Nay Pyi Taw - a happening place ...

July News ...

Emerald rice fields etch the contour, the neatly manicured silhouette of Nay Pyi Taw, resembling the diverse stunning colours of jade that is mainly found in the Katchin ethnic State and sold throughout Myanmar's diverse culture.

Late July brought heavy rains with thunderstorms in the Nay Pyi Taw region and its surroundings. The Irrawaddy River is flooding the planes even in places where there is little rain. In some places throughout Myanmar where the river runs through, some villages have been displaced because of the flood. The Irrawaddy River also known as Ayeyarwady River is the country's largest river and most important commercial waterway.  

With the rains, temperature here in Nay Pyi Taw is pleasant - at least for  now.  It's cool in early morning and warms up to a comfortable 27ºC to 35ºC tops.  It's a relief!

delicate white orchids with a hint of mauve

Here on the home front, in our little oasis, our boungainvillaea tree is still going strong, where two black dotted butterflies dance from flower to flower. Under mango trees and throughout the perimeter of our courtyard,  vegetation is lush, blooming and producing more fruit.  Bushes and roses are flushed with an array of colours unfurling each day to rich creamy yellows- the colour of friendship, snowy-whites, and dusty-roses. One of the orchids lined on the wire under the mango tree is also in full bloom radiating beautiful small delicate white flowers with a

hint of mauve!  We have also discovered more bushes hidden among other plants; some are producing tiny spicy green and red peppers that we use as a base for cooking, others, AloeVera gel that we extract from several AloeVera plants, we sometime use for our skin and guava fruit that we gladly give our neighbours...

Neighbours rescuing our mangos

July was a month where
neighbours came around our house to rescue mangos from our trees. Mangos that rained from our trees in abundance regularly reached the tables of families in our little community.

Neighbours, across our little lane and beside us have built a trellis either for their running beans, snow peas, cucumber plants and other climbing plants.   Each morning, across from us, the old man  with his grandson walk around the neighbourhood’s front gardens to test the strength of every trellis and to assess the growth of every climbing plant. With the nightly rain and heavy rain by day, some are already 12 – 20 inches tall.

Students are talking to each other in English

With the change of the season, from dry to wet, there has been a positive change of pace in our class. There have been progresses and milestones, where students are gaining more confidence each day. Shy students, who appear to be more self-assured, are now talking, and are even volunteering to share our morning introduction to the start of the day’s lesson: either to give a brief account of the daily news, review the day’s work, talk about Myanmar and ethnic traditional dress and or fashion, the lyrics of a song … and anything else that is of interest to them. I’m so impressed! What’s more, two of the parliamentary recruit staffs in my class announced yesterday, that they have received a job promotion, which indeed called for yet another celebration in the very grounds of the parliament.

Parliamentarians are also feeling more confident with their Oral English skills and are even laughing at their own mistakes! Conversational English is a fun and most interesting job one can ever hope to have especially  with parliamentarians whom I have learned much from. These MPs had regular jobs like you and I: teaching, farming, government employees, et cetera …

Bush in flower

Other news, July brought a week of mishaps: a minor car accident and laptop crash – my laptop!

On the narrow road, on my way home, a motorbike, driving too fast  and out of control, bypassed two cars (from his lane), came to my side of the road and collided, literally into the Cuso car that I drive to and from work.  Both motorbike parts and the left fender of the Cuso car flew to the side of the field and, the driver’s flip-flop got firmly stuck into the car’s front bumper . Before I knew it, the narrow road was blocked with locals and neighbours, yes neighbours from my street who were informed that the foreigner who worked at the parliament had just had an accident!  Chatter and more Burmese chatter among the locals and neighbours and the police went on for about an hour or more as to what to do? Phone calls back and forth to various people: the Cuso local car owner, Cuso staff and Kevin were shortly informed.  An hour or two later, after the commotion, locals and neighbours began to leave the scene. 

