After nearly 30 hours of traveling, EGLs started our first day full of energy and eager to learn more about Soi Dogs, the foundation we are volunteering for. After packing tightly into the provided shuttle to the compound, we ventured off into Phuket in the daylight for the first time. 

We arrived at Soi Dogs and were greeted by Chrissy, our volunteer coordinator. From there we began learning the system in place to make sure the over 1400 dogs on the compound—mostly formerly stray, abandoned, or abused—are provided with the care and attention they deserve. This week we will be pairing up and walking a “Run” (group) of dogs, totaling around 20 in size, for 20 minutes at a time. Each run had a corresponding QR code that had a profile for each dog and labels explaining their restrictions and abilities. 

Rainy season in Thailand is no joke, and we quickly realized why all of the locals wear sandals or crocs everywhere, rather than closed toe shoes. Many of us purchased sandals at local shops to fit in and avoid soggy socks during our days of volunteering. The skies open up with little warning, other than darkening skies five minutes before the first drops, and we rush to throw on a poncho or a raincoat. Luckily, the dogs don’t seem to mind the rain! 

After volunteering, we headed straight to 7/11 for snacks! I tried truffle-flavored chips (slightly too truffle-y for my taste) and some delicious chocolate wafer bites. We headed back to the hotel to quickly change into bathing suits and made a run for the nearby beach and national park. We ended the afternoon in our hotel’s pool playing Sharks and Menos. By the end, we were exhausted and ready for dinner.

During the morning EGL split into groups for breakfast, some went to JJJ bakery and some stayed at the hotel. The bus came earlier than the day before so many people had to head to Soi Dogs without breakfast but JJJ was amazing and delivered breakfast to the complex. We didn’t need the first day orientation again so we jumped right into walking the dogs after ordering lunch. It was an eventful morning of dog walking with many stubborn and lazy or crazy and energetic dogs making it an interesting time. The highlight for me was watching Jack carry our dog Jenston around the complex back to our run. 

After another great lunch and working with two different “runs” of dogs, some of us headed over to meet Mirko, a sweet two-legged dog. When she first arrived at Soi Dog, she was in extremely poor shape, but after rehabilitation and treatment she is able to live a healthy and happy life. It was impressive to see the profound difference that Soi Dog makes in the journey to giving dogs a forever home. 

We were also able to walk Butterboy, a local celebrity at the Soi dog foundation. Butterboy is completely blind but it doesn’t slow him down in the slightest, he is an incredibly affectionate, playful, happy dog. Butterboy lives with the senior dogs because the other younger dogs get upset when he bumps into them. He is a young energetic dog that needs much longer walks than the senior dogs, so he gets a special walk every day. Butterboy needs special guidance to make sure he doesn’t bump into trees or walls, but he will jump up and let you pet him as soon as he feels you next to him and will even play fetch following the sound of the ball bouncing. The Soi dog foundation goes above and beyond to provide special care to every dog.

Following the bus ride home, we all stopped at 7-11 again for snacks, drinks and ice cream. We headed back to the hotel and quickly showered and got ready to head to a nearby temple. We unfortunately were not able to go into any of the buildings but the outside architecture was beautiful. We quietly observed people worshiping and interacted with some of the community dogs. After the temple, we went to the local street market across the street to try local food and interact with some people. There were fresh fruits and vegetables, clothes and sandals, and so much more. Personally, I got fried salmon and squid balls and chicken skewers. Both were absolutely delicious. Then we went back to hotel to journal, reflect and eat dinner. 

After 2 enriching days of learning and new experiences walking and caring for dogs associated with the Soi Dog foundation.  We were excited to begin our 3rd day of the week.  Several members of our party had scoped out a local bakery the day prior and as word spread of the good food and long wait times several of our members set out earlier to get a taste of morning delicious.  The bakery did not disappoint and we finished our buttery toasts, fresh fruit bowls, and sweet Thai tea as the bus approached.

The previous day our sight lead Danny reminded us that while we were here to help dogs, speaking to and learning from the Thai locals was also an irreplaceable opportunity.  Taking this call to action to heart, our group spoke with the truck driver that had been transporting us and had a little taste of what it’s like to live in Thailand.  The bakery offered us enriching food, while Shuton, the Soi Dog employee, offered us an enriching learning experience we won’t forget.

As we pulled into the Soi Dog park we bid our new friend goodbye and got to work immediately.  After the morning formalities of selecting lunch and saying hi to the workers we all set off to fulfill our requirements.  Today held a slight air of sadness as we walked our runs for the last time before we switched.  Saying goodbye to our new furry friends was not something anyone was looking forward to doing.  But the EGL honor society is not one to focus on the negative.  We all realized the value of this last day and each decided to give our dogs a great last day of walks, pets, and praise.  The morning weather graced us with sun and comfortable heat, something we realized wasn’t as common as we were used to in Michigan.

Platinum, a local celebrity dog among the staff, was walked by the aforementioned Danny, sight lead.  These two had grown close after their previous walks.  I specifically remember Danny telling me, “If I could adopt this dog on the spot, I would. No questions asked. I love this dog.”   Platinum loves to walk around the pond at the park and visit her old dog friends at the New Dog Facility.  Platinum is known for being a friendly dog but she was an absolute treasure that day.  She usually greeted everyone she met with an enthusiastic tail wag and jump.  However, today she seemed extra happy towards everyone as she wanted to make the most of her last day walking with her buddy.  These bonds between dog/human were nothing sort of commonplace from the interactions I witnessed.

