The sun hitting their heads and sweating as they worked under the Thai heat. Twenty students traveled across the globe to The Land of Smiles to volunteer in a Thai community. One of them was senior Victoria Marcos, who was sixteen hours of flight away from home.“I joined Service club because my friends told me to.” Marcos said. “When they told me about the trip and the service we’d be doing, I applied because I love helping people and it was a once in a lifetime experience.” After being chosen to go, she was filled with excitement and couldn’t believe it. She waited months for the trip, when the day finally arrived, the evening of June 5, she went on a two-week trip across the world. “While I was in Thailand, one of our projects was to help a school that was struggling to feed their students. We helped them by making mushroom bags and by also building a garden inside the school. So they could later eat them or sell them.” After helping at the school Victoria and the students continued their service at an elephant sanctuary: “In the sanctuary we helped by planting tons of bamboo, we also made a mixture for the elephants for when whenever they got sick, they would just eat the mixture, and they would feel better.” Moments like this stayed in Victoria’s heart but specially she says that the most memorable memories are with her friends and the Thai students. She says with big bright smile,“I will never forget all the memories I made along the way with my friends, sharing rooms together, waking up every morning with them , working together to help the school, visiting the temples and learning about Thailand’s culture with them made me really happy.” Victoria was inspired the most by Thai children. “I would never forget the little kids that we went to help at the school, they’re eager to help out with the project. Made me realize a lot of things, we take for granted, it was just very special to me. I’ll never forget how at the end of the day, when we finished the projects, they were still full of energy and happiness to see us there so we would go play with them around the school and their smiles on their faces would make us happy, even if we were sweating and really tired.” Victoria saw a part of the world she had never seen, and discovered a new part of herself: “My perspective was obviously changed, because it was a whole side of the world that I’ve never got to see. Everything was different and it was just something that I had never experienced. Going to Thailand taught me to really appreciate everything that I have here and everything that’s been built for me from nothing.” Victoria shared how she was amazed by Thailand’s culture, “The respect that they have over there is very different from the respect we have here in the United States. Everyone is very respectful. And they’re very hard working and very hard driven, and I feel that’s something that I want to bring back with me, and I want to continue.” If Victoria had to sum up her entire summer abroad in just a few words, Victoria knew exactly how to do it: “fun, life changing and khabkhunka.” Victoria wanted to thank the Thai guidance worker, “I want to give a shout out to our wonderful tour guide, PBen. She was amazing, we really loved her she helped us along the way and was really inspiring how she just loves what she does and how she’s super kind and respectful with everyone” Victoria’s summer in Thailand wasn’t just about volunteering , it was about growth, friendship ,and memories that she’ll carry for ever and a new perspective on the world that changed how she sees home.