Acknowledgements

I never could have written this book without the help of many people. First of all, I have tot and my editor, Alyssa, who has been with me from the very beginning. Alyssa, please step forward. You’er a star editor =), and I never could have gotten this far without you. There are so many other people who I have to thank—Suresh, of course (the fisher boy). I can’t find his picture, but I do have these pictures from my friends at Uda Walawe — the grass is growing again, and the fields are turning green. Sameera, my ultimate friend, (He of hope :)) has just married, and started a beautiful family. Kumara is going to school again, and Janaka (Tharanga) has headed overseas to take up a manufacturing job in Korea. Ashoka still works with the elephants in Uda Walawe, taking many business trips to establish real, lasting connections between zoos, parks and villages. Shermin has gone back to Philadelphia (splitting here time there), and has held me to my word about 10% of all proceeds going to the elephants :)…and how, of course, could I forget Dharmasiri. In this last section of the book, where I drew a parallel between him and my parents, it was a very real parallel because he did, in fact, look after me. He provided a tangible connection between me and my family the whole time Iw as there ,peeking in to my Skype conversations, (taking me to that ((very real))) elephant orphanage, always reminding me of the place I came from —MOM and DAD, I could never have written this book without them—MOM and DAD, where would I be without you—is that you? MOM and DAD, is that you? Where am I.