Following volunteering we decided to split into two groups to grab dinner. One group went to Naithong beach first which was close to the resort. It was the perfect beach temperature and the water was warm. Then they proceeded to a seafood place and had mango sticky rice to celebrate Max’s 21st birthday! The other group took cars to Khao Rang Hill to view a lookout over old town Phuket. The view of the city lights was beautiful at night. This group also ate lots of seafood by ordering a lot of different dishes and sharing amongst the table. The day ended with grouo reflection of how we were halfway through! We were excited to meet new dogs tomorrow but sad to leave the ones we had gotten close to.

The week has flown by and it is already day four. Today was an equally exciting and bittersweet day as we were mixing up the dogs we would be walking and the partners we would be walking with. We arrived to Soi Dogs in the morning and made our way to the board to find our new runs. Some of us were now walking the “senior” dogs and others were walking younger dogs. It has been fun to learn how to handle the new dogs you are with and learn their unique personalities. Over the course of this week, we have all learned so much about being patient and personable to the Soi Dogs. Each dog is different and it is important to get to know them individually. Some are super excited to see new faces and are eager to walk whereas others are shy and do not want to leave their run. We have learned to let them do their thing and follow along for the ride. Today, I got to walk Butterboy for the first time. Butterboy is a blind puppy who is the happiest dog I have ever met. He loves to play fetch, even though he struggles to find the ball without visual cues.  Today I finished my run of dogs a little early so I even got to go to the puppy area to say hi to the puppies. At first, most were scared and would keep their distance. I spent a while there in hopes they would get more comfortable with the unfamiliar face and by the end they began to even approach me themselves. So cool to see the transformation that even an hour makes!

We headed home around 4pm. Another great day of volunteering in the books! After four nights since arriving, rain every day we have been here and most of us having packed in a backpack less than 7kg, we were all desperate to do some laundry. We found a place near our hotel and dropped it off. We were just hoping it would come back in good condition (spoiler: it did!). 

Our evening excursion for today consisted of going to Banana Beach, a beach that one of the workers at Soi Dogs had recommended. With no rain and a beautiful sunset tonight, it was the perfect evening activity. We all swam and enjoyed the waves before sitting on the rocks to watch the sun set. The group split off to head to two different dinner spots. 

We all piled into a bolt and took the 15 min drive there. The beach was beautiful and empty. We stayed until past sunset swimming, talking, reading and taking pictures. It was the perfect evening. Who knew Phuket had such good beaches? Once the sun had set, we started getting hungry so a group of us went to dinner. We ordered a lot of seafood and shared the meals between the table. It was really good once again.

We ended the night in the hotel restaurant with a journaling session. Tonight, our prompt was to think about a time where we stepped outside of our comfort zone during the day. We all reflected on moments where we engaged in conversation with locals, tried a new food, or learned a lesson during the course of the day. We also reflected on what we could improve on, or moments where we wish we stepped outside of our comfort zone more for the future. These journaling sessions together have become one of my favorite parts of the day and a pivotal part of the volunteering experience. I am so glad we do the journaling sessions together and set aside time during the day to write down our thoughts and share with others. One last day of volunteering tomorrow! Everyone packed up their rooms at night and got ready to check out of the hotel in the morning.

We woke up on Day 5 for our last day at the Soi Dog Foundation. The past week has been an amazing experience, meeting new people, eating good food, and of course, interacting with and befriending many, many dogs. It’s been exceptionally cool to many of us how quickly bonds were solidified between dogs and volunteers and we will miss our dogs very much (Shoutut Grillfish!). As we started the day, spirits were extremely high, potentially a product of the beautiful weather from yesterday that continued to today. Our goals for the day centered around finishing strong and leaving a lasting impression of EGL on Soi Dog Foundation.

To start the day, the Soi Dog employees included us in a surprise birthday celebration for the director, Chrissy! This moment was just one example throughout the week of the supportive and friendly community at Soi Dog. It has been amazing to see the happiness oozing from the employees and other volunteers, all of them passionate for the cause Soi Dog supports. To support this foundation further, many of us chose to purchase Soi Dog apparel such as shirts, tote bags, and baseball caps.

At one point during the last day of walking dogs, we learned that one particular run, a small dog run consisting of 30 dogs or more, was going to be getting shots in the afternoon. As a result, they all needed to be walked in the morning. In order to do this effectively, the 2 volunteers assigned to the run would not be enough. We banded together with some Soi Dog employees to take charge of the situation and focus our efforts on that run to ensure all dogs would have a chance to be walked.

As our day winded down at Soi Dog, we reflected on our expectations coming into the week and how the volunteering has compared. Many of us acknowledge the close connections made, between EGLs, between EGLs and Soi Dog employees, and maybe most importantly, between EGLs and their dogs. The last week has taught many of us the  value of quality time in building strong relationships. All of us are leaving closer to many other EGLs than when they arrived.

After our last day, we journeyed straight to downtown Phuket, known as Old Town Phuket. Our hotel was in the center of downtown surrounded by markets, shops, and restaurants. That evening we explored the surrounding area for dinner and entertainment, stumbling upon a high quality noodle bar, live music, and a popular street market. We spent the next day in Phuket before heading to Bangkok. In Phuket, we hope to tour an ethical elephant sanctuary and see the popular Big Buddha and its monkeys. Bangkok - known for its shopping - will consist of weekend markets, floating markets, mall exploring as well as the Grand Palace and other temples, and finally Muay Thai fights and introductory class.