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Hometown

Redmond, WA

Joie de VIVre

Spending time exploring the outdoors with my husband, being in the company of animals, working to establish a business that is an outlet for creativity as well as being responsible and connected.

VIV Moment

Several months ago my husband and I traveled to Thailand, spending a whirlwind two weeks exploring areas from Phuket to Chiang Rai. I was particularly excited about this trip knowing I would finally have the opportunity to interact with elephants in a more “organic” setting. It was at our resort near Chiang Rai, which included a sanctuary and educational facility for elephants and their mahouts (drivers), that I experienced a true ViV moment.

Shortly upon arriving we were invited to the mahout compound, where we introduced ourselves and enjoyed the many smiles and giggles that followed our attempt to communicate in Thai. We were anxious to meet the elephants and pleased it did not take long before we were led to an open-walled structure where they were held. It is here that we began our relationship offering enormous clusters of bananas and lengths of sugarcane, marveling at what stood before us.

After feeding we were invited to approach and touch them. I remember standing in front of this magnificent creature, gazing into eyes that were so kind and thoughtful and thinking how fortunate, how truly honored I was to be in this position. I wrapped my arms around her neck, pressing my cheek to her lovely weathered skin, and breathed in my surroundings. I will never forget all the scents and sounds of that moment. It was a reminder in how undeniably privileged we all are to share this planet with such creatures, and how important it is to protect them, as well as the spaces they inhabit.

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