During my holiday vacation in 2015, I volunteered at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Guatemala called ARCAS. I helped care for dozens of animals impacted by deforestation, human abuse, pet trafficking, and learned about the challenges faced by the indigenous species. I also made friends with fellow volunteers from around the world as we bonded over this mutual interest in wildlife conservation.

In the summer of 2014, I volunteered at Wildlife Friends Foundation, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Thailand. During my time there, I worked with animals like gibbons, asian elephants, moon bears, and langurs. This allowed me an intimate experience with animals without the abuse often found in the tourism industry. It also gave me a glimpse into the inner workings of an NGO and the difficulties of wildlife conservation in Thailand.