Myanmar!

I have to admit, until a few months ago I didn’t know where Burma/Myanmar was. All I knew was when our itinerary got changed and Myanmar was added on in lieu of Malaysia, our executive dean was VERY happy. Semester at Sea hadn’t been to Myanmar in over six years. The last time the ship went, Archbishop Desmond Tutu refused to get off to protest the human rights violations and religious persecutions happening there. In the last six years, Myanmar has gotten more developed, and safer, and we were able to come back. I will admit, in the north (where we were not permitted to go) there is still fighting, there are still religions all over that don’t understand or accept each other, and human trafficking is a big deal there. When I watched the news, they had just busted a large human trafficking ring, and a lot of people attempting to flee religious persecution that were being held captive were freed. (On a side note, how is it possible that in a country that has military run government can the news be more unbiased than in the US?)… I also watched soccer (I miss sports). 

We arrived into Myanmar much later than anticipated because of tide changes and river dredging. We were set to dock and get customs on board around 8:00 am but ended up not being able to dock until almost 4:00pm – we didn’t clear immigration until almost 7. The port was nothing fancy – no buildings or anything for miles, and we were far from the city. Because we docked late and had an early morning bus the next day – I spent my first day in Myanmar on the ship. I packed for my SAS trip, and then spent some time with some of the other RDs poolside. It was nice just to hang out and relax with my colleagues with an (almost) empty ship. 

The next morning, we boarded 4 buses to head to Ngwe Beach for what we anticipated was a 5 hour drive to the hotel (took more like 10). Traveling in Myanmar I felt like a celebrity. People were smiling everywhere at the buses. Little kids ran out to the street to wave to us. It was hilarious and adorable. We drove through Rangoon (former capitol and the closest city to where we ported). The mayor had gotten into an accident involving a motorbike a few years back and banned them from the city. Lots of cars and buses and bicycles. More traffic than I anticipated. We passed some monks, and when I asked the tour guide about them she said they go through the cities and villages in the mornings collecting rice and at noon they go back to the temple to eat and pray and do their work. They were dressed in the most amazing shade of maroon, barefoot, with shaved heads. They used big fans to block the sun from their faces. Some were as young as ten! As we left the city we passed a number of huts in front of amazing rice fields. There is no green like the green of these rice fields! It was beautiful! 

On the way to the beach, we stopped in Pathein where we had lunch at a hotel and then headed to learn how they make parasols. Parasols (in case you don’t know) are these beautiful umbrellas used to block the sun. They showed us how they carve the wood, string up the cloth, and paint gorgeous designs. The parasols were beautiful, and delicate.. Many people bought some but I was nervous about getting it home without damaging it so I passed. My camera started to go on the fritz but it eventually worked itself out (overuse maybe?) After the parasol place, we went down to the harbor to visit the market. The fish smell in this market was a close second to that market in Vietnam with the animal parts everywhere. EEEEP! I know I’ve said this to some of you before but I WISH I could take a picture of smell. We then traveled for a few more hours by bus, over mountain ranges and through villages, rubber plantations, and rice fields to get to the beach and our hotel. 

 

 

Craig went with me to find internet to do my job interview that I had scheduled, and it was unsuccessful. Like a good friend would, he paid $2 at a local hotel so I could use their desktop to email my interviewee and as to reschedule. Luckily they are gracious, and have a great sense of humor and we were able to reschedule (I think it went well by the way, we’ll see soon!) (P.S. Thank you Craig!) We then wandered the small downtown area to find food. The streets were made of dirt. At night the locals watered the dirt in front of their shops to prevent dust. Most of the buildings were made of bamboo and straw. It was awesome. Everyone was so stinking nice. Smiles everywhere. They were so happy that we came to visit them! 

