hectic and we did not know what to expect, but by Sunday and Monday surveying became easier and eventually turned into a cut-throat (friendly) competition. 

During the weekend we also participated in a cultural dinner where the different tribes of Thailand demonstrated their various traditional dances. What made this dinner unique was the fact that it was an interactive experience where the dancers brought audience members onto the stage and taught them some of the dances. From our group Lia, Garrett, and Lohith were selected to participate. 

This past weekend we also went back to the walking street and as always it was chaotic and full of interesting sights and smells. Today our dinner was at Paak Dang, which is a restaurant right next to the Ping River, and it was nice to be able to eat while feeling like we were right outside. Overall, it was a nice weekend and a good start to this upcoming week, and it’s hard to believe time went by so fast that we’re halfway done with our trip! 

Guess What?!

This just in! Lia and Garrett are on the scene in Chiang Mai, Thailand to cover this joyous day for Global Baylor!

Ballin'

This morning we took a quick ride in Chiang Mai's signature red trucks to visit the Chiang Mai University Medical School. Once we arrived at the department of community medicine, we were met by big smiles and goodie bags filled with sweet treats. Our lecturer, Dr. Pisittawoot, a field epidemiologist, began to speak to us about the Thai healthcare system. He told us that Thailand is divided into 77 provinces, which are further divided into districts, communities, subdistricts, and villages. According to him, Thai healthcare is divided similarly. Subdistrict clinics act as primary care for the Thai people. These clinics are the first stop for someone who feels ill. From there, a patient can be referred to a community hospital, the second degree of medical care. There, a patient will find a larger staff and more advanced medicine to suit their needs. If the patient is in severe need of treatment, they can be referred to a general or regional hospital, the third degree of care. General hospitals are much like those in the States, with several different medical specialties represented, providing a top level of care for the seriously ill. The Thai healthcare system even has their own program for referrals, called the Thai Refer Program. This program allows easy access for physicians to review or transfer patients' medical records at a connected facility.

Traditionally ballin'

He then began to tell us about the path medical students take during their schooling. In Thailand, medical school is treated like a trade school, with students applying to medical schools after graduating high school. After acceptance, there are two different categories of students: clinical and MD. Clinical students are involved in 3 years of schooling in research and field work, followed by 3 more years of primary care work before receiving their degrees. MD students have a more divided schedule, each of the six years designated to a different kind of field work. Most of the students' time is spent in a practical medical environment, rather than in a classroom. Dr. Pisattawoot further stated that the government covers the cost of medical school, except for schooling at private universities. This is compensated by the fact that newly graduated MDs are required to serve at a government run hospital for a designated amount of time.

Acupuncture tools

After the lecture, we said our goodbyes to the kind staff at the university and rode a short distance to TTCM, a branch of the university medical system which focuses on integrating traditional alternative and complementary medicine with western health care. There, we were told about the many incredible benefits of traditional medicine. According to the lecture, Chinese acupuncture can be used to treat strokes, and "cupping" is proven to improve blood flow in the body. A special massage developed by this clinic, which combines Chinese and Thai massage techniques, can have the same effect on joint pain as ibuprofen.

Getting cupped

Ready to hit the town

Getting stuck

Chickie

Next, we took a very informative tour of the facility. The staff taught us about the many ins and outs of running a traditional medicine practice. We learned that the clinic enables an integrated and sustainable health care service. We were shown the massage rooms, botanical garden filled with medicinal herbs, and the acupuncture/cupping room. While in the acupuncture room, Reid and Lohith were able to experience the ancient art form. Lohith even got stuck in the head! He said
it hurt when he laughed XD. Reid ended up with huge welts on his back after the cupping experience!
Then, a lot of us went to go enjoy the major motion picture: The Lion King!
At the end of the day, we went to One Nimman for a delightful dinner at the market. We had crepes, CHICKEN BUTT, and dumplings!
Can't wait for the silk village tomorrow!!!!<3

Do your CHANG hang low?

