Life of Caro

[lifeofcaro]

Tired of lying in the sunshine, staying home to watch the rain You are young and life is long, and there is time to kill today And then one day you find, ten years has got behind you No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.

David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright of Pink Floyd, “Time”

[lifeofcaro]

I am so excited to share that we had our first Women LEAD session last night! It's hard to believe that this all started with a simple vision, sparked by a simple conversation. I can't put into words how thankful I am of the wonderful girl bosses who have helped me launch this unique program at USC, and would not be where we are today without their help! To 6 weeks of empowering, uplifting, supporting, learning, and leading: let's do this, ladies 🌻😎💪🏽💃🏽☀️ #UofSC #SpurredtoLead #Leadership #WomenLEAD #GirlBoss #Empowerment #Leadhership #Leadher @uofsc @spurredtolead @uofsc_lsc (at University of South Carolina)

[uscasbthailand]

Machetes, Sweet Corn, Squatting Toilets & Slurping Honeysuckle

At around 8 am this morning, our group piled into the back of a truck bed, dressed in long sleeves & long pants ready as ever to do the dreaded “cutting grass” project. We had been told this was the toughest day, a precedent that most certainly didn’t bring the our spirits down. The adrenaline kicked in as the truck sped off down the bumpy road, each of us unprepared for an adventurous ride to our destination. Picture 17 gamecocks lined up against the walls of a truck bed, holding on to their hats as the warm wind whips through their hair, feeling the bruises forming as they bounce up and down on the metal floor. Add in some classic camp games (think Telephone & Big Booty), an attempt of French braiding hair (extreme version), and trying to stay balanced while surfing the truck bed. We picked up a fellow Thai worker along the way, passed through a government check-point, and laughed a little too hard at an inappropriate joke Prof. Julie told us.

Upon arriving to the corn field about an hour away from the Elephant Nature Park, we filed out of the truck and were told to put down our stuff while they handed us machetes. It was time to get to work.

For the next two hours or so, we discovered the best way to relieve stress. Swinging machetes at the roots of corn stalks that had been husked already for human food, we made large piles to be gathered and taken back to the camp for the elephants to eat. Occasionally we would run across a left cob of over corn, and after Aek encouraged us to eat it, we all enjoyed the sweetest snack of corn we could have ever imagined, sweating under the 95 degree Thai sun.

The backdrop of our morning was casually steep peaks, rising sunshine and lush vegetation, blurred by the relentless smog.

We had the chance to serve alongside Thai workers, enjoying their banter and skill with the machetes. During one of our water breaks, I began asking more questions to our group guide, Aek. I asked him what the most pressing environmental issues in Thailand were, and he described the issues of water and air pollution from the rising industrialization the in the cities. We talked about technology spreading throughout the country. “Some people think this new technology is good; the phones and computers. They think they need it. I think we have enough, though. People don’t realize that you don’t need more to be happy.” I asked him if this saddened him, and if he saw the industrialization of Thailand changing the way Thais lived. He said yes, and that he is worried about the future.

I feel extremely fortunate to have the chance to talk to these locals, and hear their stories. Aek comes from a village, and studied tourism at his University on Chiang Rai. He loves working with tourists (I couldn’t believe this), but I can see his passion for this place in his eyes. He has already memorized all of our names (he somehow knew mine on the first day), and his English is impeccable. He loves saying American jokes and phrases, and his knowledge of the elephants, lands, and people is inspiring. Aek is my favorite person that I’ve met in Thailand.

After we worked on cutting the grass, we then compiled the stalks into piles, had them tied, and then threw them all into massive truck beds (yes, the ones we rode to the field in). We filled three of these. Apparently, this feeds the elephants (all 68 of them), for only a day & a half. This place continues to blow my mind.

We then all enjoyed a delicious lunch of vegetable rice, yellow noodles, egg frittata, bananas, and delicious cookies with pineapple jam filling.

To get back, we all had to squeeze into one small van and the front of a pick-up truck. Hope, Lil, Whitney, Ryan & I all sat in the trunk. Once again, sorry Mom. We all passed out almost instantly, exhausted from exhaustion.

We awoke to see we had stopped at a convenience store, where we all shuffled out and took turns using the (squat) toilet and got ice cream treats. Yum. On our way back to the park, they dropped our group off on the side of the road to chop down more grass as they took what we had already chopped back to the park.

This task was a bit challenging, considering we were basically wandering up & down the road looking for the specific kind of grass that elephants eat. At one point, Hope & Brooke were bush-wacking in an overgrown vine pit with a machete.

A friendly Thai man stopped by on his motorbike and pointed to a beautiful flower in the vines and told us the elephants love to eat it. He pulled it down, and it was SWARMING with ants. He looked at his, smirked, and said “You try?” I told him if he could manage to rid the flower of the ants, I would try it. Of course, he managed to, and I found myself slurping on a sweet honeysuckle flower given to me by a stranger. It was one for the books.

At last, Aek returned with the truck and we gathered the grass into the bed and rode back. Aek pulled up to some elephants roaming in the field, and told us we could feed them with what we found. At the time of collection, we figured we could probably feed one elephant for 15 minutes with how few grass stalks we found. Turns out, we could feed 3 elephants for about 10 minutes. We got to satisfyingly witness them chomp on the grass we collected for them, scratching behind their muddy ears. I’m in love with this place.