We ended up at a restaurant that a lot of students were eating at, and gave a good recommendation. I ate prawn (shrimp) fried rice. My life changed. Burmese fried rice is the best I’ve had and it was so good I got it for every meal after! They have this sauce on the side that was like soy sauce but better and it had garlic slivers and hot peppers in it.. so good. I NEED to learn how to make that (Ry – there are two Burmese restaurants in NoVA.. just saying ;)) Okay, back on track, the rice was amazing. Myanmar had gotten coke a month before we arrived and life was good. The weather was great. It was hot but there was a nice breeze. After dinner our waitor asked me to exchange some bills with him that the students had paid with (the Burmese take US Dollars but only crisp, clean bills that are not from the C series and have no marker whatsoever on them…. Look in your wallet… our money is in circulation too long for that criteria!). I didn’t have any 5s to trade him so he asked for two crisp 1s to replace his two 5s with marker on them. I quickly tried to explain that it was not of the same value and that he needed 5 1s to make up for 1 5. It was confusing for us both but I had a crisp new $20 and gave him that for the 5s. I can’t imagine how many times he might have been taken advantage of.

 

Sidenote: there was a TON of drama surrounding the hotels because one bus thought they were at a 5 star resort and our hotel was a “2-star resort”… everyone was up in arms before we even saw the hotel (thanks to someone who clearly doesn’t work with college students regularly). When we got to our hotel, we realized just how nice it was, the students were relieved by day two not to have internet, and our pool had a swim up bar – so we were golden. Drama for nothing… that’s my favorite (NOT).

 Downtown.. I'm not kidding!

The next morning, I headed out for some beach time! I laid on a nice chair at the hotel and got some sun, and when it got too hot – headed to the pool for a dip. A lot of students swam in the ocean but I couldn’t bring myself to it.. both because I didn’t have a buddy and because the ocean makes me nervous. (in hindsight there were 26 jellyfish stings and I wasn’t one of them!) Around 2, buses B&C headed to a village tour and to visit the local school. The village was great. We found a kindergarten class that sang us the ABCs and counted for us in English. They were brilliant and adorable. One of the students inquired about the snacks hanging in bags in the front of the “classroom”. The tour guide said, if the students bring money they can buy a snack with lunch. That student then brought all of the kids snacks… two or three each, and it cost her $2.50. Students who are that forward thinking make me smile.

We then came across a house with a woman who was making beautiful shell bracelets. We asked if we could buy them from her. She usually sells them to the gift shops on the main strip, but doesn’t get much profit. She sent her cutie kids to get more from the stores and we bought her out right there in her living room.  I got what I thought were bracelets for kids but were actually hair ties – I’m sure Reese will rock it anyway! While we were with the woman making bracelets, two of my students went across the street to get some shade from a tree. The Burmese man and woman, who spoke no English, and lived in the house behind the tree invited them in, they laid out mats for them, and let them rest in their house with offers of tea and snacks while they waited for us. Let me tell you why this is spectacular to me: First, these people do not have a lot of money but they are so gracious and generous. Second, there was an incredible language barrier and it didn’t matter. Third, we were in people’s front yards, taking pictures of their homes and their laundry, and their pets (I couldn’t help myself) – and they still were smiling and gracious and wonderful.. the whole time I was imagining what I would do if I was at home doing my laundry and a group of foreign tourists came in my yard and up to my windows and started taking photos… I’d call the cops! These people were awesome. They wanted to teach us, and they wanted to learn from us.

So in Ngwe Saung, there is one school house. They teach grammar through high school at the facility. Some of the textbooks were in Burmese, some were in English. The students were just finishing exams when we got to the school. The teachers led us to an empty classroom in the back. The schoolhouse was concrete, no air conditioning but had windows. It was right on the beach (strategically placed for the breeze). The students wore uniforms – green longis (long skirts for men and women), and white blouses. They all carried the same style bag though they all were decorated differently. They lined the classroom while we talked with their teachers. We gave their school a gift, and the students came in to introduce themselves and thank us. Then they gave us sodas to show their gratitude for their gift. One of the students is working with a charity organization that brings soccer balls to impoverished areas that we are travelling too. The students were PUMPED (both ours and theirs). They got a good circle going with a few of the local students who didn’t have to go home for dinner or chores and had a blast. We then headed back to the hotel.