HEY! Brenna and Reid here! This morning we took a one hour bus ride to Mae Tang Elephant Park. This will be the place we will do survey work. Today our role was to act like tourists. When we first arrived, we sat down on bleachers to watch the elephants do a show. The elephants were able to do a number of tricks- they showed off their soccer skills, basketball skills and painting skills. We even got to hear an elephant band! (They were a little off beat; although they played it off by dancing along to themselves). At the end of the show, Dr. M got a big wet kiss from one of the performers (yes, it was an elephant). 


After the show, we went to visit some shops put up by some northern hill tribes from the Myanmar border. We bought a lot of handmade goodies. Lots of woven scarves, bags and traditional headpieces were available for sale. There were women from the Karen tribe there. You may recognize the Karen tribe by the golden rings they put on to lengthen their necks! Actually, the rings only push down their clavicle to make their necks look longer. Some of us got to even put some of the rings on for a photo.

After shopping, we went to an organization connected to the Mae Tang Elephant Park called "Hug Chang" (Love Elephant). We changed into a swimsuit and some raggedy clothes to wear over. A guide told us a little about Asian elephants. Asian elephants eat 10% of their body weight every day and only sleep for 2-3 hour a night (since they have to wake up to eat more food!). There are only around 3,000 Asian elephants left in the wild. Elephants used to be used heavily to help humans do work. When elephants got sore after working, the elephant keepers knew how to relieve tension by treating the elephants with a mix of herbs. After learning about the elephants, we grabbed a bucket of food. The guide told us how to make  a healthy treat for the elephants that was high in minerals. We took some mineral-rich dirt, some salt and BioMix and mixed it with water into a ball. To make it tasty for the elephants, we covered it in tamarind.





 After preparing the food, we were able to get up close with the elephants and feed them. One baby elephant, named "Boosan" was not able to see well after getting injured in a landmine explosion. She would hold her mouth open wide for you to place then food into her mouth because her trunk was deformed in the explosion. We fed them lots (although they were still hungry afterwards) and took many pictures with them. They were eager to pose as long as they got their favorite food (bananas) after. The guides took another elephant to the side, named "Wandii" and taught us the proper way to approach and bond with the elephants. You must talk slowly, make eye contact and use both hands to touch them.



After some feeding and bonding, the elephants were in the river ready to be bathed. We all went into the river with the elephants. They kneeled so that we could reach their backs. We splashed water onto the elephants and scrubbed them with the wood-soap we created. The wood-soap helps to get the small bugs off the elephants. When we finished washing, the elephant keepers told us to get on top of the elephants. It was like climbing a giant rock! We felt bad stepping all over them, but the keepers assured us they couldn't feel it. Once we were on, the elephants began to stand. We were riding bareback, so we were super wobbly when the elephant would move. It was terrifying, but the coolest experience ever!

When the elephant ride was over, we went to the cafeteria in the elephant park. After stuffing ourselves at the buffet, we visited the veterinarian center at the park. There was an elephant there who had gotten bitten by another elephant. The wound was on the tail, so the veterinarian showed us how to clean and treat the wound. They clean the wound once a day, and it should be completely healed in two months.

After a long day hanging out with elephants, we headed back to our hotel. At 6:00 we went to dinner at Lemongrass- a Thai food place. We had dishes such as khao soi, green curry and pineapple fried rice. For dessert we had a lovely fried banana and coconut ice cream dish, YUM!

We have had so many exciting experiences in the week and a half we've been in Chiang Mai! We are ready to sleep and start a new day! 

Thai'ing To Cope With Our Last Language Lesson

Hello! Happy Tuesday from Anna and Kayla!

This morning we took our second trip out to see a health center. We met with Dr. Chalom at the Chiang Mai Public Health Center. He focuses on epidemiology (infectious diseases) and informed us about the most common diseases in Thailand. He talked about how the success rate of many treatments of the diseases have increased. Some of the most common diseases he mentioned were TB, malaria, HIV, dengue, and influenza. The doctors in Chiang Mai have only treated 2 cases of rabies in the last 13 years, which is far less than many of us were expecting. Many diseases that are transferred into the country come from areas near the border of Thailand such as the forests. Tourists and migrant workers among others are ways the diseases can be introduced to Thai people. 

