My study abroad experience was truly once in a lifetime. I am a junior with an animal science major and I’m planning to attend vet school. I saw somebody in my class wearing a field study abroad shirt and decided to look up the website. When I saw the Cheetah Rewilding Internship in South Africa I knew I had to go.

Throughout my experience I gained so many memories that I will never forget. The reserve had a variety of animals such as cheetahs, lions, hyenas, servals, caracals, and meerkats. A day in the program was typically cleaning duties in the morning, maybe a walk with one of the animals, lunch break, then working on different projects assigned to us and feeding the animals. The first time I got to experience watching the cheetahs eat and being able to go in and put their bowls down to eat was amazing. Hearing the click of the bowls being set down and then seeing the cheetahs rush towards the food was intense. It was a little scary at first because you have in the back of your mind that they’re wild animals but the team at the Running Wild Cheetah Conservation was always so thoughtful of our safety.

I was really nervous about going abroad at first because I had never even been out of the country before. I was overthinking the flight, being away from my family, and for how long I would be gone. The flight was really long; it was 15 hours from Newark to Johannesburg, but honestly it wasn’t that bad. What helped me the most was that my flight was at night both times, so I was able to get some sleep. It’s always hard to be away from family, but having something to do and gaining these animal interactions was definitely worth it. Another thing I was worried about was how long I would be gone, since I’ve only ever been on trips for a week. In the end I actually preferred being gone for 2 weeks, because I know one week flew by so quickly.

My study abroad experience enhanced my academic and career goals. I want to be a veterinarian that specializes in wildlife rehabilitation, so this experience was really helpful. I got to experience how to provide daily care for animals like cheetahs, lions, servals, caracals, meerkats, hyenas, and bush babies. I learned of specific stories at the reserve where rehabilitation was intended, all necessary veterinary care was provided, but unfortunately animals could not be released. It’s important to learn the conditions under which animals can and cannot be released under which the Running Wild Cheetah Conservation emphasized greatly.

Overall, I gained an experience that was unforgettable and truly life changing. As a first-generation college student, I didn’t even know these experiences were possible. It was really nice to be able to tell my family all about it and to be told they’re so proud of what I got to experience and that I did it on my own. I am so thankful for this opportunity and would encourage others to go abroad and find programs that interest them!

Name: Jayelyn Dalto
Status: Junior
Major: Animal Science
Hometown: Milan, Michigan
Program: Cheetah Conservation Internship in South Africa