Text 8: Maya’s Week at the Animal Shelter
1 On Monday morning, Maya arrived at the animal shelter ten minutes early. She was doing her internship there because she loves animals and wants to become a veterinary assistant one day. Before she started, she imagined the work would mostly be fun and cute: feeding puppies, brushing cats and taking photos of animals. However, she soon discovered that an animal shelter is also a serious workplace with clear rules and responsibilities.
2 First, Maya had to clean the cages and fill the water bowls. After that, she helped an experienced volunteer, Mrs Brown, give medicine to a nervous dog. The dog was shaking because it had never been inside a shelter before. Maya spoke softly to it and moved slowly, so the dog would not become more frightened. After a few minutes, it became calmer. Mrs Brown smiled and said, “Patience is sometimes more useful than speed.”
3 During the week, Maya also answered simple questions from visitors. Some tourists only spoke English, so Maya had to explain which animals were ready for adoption. She did not know every word, but she spoke clearly, used gestures and stayed friendly. Because of that, the visitors understood her.
4 On Friday, Maya was tired but proud. She had cleaned, listened, helped and learned a lot. She also understood that school subjects are useful in real life. English helped her speak to tourists, biology helped her understand animal care, and maths helped her measure the right amount of food. Therefore, Maya decided to take school more seriously next year. Her internship had not only taught her about animals; it had also taught her something about herself.