NaY PyI TaW

... a hidden treasure

There are no cows roaming the streets, or are lined neatly on the road across from us waiting to be lead to their water post in the nearby ravine. There are no milk apples nearby or in the village. 

It’s Saturday! It’s early morning.  A young Buddhist Monk, clad in a red maroon robe, strolls down on our street striking his triangular-brass-shaped gong with a small mallet emanating a sound  that is  both relaxing and calming.  The gong’s chime, echoes energy across the narrow dirt road to alert the locals that a group of Monks, young and old, who rely heavily on the community for food donation, are about to do their regular rounds.   

In the distance, possibly two houses across from us , nursery school children sing in Burmese to welcome the day.   Whilst two boys, one of them carrying a little girl on  his back, rush out of the house with a thud, giggling and echoing the Burmese chorus. 

Contrary to the calming sound effect we heard earlier, motorcycles with passengers on back seats, rumble by to and fro the dirt road, and head to the market for fresh produce.

We've definitely lucked out!   We live in a little community similar to rural Mondolkiri, Cambodia.  We have an Asian style bungalow surrounded by other humble homes.  It reminds me very much of our home in Mondolkiri, except that our home here in Nay Pyi Taw is little grander and has a proper ceiling in the bathroom.   Our Mondolkiri bathroom had no ceiling, and as a result after every shower , talcum-red-powedery- dust,  if we weren’t swift enough to escape the drizzly dust, sprayed down on our anticipated arched backs.

Further to our delight, beautiful luscious bushes, floral trees, and, fruit trees surround us:  Bougainvillaea’s are in full bloom emitting stunning mauve tissue like flowers.   We also have Banana, and mango trees.   Mangoes are abundant this time of the year and, each day, ripe mangoes from several trees in our garden fall down on our doorstep ready to eat for breakfast!  What’s more, we’ve just discovered that we also have our very own pomegranate bush; it appears that we may have a ripe pomegranate almost everyday for the next little while.   Awaiting to bloom, just across our porch, under one of our mango tree, potted orchids  neatly hang on a wired line; some grafted to both a mango and a boungainvillaea tree, 

During our first week here, Kevin and I attended an expat dinner at one of the hotels to meet other working expats  who most of them live in hotels during their stay here in Nay Pyi Taw.   Fortunately, we live in our own little diamond in the rough where we can experience the real local Myanmar Asian lifestyle. By the way, there are several pockets, of other hidden treasures throughout Nay Pyi Taw, of little local communities like ours  that are also tucked away from the main large multi-lane roads.

Nay Pyi Taw, built in 2005, and now the capital government base city of Myanmar, is semi arid with fewer trees than Yangong.  The heat is unbearable with little shade wherever we are.  Thankfully, the air con in our house was fixed late last night.   So,  yes, we're very much looking forward to the rainy season, which is suppose to start this coming week.  With the rainy season, hopefully the rain will cool things down, at least, for a little while .  

I’ve been at work, at the parliament for one week already and everyone is dressed impeccably.  The women are clad in graceful aqua-blue longyis that resembles the colour of the ocean.   The longyi is embroidered with brilliant-white-sandy-blue peacock-like flowers that flow mid way up and around their lower part of their longyi.  To compliment their smart-looking longyi, the women wear an elegant chiffon white three quarter length sleeve blouse.  The men’s attire is combined of a Mao- like blue jacket that is fastened with a Chinese style cloth buttons and loops, and fits over a stiff white collared shirt . Their longyi is usually a dark reddish coloured check-board.   To set them apart from departmental men staff,  MP's  not only wear a headdress that represents their ethnic origin, they also have a Mao-like jacket that is an earthen orange-colour and, a green-checkered longyi.  A longyi is simply a sarong-like national dress that is worn by both men and women throughout Myanmar to keep them cool in the heat.

So far, I’m fortunate to work with wonderful, thoughtful, humble and extremely helpful staffs. Together, we, some of the staff, colleagues and I have had lunch at the canteen where staff hand-in a ‘meal’ ticket for their lunch.  Further, throughout my first week, we, and  a group of NGO colleagues, went out for lunch to celebrate birthdays and other events.  We also had lunch with MP’s to celebrate ‘World Milk Day’. 
 
Initially we were a little apprehensive about what we were going to find in Nay PYi Taw. However,  on our arrival, we were pleasantly surprised to find that Nay Pyi Taw is not an empty house/ or  a ghostly town that people have  claimed it to be.  Equally pleased, I'm not the only, lonely  car on the road ...  There is indeed  lighter traffic – at least compared to Yangon’s traffic.    

All right, must go before the Internet shuts down.  Wishing you fun reading and lots of laughter  for the next coming month.

