2008 Blogs

Thoughts from on top of an elephant

05/06/2009

I had mixed feelings about riding an elephant when I visited the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak recently.  I wanted to know how the elephants were being cared for, and what their lives would be like if they were not giving rides to tourists.  I also thought about the livelihood the elephant rides provide to the ethnic minority people who have tamed them.  In the end, as you can see, I couldn't resist, and I will never forget the feeling of being up there, of touching the elephant's tough hide, of looking at its speckled ears, and watching it feast on a leafy snack.  I've posted a short video on Youtube of that, but it is sideways (until I get back to the states and Aaron can help me right it!).

 

Someone who read the last blog entry wanted to know more about the elephants--are they native to the Central Highlands, are they used for labor, or are they just for show?  Good questions, but I just don't have enough time to adequately research the answers.    As I understand it, some wild elephants still live in a few provinces in the Central Highlands, and when they are hungry they can be rather dangerous to workers on rubber plantations.  Elephants are protected in Vietnam, and the ones pictured here have been tamed, but a year ago a tamed elephant killed a tour guide who was snapping its photo.  Clearly, you need to be careful, and I noticed that the guides we had took precautions to keep tourists from "petting" the elephant's trunk, for example.

 

When you are perched in the rather uncomfortable seat affixed to the elephant's back, you can see how powerful they are and what an amazing source of labor they must have been previous times.  The leisurely ride through water and on land also allows plenty of time for reflection.  As a few of you know, being in Vietnam has been a life-changing experience for me.  As I look through my online albums of photos, I am amazed at the many rich and satisfying adventures I had, simply because I was open to trying them.  I look at the smile on my face, and marvel at how happy I have been despite the many challenges of daily life.

 

I'm hoping to retain my "Vietnam outlook" as I undertake my next adventure, the Humanities and Social Sciences Deanship.  The news has not quite sunk in yet, and I'm finding it a bit difficult to focus on finishing projects here.  But it is important to be zen, to live in the moment, to appreciate the people and places you are experiencing now.  We can't take anything for granted.  So in this moment, I am appreciating the kind and thoughtful notes from colleagues back home, and I will never forget the genuine delight people here are taking in the news--the Bangladeshi students in my dorm, the visiting Dean and Rector from the Czech Republic who took me out for coffee, the British volunteers who treated me to a celebratory meal, and a lovely evening with a Vice Dean at NTU, who shared her wisdom on administration.

 

I really didn't know what to expect when I came to Vietnam last January.  Reading about it was not enough...I had to walk the streets,talk with people, let others help me, and trust that everything would work out for the best.  I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this blog entry.  I really don't know what to expect when I become HSS Dean next August.  Reading documents and memos will not be enough preparation.  I need to walk the halls, talk with everyone, listen, ask for help when I need it, and trust that this will be yet another enriching experience.