Our day today was dedicated to pulling up pineapple plants for the elephants to eat. We piled into a large banana truck for an unexpectedly high-speed drive to the 
pineapple farm. Once there, we realized that subtle suggestions we had received about wearing long pants and shirts should have been taken very seriously—the plants were spiky! Those clever elephants beat them against their legs until they’re soft enough to eat. Thankfully, we had gloves, which made pulling up the plants doable. We made plenty of big piles in the field before taking a break for lunch.
Our lunch break was one moment that really highlighted the difference between our American work attitudes and the more laid back, Southeast Asian perspective. After we ate our packed lunches, we all expected to get right back to work. Instead, the mahouts (elephant caretakers) took naps and listened to music. Some of our group members followed suit!
While it was counterintuitive at first, I found that taking a longer, more refreshing break helped me feel more energized an efficient when we did return to pineapple picking. Although I still felt somewhat sick from travel and jetlag, I found the day of hard work to be contemplative and fulfilling. Learning to pace myself was just as valuable as working hard in the field!