Name:Pamela Hollonds
Country: Australian
Age: 39
Current/most recent professional post:? Currently working as a Veterinary Nurse in Melbourne; Preston Veterinary Clinic.
Project Name: Vets Beyond Borders SARAH Program
Project Location: Gangtok Sikkim, India
Have you ever volunteered before?
No
Tell us about your volunteer experience?
Wow... Where to start... As I travelled up a mountain towards Gangtok for 4 hours in a tiny taxi that looked as road worthy as Rick sure, I wondered what I was in for. However I started to relax once I was able to see and enjoy the breathtaking scenery around me.
On arriving I was greeted by the other volunteers and the permanent overseas veterinarian. Everyone made me feel very welcome, and the accommodation was much better than I had anticipated!
The practical work included anything from shopping for items like plastic containers to hold syringes (not as easy to find as you would expect), to monitoring dogs during surgery and teaching aseptic procedures.
After the days work there is also ample time to explore the local area and enjoy the local food. The Himalayan Zoological Park is fantastic, but I particularly enjoyed the day trip to the Rumtek Monastery to see and learn about the Buddhist culture.
My time on this project was such an amazing, enriching experience, everyone works to achieve the best outcome for the street dogs. I hope, in the not too distance future that I have the opportunity to volunteer again.
What do you think is the best aspect of the program?
It is difficult to say what the best aspect is, as there are so many things that spring to mind. I guess working with the local people is a unique experience and certainly not something you would do on a normal overseas trip. They are so good at what they do and it was a pleasure and work with them.
Country: Australian
Age: 39
Current/most recent professional post:? Currently working as a Veterinary Nurse in Melbourne; Preston Veterinary Clinic.
Project Name: Vets Beyond Borders SARAH Program
Project Location: Gangtok Sikkim, India
Have you ever volunteered before?
No
Tell us about your volunteer experience?
Wow... Where to start... As I travelled up a mountain towards Gangtok for 4 hours in a tiny taxi that looked as road worthy as Rick sure, I wondered what I was in for. However I started to relax once I was able to see and enjoy the breathtaking scenery around me.
On arriving I was greeted by the other volunteers and the permanent overseas veterinarian. Everyone made me feel very welcome, and the accommodation was much better than I had anticipated!
The practical work included anything from shopping for items like plastic containers to hold syringes (not as easy to find as you would expect), to monitoring dogs during surgery and teaching aseptic procedures.
After the days work there is also ample time to explore the local area and enjoy the local food. The Himalayan Zoological Park is fantastic, but I particularly enjoyed the day trip to the Rumtek Monastery to see and learn about the Buddhist culture.
My time on this project was such an amazing, enriching experience, everyone works to achieve the best outcome for the street dogs. I hope, in the not too distance future that I have the opportunity to volunteer again.
What do you think is the best aspect of the program?
It is difficult to say what the best aspect is, as there are so many things that spring to mind. I guess working with the local people is a unique experience and certainly not something you would do on a normal overseas trip. They are so good at what they do and it was a pleasure and work with them.
What do you like most about being a volunteer?
It is very rewarding to know that you can be a part of something that is making a difference to the health and well being of street dogs, this in turn then improves the health of the local people.
