(almost)no one showed up at my bday dinner in Taiwan last year. I was left with a table of food for six people and a broken heart.

If I remembered it right, I drunk dial-cry-yailed at the friend that didn't show up. And I wanted to go home with the friend that was nice enough to show up and just wanted to make sure I get home safely. (to my defense, I just didn't want to go home to my grandma's drunk)

"Yeah, I have no friends."

I think I pretty much give up on having a "normal" friendship, as in hanging out after school/work, celebrate birthdays, attend weddings...etc. It just not possible. I move to a different cities or countries every couple years. And I hate doing things on the phone.

Which is why this years Bday was so special.

I had friends, we ate, we drink, they danced, we laughed. I made a wish, hoping everyone thats in this room their dream will come true one day :)

我想大該沒有任何形容詞可以說明“第一次看到大象在森林裡自由漫步”的震撼力。首次沒有水泥牆或是厚玻璃的阻隔，剛開始會很興奮，想靠近但又怕被踩到，好不容易鼓起勇氣伸手去摸，又再一次被大象皮膚的粗糙感驚訝到。

2013年底，樹先生與位於東柬埔寨的Mondulkiri省的Bunon原住民簽了協定。為了保育大象，並保護森林，禁止伐木。向合作的原住民部落“租”大象，確保失去主要搬運木頭的大象後，部落居民還可以有基本的收入。獸醫系畢業的樹先生負責替多年勞動的大象治病，並讓大象在保育森林裡自由漫步。定期對外開放，徒步穿越森林或是與大象近距離接觸。樹先生邀情背包客來教原住民英文，並提供原住民成為導遊的職業訓練。

Local Bunon were train to be the elephant carer.  Photo By Ann Wang — Local Bunon were train to be the elephant carer. Photo By Ann Wang

其實，Mondulkiri是個鳥不生蛋的地方，從柬埔寨首都金邊出發，要開8個小時的山路。所以樹先生的Mondulkiri計劃規模還算小，來的人都是靠網路或是口耳相傳。我參加的是3天2夜近距離接觸大象還有徒步穿越森林。第一天我們走進森林沒多久，滿臉嚴肅的樹先生就開始警告我們，一絕對不能騎大象，這些大象在來到這裡之前每天都在辛苦工作。二大象是天性溫和的動物，基本不會攻擊人，但有隻大象左邊耳朵有個大洞，估計是以前勾操控環的，所以他很討厭人站或是摸它的左邊。樹先生講完沒多久，遠處就聽到草叢被驚動的聲音，兩隻成年大象，耳朵與象鼻一晃一晃的就出現在我們眼前。其實跟家裡的寵物很像，大象看到我們很興奮，跑來找我們吃香蕉，吃完後就跑去玩泥巴（可以散熱），可是泥巴乾了又會癢，所以就找磨蹭樹幹解癢，在到處閑晃用長長的象鼻把地上得野生水果往嘴裡丟。我們也從原先的過度興奮，到找了個舒適的石頭，坐下來，幸福的看大象們到處閑晃，並取笑他們太胖了，只要他們走過的樹叢，絕對無一幸免，全倒光光。

logging is the main income for the local aborigines - Bunon. Photo by Ann Wang

接下來兩天的森林徒步其實是個現實狀況的考驗。雖然說是被保護的森林，可是每走過一個濃密的樹林，眼前就會出現一片被砍光還在冒煙的案發現場。看到美麗的樹林被摧殘成這樣，感慨自然生態遭到破壞，又擔心森林裡的動物要怎麼辦，越想越氣的時候，眼前出現兩個沒穿衣服的小孩在一片剛剛被開墾的土地上奔跑，燃燒樹枝還有雜草的煙還在後面飄。方圓百里內就一間“手作”的草屋，還有一間小豬籠。Bunon族的老爸老媽還在旁邊忙著開墾更多土地，才能種稻米作物等。他們不會講柬埔寨文，只會講部落的語言，歷史以來就是住在山區靠伐木與耕作過活。因為想要保護大象與森林，就必須把他們趕走嗎？我想樹先生大該也是想要讓我們看到現實，所以才安排這樣的路線吧。

For more photos please view : https://ann-wang.squarespace.com/themondulkiriproject/

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