I have to confess. This is an issue that has brought me many controversies and discussions, but I felt like I had to share it with you. I have to tell you: I have a giraffe. On my last trip to Namibia with my family, we visited a beautiful local animal reserve, which had a wide range of exotic animals being kindly cured. We met the farmers, chatted with them and somehow we go to the conclusion that the baby giraffe they had recently been taking care of, would have a better life in Barcelona, my hometown.
Here, she could be looked after by the experienced zoo veterinarians and besides, my brother, who loves animals crazily, would be very happy to have her. We reached a compromise. The giraffe, now named Billy (it actually was a girl, but anyway), would be taken in a plane and then drove to our backyard garden, which is big enough to host such a big animal like it. So, yes, nowadays I have a giraffe at home.
Your first reaction probably was: there is no way you can have it! But, it is. We are taking care of her until she grows older enough to be send to the local zoo with other giraffes (oh, please, never grow up). Every week we have experts checking her out, her health, her nutrition and all the important stuff, and we give her all of our love. This is a shocking story for many people. They think we abuse her, that it was a spontaneous whim and that we would eventually stop taking care or that it is so insane and unbelievable. And it hurts, but, please, get this out of your head: because it isn't. Playing with her, feeding her, seeing it learn and grow older... it is like having another good friend in your life, it makes us happy. Billy the giraffe is really well treated.
Here, she could be looked after by the experienced zoo veterinarians and besides, my brother, who loves animals crazily, would be very happy to have her. We reached a compromise. The giraffe, now named Billy (it actually was a girl, but anyway), would be taken in a plane and then drove to our backyard garden, which is big enough to host such a big animal like it. So, yes, nowadays I have a giraffe at home.
Your first reaction probably was: there is no way you can have it! But, it is. We are taking care of her until she grows older enough to be send to the local zoo with other giraffes (oh, please, never grow up). Every week we have experts checking her out, her health, her nutrition and all the important stuff, and we give her all of our love. This is a shocking story for many people. They think we abuse her, that it was a spontaneous whim and that we would eventually stop taking care or that it is so insane and unbelievable. And it hurts, but, please, get this out of your head: because it isn't. Playing with her, feeding her, seeing it learn and grow older... it is like having another good friend in your life, it makes us happy. Billy the giraffe is really well treated.
Hey, what did you though about it? Did you believe it or not? I know at least for a second you did... yes, yes you did. This is a story I once made up with a friend (in order to not actually tell the real story we were talking about), and somehow it spread through my school. I would be in the corridor and my mates would run into me to ask if I did or did not have a giraffe on my backyard. It was so easy to made everybody believe it was true. And of course, I followed the joke and answered all their questions, like it actually was true.
The whole thing made me wonder: why? Why would anybody ever believe a story like that? Is it that people are foolish, gullible and manipulable? Or maybe it is just that people would like to think that, on the majority of times, we still tell the truth, no matter what? Some of the reactions I got the most when explaining the story were, for example, answers like 'oh yes I believe it, why would you lie about it?' or 'is that actually legal?'' and then another classical instance is someone start shooting a million and some more questions on how could that ever be possible (some like 'What does she eat?' or 'Who takes care of it?' or 'And what happens when you have visits?' although my favorite one probably was: can you ride the giraffe? -yes, of course I do!)
It came to a point were people would just accept it like normal: yes sure, she is Vera the giraffe owner. Reflecting about it, I just thought that nowadays such mad and unconceivable dreams are made true, that we could just believe everything we want if it comes from the right source. Aren't we critical enough? Maybe, and I'm just saying maybe, we should just think twice about things before jumping to conclusions. Investigate, make research, think with your own mind. And then, you can just follow your heart (oh so corny and clichéd... forgive me about it! Everybody has moments like that, right? Right?)
...
Just to clarify, this was never made with the intention to create a lie or a way to show off. It was only a random joke between my friends which was no matter how inexplicably discovered by everybody else in the world. I did really not had the purpose to boast about anything.
This is the actual only giraffe we brought from Africa:
The whole thing made me wonder: why? Why would anybody ever believe a story like that? Is it that people are foolish, gullible and manipulable? Or maybe it is just that people would like to think that, on the majority of times, we still tell the truth, no matter what? Some of the reactions I got the most when explaining the story were, for example, answers like 'oh yes I believe it, why would you lie about it?' or 'is that actually legal?'' and then another classical instance is someone start shooting a million and some more questions on how could that ever be possible (some like 'What does she eat?' or 'Who takes care of it?' or 'And what happens when you have visits?' although my favorite one probably was: can you ride the giraffe? -yes, of course I do!)
It came to a point were people would just accept it like normal: yes sure, she is Vera the giraffe owner. Reflecting about it, I just thought that nowadays such mad and unconceivable dreams are made true, that we could just believe everything we want if it comes from the right source. Aren't we critical enough? Maybe, and I'm just saying maybe, we should just think twice about things before jumping to conclusions. Investigate, make research, think with your own mind. And then, you can just follow your heart (oh so corny and clichéd... forgive me about it! Everybody has moments like that, right? Right?)
...
Just to clarify, this was never made with the intention to create a lie or a way to show off. It was only a random joke between my friends which was no matter how inexplicably discovered by everybody else in the world. I did really not had the purpose to boast about anything.
This is the actual only giraffe we brought from Africa:
What did you though about it? Did you believe it? Should we accept everything or should we be more judgemental? Share your stories with me! #billythegiraffe
Sincerely,
Vera
Vera