“Do you want to try?”

Those were the five words that led to my first blood draw from a cheetah’s tail. Among many other wonderful experiences at the Cheetah Conservation Fund, that is one of the most memorable.

Hello! I’m a veterinary student from the United States going into my third year of schooling at University of California, Davis’ School of Veterinary Medicine. Thanks to a wonderful scholarship through my school and CCF, I was able to intern with the veterinary clinic on site for two months in Namibia.

Throughout my time at CCF, I was able to participate in days working with Cheetahs, Anatolian shepherds, dairy goats, sheep, and a variety of other critters found on this amazing campus. Most of my days consisted of checking on the goats and sheep twice daily, periodical checkups on animals on the grounds, and helping with emergencies when needed. I garnered a lot of technical experience as well as medical knowledge. We did everything from short term treatments to intensive care support to necropsies during my time here.

After work, interns would hang out in the dorms, play volleyball, and sometimes even have a karaoke night. I met tons of people – some from Namibia and others from all over the world. Even as an introvert, I had so much fun getting to know everyone, and I know I will keep the friendships I made throughout my life.

While working as an intern, I also had the opportunity to complete my own project. Although I cannot currently disclose information on the specifics of this project, I can say that it was a full case report on a patient that was staying with us. This project is currently being edited and eventually will be submitted to be published. If it goes through successfully, it will be my first published paper!

At the end of my stay here, I saved up a total of eight off days to travel around Namibia with some fellow interns. To save these days, I worked seven days a week for seven weeks straight as the internship requires a six-day working week. We went to Etosha national park, Sossusvlei, and Swakopmund to take photos, adventure, and shop! The most exciting activity I completed during these trips was a camel ride through the beautiful dunes in Swakopmund. However, nothing can compare to the awe and amazement I experienced climbing the world’s 2nd tallest dune “big daddy” in the Sossusvlei park.

In this country, I learned so much about Namibian culture, ecotourism, care for wildlife, and research. As my first trip on my own abroad, it was daunting and at times overwhelming, but I gained knowledge about myself and about respecting other cultures and meeting new people. Overall, throughout all my experiences here in Otjiwarongo, whether easy and exciting or tiring and long, I had an incredible time.