Cambodia / Day 95-98

Hey dear ones, now 13 weeks of volunteer work in 4 projects in 4 countries are over. The last days in the Elephant project were very beautiful. I had many beautiful moments in the jungle with the elephants.

Yesterday, the oldest elephant (around 60 years) wasn't feeling well. We don't know exactly what was wrong, maybe she ate something wrong. When we were in the jungle with her, she just stood still the whole time and looked very sad. Her eyes were half closed and she didn't flap her ears like she usually does. I really sympathized with her. She also didn't eat anything, which is very unusual for elephants, as they normally eat all day. She also didn't have a bowel movement, which is also very unusual. Her mahout then tried to help her by taking out the elephant balls from her. Yes, he put his hand in her ass. That may sound disgusting at first, but when you think about it, a veterinarian would probably do the same thing and we definitely didn't have time to wait for a veterinarian. But after that didn't quite work, he managed to get her to go into the water. Apparently, water stimulates bowel movements. That worked and she visibly felt better afterwards. Two hours later, she started eating again. The younger elephant was with her the whole time, communicating with her. I've never heard the two of them communicate so much in the past two weeks. She trumpeted and rumbled the whole time. She must have sensed that she wasn't feeling well. She also tried to give her food, which I thought was really sweet. It just shows how social these animals are. It was simply amazing to see.

Now, what is my conclusion after so much volunteer work? What was the best project?

Well, to be honest, I liked every project in its own way. The projects were sometimes so different that they can't be compared. Each of the projects had its advantages and disadvantages. I have definitely gained some valuable experiences and now I know what it's like to do physical work. I have a lot of respect for the people who have decided to work permanently in these projects! Everyone is doing a great job. All projects deserve support and more attention. When I get back home, I will definitely continue to support the projects with my money, I think that's the least I can do. I can only recommend to everyone to work as a volunteer on a project, even if it's just for a few days or a week. You learn so much about the animals and also the country. I definitely don't want to miss this time. But now I'm also looking forward to coming home soon to my husband, my family, and my cats. I really missed them terribly in the last few months.

If you have any questions about the projects, feel free to ask.

Now I'm going to Thailand again, more specifically to Hua Hin for a week of yoga on the beach. I'm really looking forward to it after all the hard work.

I'll be in touch again.

Your Alex