Former Radnor resident discovers a passion to save elephants in Thailand

Flora Sherry credits childhood trips, including a visit to Nepal while in high school, with fueling her wanderlust.

The 2002 Radnor High School graduate is now an expat based in Thailand, where she is teaching English and volunteering at Elephant Nature Park, a reserve for rescued elephants, every chance she gets.

“My family also instilled the love to travel and exploring other cultures,” Sherry said.

A brother, Keating Sherry, was working in China and suggested that Sherry apply for a job there. In 2014 she was hired to teach English to children from three to 18 in Shenzhen near Hong Kong.

From there she vacationed in northern Thailand, “and I fell in love with an elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai,” Sherry said. “And it’s a place where they rescue elephants and all types of animals.” She decided to move to Thailand. Back in China she saw a posting for a volunteer teacher in a village in Thailand and applied for it. That led to a job at an international school in Chiang Mai. She will be starting a new job at a bilingual school in that town in August. Sherry is certified in elementary and special education and also in teaching English as a foreign language. she holds an undergraduate degree from Eastern University and took master’s courses at Cabrini University to do her student teaching.

“I really enjoy teaching,” said Sherry. “I find that children are children, no matter where you go. I love working with kids, getting them to explore and learn new things. Teaching opens the window where I can live in the world. It gives me a lot of opportunities.”

“I think that people always say that it’s adventurous (to live overseas),” said Sherry. “For me it’s just figuring out what I want to do. I don’t consider myself to be brave. I just wanted to live abroad.”

“The food is great. There’s curries and noddle dishes there’s plenty of noodle dishes,” she said about Thailand. “Anything you want, you can find it in Chiang Mai.” Western dishes are also available.

“You always have to be careful (about contamination) but for the most part it’s pretty safe in the main cities,” she said. “I get smoothies and I don’t worry about ice at all. You can’t drink the water there but you can brush your teeth with the water.”


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