Kelsey Parsons

Mae Taeng Valley, Thailand

When I was volunteering at Elephant Nature Park, a few volunteers and I were recruited to cheer for some of the park employees, who play a weekly soccer match against a local team. We were loaded into the bed of a pickup truck and dodged low-lying branches as we sped through the beautiful hills surrounding the Mae Taeng Valley on the way to our destination. Once there, we promptly bartered for some beers from an entrepreneurial local and the cheering commenced. The ENP team lost and sitting on the dirt wasn’t the most comfortable thing in the world, but the surroundings were stunning and the cheerleaders and team were hilarious. I miss Thailand!