Sadly this afternoon we had our final Thai language lesson with Ajaan Thongchai. Our lesson focused on names of buildings and traveling. We told him about our experience with the elephants yesterday, and he taught us this cute elephant song which helped us learn the different body parts of an elephant. One of the things we looked forward to most in our lessons was asking Ajaan about thai culture. Today we learned that young adults often stay with their parents throughout their mid 20’s until they have had a job and can support themselves. It is very common for multiple generations to live in the same house.

We changed our dinner plans last minute and went to a Thai restaurant that Pi Poom recommended. Everyone got a mix of traditional Thai food. Pi Pop ordered her favorite fish and Tom Yum soup and was kind enough to order some for everyone to try. Many of us liked the fish, but the soup was way spicier than any of us had expected or preferred. Lia devoured every part of the fish, eyes included. :) 

So far our trip has been filled with so many different types of good food and new adventures. We can’t wait to hang out with more elephants tomorrow! We get to be tourists at the elephant center we will be surveying at (Mae Tang).

Meeting the Elephants!

Lohith and Hayden have documented the group's experience and impressions on the 9th day of the trip.

At 8am today, he ventured South in Chiang Mai eager to see some elephants. Our experience with elephants was very limited, and the constant chatter about them was nonstop during our one hour drive. Once we arrived, we were astonished at how grand the sanctuary looked. Nearly as soon as we got there, there was a worker who took us to a grand movie theatre. It was nearly two to three times the size of a normal theatre in America, and there were grand drapings of elephants dangling from the high surface of the theatre. The room was colored in red and gold. The amount of money put into this setting was tremendous, and it was evident that it was government-run. We each took our seats towards the front of the theatre, and a film started playing. It addressed the rumors of Thai people abusing elephants. The video explained the importance of elephants in Thai culture, how they are regarded as their own family by their owners, and how Thai people would never abuse these elephants. That was the main gist of the film and was the first thing that the government wanted visitors of the sanctuary to know. After this, we followed our guide around the sanctuary and made our first contact with the elephants.

The elephants were in this little den, behind this barrier made of bamboo. Behind them was a little pond. Asian elephants are smaller than African elephants and are distinguishable by the distinct shape of their ears and head. On top of each elephant was a man, directing their movements and behaviors. They were very well trained. Without hesitation, we eagerly paid 20 baht for a basket of fruits and grass and started feeding these gentle giants. The first skin to skin contact we had with these exotic animals was extremely memorable, and something I, personally, will cherish for the rest of my life.

After feeding the elephants, their master guided them to the pond behind us and bathed them. It was remarkable.  They used a scrubber and rubbed their backs as the elephants wallowed in the cool water. Some were even trained to pick water up with their trunks and to spray it in the air. The master of one elephant did this to impress a curious child.

 After the elephants were bathed, we followed them to a field like area, where they were to work. To make this more entertaining than it already was, there was an elephant trained to beat a drum. It did this the whole way. When we arrived at the elephant work area, we took a seat at the many benches provided. This was sort of a "show" for us, to both explain how useful elephants can be while entertaining us simultaneously. The elephants were trained to bow down and to greet the public. If necessary, the masters had a spear like a stick, and they pricked the elephants whenever necessary. It was later explained to me that this method of training was harmless to the elephants, due to their 6-8cm layer of skin. The elephants were also trained to pick up their master's tools, to transport large pieces of wood, to play catch, and interestingly enough, to paint. Each elephant was trained to paint one specific painting, which would later be sold to the general public as a souvenir.

I even got the opportunity to play catch with one of them during the show!

After the show, we were guided to the elephant hospital on the campus. Here we saw elephants with a variety of symptoms being treated by veterinarians. They were being treated in a standard-sized area, next to many other elephants. After this, we thanked our tour guide, ate lunch at the Sanctuary's restaurant, and headed to our next stop - The Friends of the Asian Elephant hospital.