Namaste, ~~Caroline~~

[lifeofcaro]

Post being sprayed with a trunk full of dust. I think I'm in love with this place. 🐘🌻🌿🍃🏔🌄☀️ #ElephantNaturePark #Chiangmai #Thailand #Elephants #UofSC (at Elephant Nature Park)

[lifeofcaro]

What an insane weekend in #Chiangmai #Thailand. From: Watching hot air balloons take off at sunrise -- ziplining through the jungle -- exploring ancient temples in Old City -- wandering through the Night Bazaar --hiking to a Buddhist monastery -- getting a full body Thai massage -- eating crickets & mad spicy Massaman curry-- experiencing the vibrant Sunday night market -- to witnessing an absolutely wild ladyboy show. I think we lived up our mere two days in Chiang Mai. Here's to our upcoming week-long adventure at the #ElephantNaturePark 🐘🌿🌄🏔🍃! #SpringBreak2016 #UofSC #USCaltbreak #wander #explore #discover #travel (at ถนนคนเดินเชียงใหม่ ( Chiang Mai Walking Street ))

[lifeofcaro]

En route to #Thailand for #SpringBreak2016 to hang out with #elephants 🐘🐘🐘 See you soon, America ✌🏽️🌿✈️ (at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX))

[uscasbthailand]

So It Begins...

Sawaddee, friends!

My name is Caroline Westberg and I am one of the 17 lucky Gamecocks traveling to Chiang Mai, Thailand for the Carolina Service Council’s 2016 Alternative Spring Break trip. The First Flight crew arrived at Columbia Metropolitan Airport this morning around 9:30 am, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed. We are an eclectic blend of undergraduates with one graduate student (our fearless leader, Hope Wooten), and one professor, Julie (aka, Mom).

(Groups 2 and 3 fly out later today and will meet up in JFK before meeting our group in Guangzhou, China)

We have officially completed our first leg of the trip and are awaiting our next flight in Atlanta International Airport. As Hope says, however, “it ain’t fun if it’s easy”. Our eager group was stopped abruptly before boarding our puddle jumper plane to Atlanta as the flight attendee informed us that we needed visas to get into China. Technological difficulties, naturally, for we don’t need a visa to explore China for less than 72 hours. After each of us had a moment of mental panic that our spring break was going to be spent in our home (albeit glorious destination) Columbia SC, the minor crisis was averted and we boarded successfully.

Hope fell asleep, almost instantly. Lil & Liz were not fans of the turbulence, as they gripped the armrests for their dear lives during the rough spots. We got peanuts (always fearful someone will break out into a deadly allergic reaction. Why do planes still serve peanuts?). It was exhilarating.

I’ve always been a sucker for airports, thrilled by the endless people-watching possibilities and witnessing the blend of travelers coming and going. Some are dressed to the nines, others are in their pjs (us). Observing those that are meandering aimlessly through the travel marts and those that are sprinting full throttle through the terminals to catch their flight. It’s the ultimate feeling of realizing just how tiny we are, and how incredibly complex the lives are of those we may interact with on any given day.

I think we all have our reasons for coming on this trip, but to think of 17 lives crashing into one another for two weeks of exploring the unknown ultimately makes this a unique and unforgettable shared experience. I’ve been dying to go to Thailand; to soak up its culturally rich history, lands, people, and food. It doesn’t hurt that five days will be spent with (in my opinion) the most magnificent and might creature out there. Here’s to the Land of the Smiles, to see with open eyes your idiosyncrasies and quirks, to curiously witness all that you’re willing to share with us.

Keep wandering,

Caroline & the rest of the little gamecock elephants

[lifeofcaro]

Thanks for showing off, Mother Nature 🗻👣💙 #Iceland #Travel #Nature #Hiking (at The Golden Circle)

[lifeofcaro]

Alas, I have made it to #Iceland & discovered my personal heaven: Viking Stout. #Beer #Stout #Vikings #Travel (at Íslenski Barinn - Icelandic Bar)

[lifeofcaro]

Inappropriate yet fitting. Last day in #Sweden; onward to #Iceland tomorrow! (at Meatballs - For the People)

[lifeofcaro]

Spending the next few days exploring #Stockholm, #Sweden #Scandinavian #Vikings #Travel #Wanderlust (at Stockholm, Sweden)

[lifeofcaro]

Ultimate serenity in #Pula, #Croatia 🌅⛵️🚣 #Nature #Peace #Sunset #Travel (at Pula, Croatia)

[lifeofcaro]

Conquered #Hvar, #Croatia today (at Hvar, Croatia)

[lifeofcaro]

Majestic waterfalls in #KrkaNationalPark, #Croatia #Nature #Wander #Explore #Discover (at Krka National Park)

[lifeofcaro]

Finishing up the semester in #Split #Croatia ⛵️☀️🌊 (at Split, Croatia)

[lifeofcaro]

I love you #Brussels, thanks for being perfect~see you later! ✌️❤️ (at Grand Place)

[lifeofcaro]

The Fugitives, Fête de L'Iris Springtime live music festivals 🌻🎶🎸 I'll miss you Brussels 💙 #fugitives #brussels #belgium #livemusic #festival (at Royal Palace of Brussels)