 

 

 

 

I met Craig back at the hotel and we walked the market, and went to check out the other hotel. We sent most of the students at the pool to our hotel for happy hour and then soaked up a little internet (if only I had found that hotel the first night but no one we asked for directions knew where it was). I woke up mom and Granny so I could wish Granny a happy birthday. We then went to another restaurant where I got more fried rice (chicken this time) and it was AMAZING.

On the fourth day, Bus C met at 9:30 am to travel a little ways back over the mountain to the elephant camp. The camp wasn’t very big but they take in orphan elephants and put them to work wooing tourists until they are 16. The elephants are like pets to the caregivers and most of them responded to their verbal commands. Elephants are surprisingly soft. They were so sweet and gentle. I was shocked when I felt the tusks. I imagined they would be hard and rough but they were so smooth and beautiful. So the elephants work at the camp until they are 16, and then they are put to work in the forest, collecting bamboo and logs for the villagers. They can “retire” when they are 60. :) We visited with them for a little bit and then it was time to ride! One of the students,, Whitney, asked if I wanted to ride with her (thank goodness because if I had to go alone I would cry), and we climbed aboard. They put a wooden box on the elephants back and it’s the most awkward thing ever to sit on. You can feel every muscle in the elephants back when you are on top of him. The wood creaks as he walks and you think its going to snap at any moment… well at least I did! LOL Craig warned me that there was a steep incline and not to freak out, so when we trekked up the first path, and what I thought was the steep incline, I shared that with Whitney. Boy was I wrong. Those elephants walked on tiny paths that were on cliffs over the river and stepped over and onto tree limbs and roots… it was both insanely fun and terrifying. I pressed up so hard against the box that my back was bruised for days. We had a good time though! We took about a twenty minute ride through the “jungle” and the elephants went in the water and hung out and were great. Afterwards, a lot of the students went up to visit the little school at the camp where the children put on a little show for them. I sat with the purses of everyone on the elephant and tried to get my breath back. :)

 

 

  

 

That afternoon, Craig and I went and shopped at the market. I got a lot of handmade things. It was so nice. I worry that as more tourists start coming here, and their relationship with china grows, many of the souvenirs will become mass produced in a factory. I’d like to get back here before it gets too big.

That night the hotel hosted the 80 of us around the pool for a farewell dinner. The buffet was amazing (but they couldn’t get out the spring rolls fast enough – don’t they know Americans love fried stuff? hahaha) The tour guides arranged for some local musicians to come play and taught some of our students the local dances. They also arranged for a bonfire on the beach (which I skipped due to the 4:30 am wake up call the next morning). They were very hospitable and so incredibly nice.

The next morning, we boarded the bus at 5:00am to head back to the ship. The best thing about the 5am wake up was the hazy sunrise on the trip back to the ship. We stopped in Rangoon at a hotel for a buffet lunch (again, delicious fried rice). I was sad to leave that beautiful little community but feel like someday I will get back there. 

Random thoughts on Myanmar:

• Like other places in Asia, they drive using their horn almost as much as they use the steering wheel. They use it to let people know they are passing, to get people out of their way, to warn anyone who may be ahead on the windy mountain roads, to get pedestrians out of the shoulder… they use it constantly. It makes it hard to sleep on the bus, but I also wonder – which one of us is using the horn more like the creator of the horn intended? Americans seem to use it when someone has missed the 4 second leeway after the light turns green or when someone does something stupid or to say hi to a friend walking down the street… the Burmese used it for EVERYTHING. With that, our bus driver was AMAZING and so talented and I have no idea how he got us through some of those roads, bridges, etc…
•  I didn’t see any pregnant woman (though Craig did), any women smokers (though men were), or anyone with glasses the whole time.
• Many of the students (who must be more obviously American than me) were approached many times by people sharing their love for Obama. Hilarious when people only know two words in English “Obama” and “America”.  We all got a kick out of it.
•  When people asked where I was from, I would say the United States and get blank stares. When I said America people got excited. Craig made fun of me for just saying America off the bat, but hey, that’s what they recognized

Myanmar was a wonderful and gracious place, so if you are ever planning a trip to Thailand, I suggest you pop over to Myanmar as well. :)