点评:I spent 3 ½ amazing weeks volunteering at Elephant Freedom Village this past March/April. It still feels like a dream, and I can’t believe I was so fortunate to make my actual dream of volunteering with elephants a reality! I traveled to Thailand solo from Florida. Traveling so far away was scary and completely out of my comfort zone but traveling solo was terrifying! Mel was absolutely amazing and answered all my MANY QUESTIONS and de-escalated ALL MY ANXIETIES! From the moment I was picked up to start my adventure at EFV I immediately felt at ease. Once I arrived at EFV I was introduced to Sakcharn who quickly showed me my room and immediately said “let’s go meet the elephants”! I had been waiting months for this exact moment, and I couldn’t believe it was about to happen. I got changed and walked out of my room and in the distance, there was Sakcharn, the keepers and the elephants I had been watching on social media for months walking right up me. I can’t say enough wonderful things about Non, his family and the entire EFV staff. They literally treated me as family, taught me all about the Karen Culture and let me work, feed, care for and love on their extraordinary family of elephants. I got a firsthand look at the incredible bond Non and his family have for their elephants. These elephants are part of their family, and their love, devotion, and wellbeing are evident to anyone who is lucky enough to witness this true connection. Saying goodbye to my new human and elephant friends was extremely difficult! Luckily it was not a goodbye, it was a see you again soon my friends because I will return!
“They say an elephant never forgets. What they don’t tell you is you never forget an elephant.” -Bill Murray
翻译:今年三四月间,我在“大象自由村”做了3个半星期的志愿工作,那段时光真是棒极了。现在回想起来仍像一场梦,我简直不敢相信自己如此幸运,终于实现了与大象一起做志愿工作的梦想!我从佛罗里达州独自一人前往泰国。远行到如此遥远的地方本就令人忐忑不安,完全超出了我的舒适区;而独自旅行更是让我紧张得不得了!Mel真的太棒了,她耐心地回答了我数不胜数的问题,还消除了我所有的焦虑与担忧!从被接到EFV开始我的旅程那一刻起,我就立刻感到安心自在。到达EFV后,有人把我介绍给萨卡恩,他迅速带我去看房间,接着立刻说道:“走吧,我们去见大象!” 几个月来我一直期盼着这一刻的到来,简直不敢相信它终于要实现了。我换好衣服走出房间,远远地就看到了萨卡恩。那些我几个月来一直在社交媒体上关注的饲养员们以及大象们,此刻就走到我面前。对于Non、他的家人以及EFV的所有工作人员,我有说不完的赞美之词。他们真的把我当作家人对待,向我传授有关克伦族文化的一切知识,还让我能够与他们那些非凡的大象“家人”一起工作、喂食、照料并倾注爱心。我亲眼见证了Non和他的家人与大象之间那份深厚的情感纽带。这些大象是他们家庭的一员,承载着他们无尽的爱。那种真挚的情感与温馨的氛围,任何有幸目睹这种纯粹纽带的人都能深切体会到。与我新结识的人类及大象朋友们告别真是艰难至极!幸运的是,这并非永别,而是“不久后再见啦,我的朋友们”,因为我一定会再回来的!
“人们常说大象永远不会忘记。但他们没告诉你的是:你也永远忘不了大象。”——比尔·默里