This sanctuary was different because it was not government-funded or tourist-based. Immediately when we arrived, we were told to watch a short video talking about the abuse elephant's receive and how this organization stands against this abuse, and how their elephants are special to them. This video, however, differed from the first one. It was intended to rather educate the public on the abuse elephants receive, in general, rather than saying directly that they don't abuse elephants. This sanctuary was less touristy, and it was evident that their ambition was to help elephants in need. The video also highlighted the need for prosthetics from elephants walking into landmines and showed that prosthetics was one of the main specializations of the sanctuary. After the video and brief tour, we were shown a few elephants in rehabilitation and were able to ask our guide many questions about them. They clearly educated us about the torment these gentle giants receive on a daily basis and showed us many examples. There was one elephant, in particular, that stood out. It stepped on a landmine and lost a leg. The workers of this sanctuary, after finding the elephant, used many techniques to help this elephant live a long and healthy life. They developed a prosthetic leg for it and even changed the landscape to accommodate for the creature's disability. For example, they elevated the land where the elephant would place its foot by its food source, so it could eat comfortably. 

Model of Elephant Prosthetic Leg

The team looking at models of Prosthetic legs designed for the elephants at The Friends of the Elephant Sanctuary

Elephant injured in Landmine Incident

What made the two sanctuaries different was that the elephants were left to relax more and were more unbothered here than at the other sanctuary. For example, there was an elephant sleeping here. Rather than waking him up for us, our guide told us that we should refrain from disturbing it. This type of sympathetic behavior is what truly differentiated this sanctuary from the first one we visited. After we viewed all of the elephants and learned a little more about them, we took a group photo in front of a statue out front and headed back to the hotel. We had a few hours for free time, and headed for dinner promptly at 6. For dinner, the restaurant we had was Israeli food, with lots of Baba Ganoush, Hummus, Pita, and Falafel. After dinner, we loaded up the vans and headed for the hotel, with almost everyone choosing to stay in and get to sleep early. Overall, it was a very interesting day. We learned more about the abuse elephants receive,  learned about the abuse elephants sometimes receive, were shown lots of films, and got to interact and make contact with these magnificent animals. It was a great introduction for the members of our group to elephants and was truly unforgettable.

Thai'ing Up the Week

Hi everyone! Maleeha and Kayla here, we’ve officially finished our first week in Thailand! This morning we had our fourth Thai language lesson and as we spend more time learning the language we’re slowly starting to get the hang of how to communicate at markets and restaurants. We haven’t learned how to read the thai alphabet, so we’re working on the sounds of the words. We’ve been working on fruits, foods, drinks and different flavors. Being able to pronounce the words helps the marketplace vendors understand what we’re asking. We only have one lesson left and we’re excited to converse with more people as the month goes on.

After lunch we took vans to the northern part of Chiang Mai to visit the Sanpatong Hospital. Earlier in the week, Dr. Nisit introduced the Thailand healthcare system to us. He told us how the system is divided among regions, districts, and villages. Today we got to see one of the twenty-five district hospitals in Chiang Mai, the Sanpatong Hospital. We had a presentation briefing us about the size of the hospital and the services they provide. This hospital is responsible for roughly 75,000 people in the district, but 132 beds, 1 surgeon, and around 10 physicians stretches their resources. The tuberculosis (TB) clinic is a huge focus given that a large portion of the community is affected by TB but are not getting treatment. The doctors have done many studies over the years on the rates of TB, as well as HIV. We were given the opportunity to tour the hospital and observe how different it is from the U.S. hospitals. 

For dinner we went to the go-to place for Kao Soy, Kao Soy Nimman. This is a classic northern Thai noodle dish, made with egg noodles and a coconut curry soup base. We each chose how many proteins to add to our soup, options include squid, shrimp, sausage, vegetables, chicken or pork. While it was a little spicier than most of us are used to, all the bowls of soup were empty and tummies were full. Dr. M ordered spring rolls and chicken satay for the table, and many of us had our second round of color changing Butterfly Pea water. 

Up next is the Lanna Culture Museum and Muay Thai boxing! Sunday we have our first Thai massages and the walking street. The first week went by really quick! We have so much more to do in the next three weeks but we’re excited to be here and explore! 

Until next time!

Maleeha and Kayla