December News - a point of view
December consisted of weddings, luncheon celebrations
to Christmas gatherings; Instructing a new set of ESL classes to making some
progress with the Resource Activity Book known as ‘English Voices of Myanmar’. From
looking through the lens of a foreigner over the last 6 months in NayPyiTaw to
our usual theatre of humanity in our local neighbourhood.
Our neighbours across the road continue to
endlessly entertain us with the usual theatre of humanity. What with the older sister and brother
holding, dropping their large woven garbage bamboo basket, alternating between
picking- up fallen garbage to racing behind the navy blue garbage truck with other
children teasing one another, while Kevin right behind them watch the ins and outs on the way – taking part of
the charming chaos; To grandpa’s new diverting scheme in keeping his grandson
busy with this and that, taking a risk in cajoling him only to find
that his family has already left for school, quietly, wide eyes watching
them drift by from a distance… While mom still bellows Myanmar words that we still
don’t understand. This time not at her son, who by this time is at the end of
the dirt road far from her, but hollerss at another family whom they share their
little compound with … :)
December began with a luncheon celebration
to welcome new parliamentary staff, bestowed and organized by parliamentary officials, which I gladly attended with the office staff. Everyone raved about the Indian chicken curry
with chapatti especially prepared by talented parliamentary staffs for this
special occasion.
On the weekend, in early December, we celebrated
another special event. Kevin and I
attended my colleague’s wedding at the SweShiDaw restaurant where, on our
arrival, arm in arm with one of the hostesses, we were ushered to the parliamentary
officials’ tables rather than having the opportunity to sit with my colleagues,
which I would have preferred; simply, to reconnect with them and to introduce
them to Kevin. The bride and groom,
fixed smiles, were donned in beautiful attire and tirelessly walked from table
to table for snapshots. We had a lovely
time and food delicious.
For Christmas, we Kevin and I had a festive BBQ dinner party with
friends and had a delicious decadent unique meal. Definitely mouthwatering range of
flavours and textures that consisted primarily of several meat dishes: Italian
sausages, pork chops, steak, spareribs with wine, beer, cocktails to ring the New Year in – the 2018 count down …The
company, the food, and relaxing ambiance was more than I can say. We’re so lucky!
As for work, my old class, though
previously agreed by the officials that I were to have them for one full year - 2 terms, was dissolved for reasons I will never know and 2 new sets of ESL
classes were constructed. However,
something good always comes from something that one may naturally be
disappointed with at first.
Initially with this sudden change, it meant
that I had little time to hold my small parliamentary group or my MPs’ English
conversational group or in developing the Resource Activity Book that my former
students and I began to write from the grassroots up. However, my new classes are just as smart and
geniuses and talented as my former 2017 parliamentary class!
That is to say that although the Resource Activity Book ‘English Voices of Myanmar’ is
progressing at a slower pace, with the consent of the big boss, I was able to touch base, reconnect with some
of my former students for the Myanmar translation. I have also been given the consent to work
with some of my present students to work on the book.
As for looking through the lens of a
foreigner over the last 6 months in NayPyiTaw, we had some very good times and
some challenging ones.
We feel very fortunate to have landed in a
local community, living among the locals to experience the special things that
we would never otherwise have experienced, if we had stayed in a hotel where
other expats are expected to stay . By
day end, a surge of excitement rushes over me, down my spine as I enter our
little dirt road and pass children squealing with delight, neighbours waiving and chatting and
Kevin sitting on his red chair awaiting for my arrival from a hard day’s work.
Though we have a TV with one channel, TV
is the last thing on our minds. To date,
I’ve read 19 books (different genre). Normally, at home, I might be lucky if I
read 6 – 7 books the most in one year. As
soon as I finish reading one, I’m already excited to start working through another; another story of people’s lives, love, friendship, their hopes,
wants, etcetera. That's when you realize how lucky you are to have the life that you have. I’m in the process of reading ‘Hotel on the
Corner of Bitter Sweet’ , Jamie Ford. Look it up – it's a good read about love and friendship between an American-Asian couple.
More
will be posted at later time ....:) In the meantime, wishing you fun reading and lots
of laughter for January 2018....:)