More later ... :)

One day in the life of a local ...

Selling goods on the way up to Shwedagon Pagoda

in Yangon, Myanmar ...

Selling flowers

Yes, we are now in Yangon, Myanmar and we have already been here for a week! We are pleasantly surprised by how clean it is compared to anywhere in Cambodia.

Betal Nut paste is made on a daily basis for locals to chew on

During our two week ICO:  (in-country orientation), Kevin and I are staying in a nice Asian style apartment, which we share with 2 other Cuso volunteers.  As luck would have it, we’re just doorsteps away from the ‘wet’ market (wet meaning outdoor market) where fresh produce, from fish to vegetables, to an array of fruit is abundant.  What a treat!    

We've noticed, particularly in the  wet market, that many locals, young and old, have Thanaka on their faces and sometimes on their arms for sun protection.  The locals have told us that Thanaka, a yellowish-white cosmetic paste is made from ground bark; from grinding the bark against a flat, wet stone before it’s applied on their skin.  What’s more, they told us that it's a common distinctive feature in their culture.

Painting on the spot at the Hledan Wet Market

There are 8 of us volunteers taking part in the ICO, to learn about life in Myanmar: This includes basic Myanmar language, taking field trips to the pagoda, history, culture, food, the people: (home to 135 ethnic groups), and much more. Typically at noon,  we often venture off to local restaurants.  Due to a number of diverse ethnic culinary delights throughout the states and regions, Myanmar boasts a mélange of cultural striking food  infused in the Myanmar cuisine.  This includes Chinese and , Indian Asian food.   

By chance throughout our language training, our Myanmar language teacher introduced us to Mohinga, a traditional Myanmar breakfast that is tasty and cheap.  Mohinga is a fish based soup with rice noodles. Lime, cilantro and spices are optional and can be added to the Mohinga soup.  Oh Yes, during our spare time,  (when we’re not in ICO) together with our Cuso cohort, we’re exploring Yangon for more unusual tasty foods and interesting places to see!

More flowers

Pleasantly surprised, transport here in Yangon is orderly.   Motorbikes are banned. However, streets bustles with cars, local (private) buses, bicycle taxis. Consequently, there are times, most times it seems, that traffic stands literally still throughout the day; making it tricky to weave around cars to cross the road, because cars and buses can unexpectedly be on the move at any time.   Sidewalks are just as hectic and bustles with activities.  Food vendors and vehicles block sidewalks, and are used for parking leaving little room to manoeuvre around pavements.    

Thu Thu's wedding: Kevin and Kinsaw in their traditional Longyis

 Similarly, buses are no different to congested roads.  At first, Kevin and I took a taxi with our Cuso cohort to ICO.  On the third day, we decided to take a local bus to and from the Cuso office.  We thought if we left our apartment earlier than usual, we’d be ahead of ourselves and avoid the traffic jam.   Not so!   It doesn’t matter what time of the day it is, local buses are jam-packed, and I mean jam-packed!  If the bus isn’t full, the bus waits – it could be as much as a 30-minute waiting period at any given bus stop – until the bus is crammed with locals.  However, we quickly got used to the overflowing buses, being packed like sardines.  After all, two extra bodies crammed in the bus like sardines didn’t make any difference to us or anyone else!  Joining the ‘madding crowd’, there was a day that Kevin and I took a chance and jumped on the overflowing bus whilst it was still running.– lol.  

Thannaka wood is made into a paste and applied on faces and arms for sun protection

Elsewhere in Yangon, on the weekend, we took a rickety train to and from Hledan Centre where we're staying .  The train was full on the way to the core of downtown; there were no seats to be had until the second last stop.

Throughout our first week in Yangon, we found the Myanmar people to be friendly, humble and helpful -we often come across smiling  ‘Thanaka’ faces with a chorus of hellos 'Mingalaba' in the Myanmar language.  People will also stop to speak to us, to practice their English with us.  We also found that we're getting by easily, despite the little English Myanmar people have.

In terms of temperature, though it's almost the end of the dry season, it's unbearably hot and muggy.  There’s been times that we’ve had a down pour in the evening that will last for about an hour or two to cool things down, at least, for a little while.

Dried fish

We have another week of ICO: orientation and language training before we are whisked away to our placements: Nay Pyi Taw for us - where my placement is.  Though we are still a little apprehensive about what we will find there ...  We have decided to be open minded, and think positively with our new adventure! 

Water station

That is all for now.  In the meantime here are photos of one day in the life of a local in Yangon and at the Shwedagon pagoda that we visited with our Cuso cohort and our Myanmar language teacher.

Wishing you fun reading and lots of laughter  for May ...

Shwedagon Pagoda

More later ... :)