Peace, Love, and Elephants

It has been mentioned that I kinda, sorta, really love elephants (tembo). I don't even think "love" is a strong enough word, honestly.

Here's how much I love elephants:

-My iPad case has elephants

-My phone case has elephants

-My purse has elephants

-9/10 times gifts given to me are related to elephants 

-I have an elephant tattooed on my left wrist (yet, people still ask me if I like elephants when they see it?) 

Basically my love for elephants can be explained by Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poem "How Do I Love Thee" (Let Me Count the Ways). 

If I'm every sad or stressed or mad, I just look up pictures of baby elephants because they are honestly the most adorable things. 

Example: 

You smiled, didn't you? How could you not?

I don't know when my love for elephants began. I've just always liked them. It must have started with my grandma, because she loves elephants, as well. I remember, instead of having a rocking horse, my grandma had a rocking elephant. How rad is that?! 

Seeing a herd of elephants in the wild is what I'm looking forward to the most when we go on our expeditions. The pictures I take while I am over there will probably be primarily of elephants. My friends and family are probably going to be like, "Weren't there other animals over there Abby?" In fact, some people think I'm going to Tanzania solely to study elephants (I wish). I've mentioned that I want to study animal behavior. Ideally, I will study elephant behavior. I think elephants are incredible. They are so intelligent, emotional, unique, beautiful (the adjectives could continue for forever). 

I would love to work in an elephant orphanage in Kenya some day, though it will be under tragic pretenses. I just really hope that I can create a strong, lasting bond with a calf in need! 

(Side note: the idea that an elephant is lucky if its trunk is up originated in Western culture.)

Kwaheri and 36 more days!