More bushes in flower

In the end all ended as well as can be. The motorbike driver’s wife came to rescue her husband, (who went away with a  few scratches), and drove him home with her brother's  motorbike . As for me, I drove the severely dented bumper Cuso car home.The next day, the car was taken away to be fixed.

Whilst the Cuso car was at the shop for a  brand new look, I took a taxi to the parliament. Thank goodness for google map, for Cuso Lisa who showed me how to use it. On the first day of my adventure the taxi driver dropped me off at gate 3, in the middle of nowhere. However, I was able to find my way to gate 1 where I was suppose to be originally dropped off.

When it rains it pours. That very same week my computer crashed! The parliamentary IT team came to my rescue, and managed to have my laptop in a temporarily working order during class. At noon, we, one of the IT staff and office staff, KityAung and I drove to the computer store for some answers. On the way there, in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, a cow and a buffalo joined us on the 20 multi-lane highway. We, the cow, the buffalo and the Cuso car were the only ones on the highway aiming to our destination ... :)

Luncheon with a colleague and her family in our home

Elsewhere in Nay Pyi Taw there’s a fabulous busy local restaurant tucked away up on the hill of Thyabegon Market that Kevin and I go to weekly, to have beer and a cheap delicious Burmese dinner.

July ended with us receiving an official letter from the government to confirm our stay in the heart of our little community!

More later … :)   In the meantime,  Wishing you fun reading and lots of laughter for the next coming month.

Education Today VSOCambodia - UK Article

Bunong lady harvesting cassava

Placement in Cambodia 2013-2016 
written by VSO-UK/education roles  - Claire Gilderson
May 2017

Riding through/ on traitorous roads on the way to village schools, Mondolkiri province

'The road to prosperity' changing lives through education ...

In May 2017, ALICE CHANDLER will be flying off to Myanmar to volunteer. This is her second placement with Cuso International. She recalls her first adventure in Cambodia following a long teaching career in Canada.

Bunong villagers (harvesting cassava,) resting from a hard day's work

“I decided that it was time for me to embark on  an exciting journey,  so I leapt half way across the world to volunteer for two years with VSO – Cuso in Cambodia.  I wanted to go to a developing country where I could be part of the community and work for the well being of others.

In 2013, I was placed as a Primary Education Adviser at the Provincial Office of Education in the beautiful hills of Mondulkiri • the poorest rural province in Cambodia. I worked with teachers, school directors and various staff to help improve the quality and access to basic education.  I fell  in love with  this amazing place and I was fortunate to get my placement extended until 2016.

Workshop at Sen Monorom POE with School directors and cluster-chiefs

In the west,  teachers are trained by professionals, but in rural Moodulkiri,  teachers receive minimal training.  They’re poorly paid and sometimes don’t even turn up for work. They often have two or more jobs or work in the fields to make ends meet. Pupils in isolated Bunong rural villages have difficulty in seeing the value of education.  Attendance is low because children are expected to help with household chores and work in the fields.  School infrastructure and sanitary conditions are poor.  Buildings are exposed to the elements and become problematic during the rainy season.

Teachers trained to use this book with their students

Despite the challenges, I was inspired by local teachers who implemented workshops for rural schools.  I watched them blossom before my eyes and saw smiling children explore endless possibilities through their schoolwork.  Laughter became contagious and learning became easier. Humour is an important part of facilitating positive change.

Teacher using newly-learned-tools in village school from a 5 day workshop

Teacher Trainers having fun during a workshop session

Every year, local comnunities conduct a School Enrolment Campaign in the villages 15 days before the start of the new school year.  In 2015, local men and women in Mondulkiri province were asked to share their personal stories about how their education has positively impacted their lives. These stories were broadcast on local radio to encourage children to go to school and stay in school. My local colleagues and I worked on a collection of interviews and short stories about the value of education, social inclusion and gender equality. It  eventually became a book:· 'The road to prosperity - my education, my life'.   In January 2016, this book was approved by the Mondulkiri Provincial Office of Education and was funded by VSO Cambodia.  School directors and teachers are trained to use this book  with their students to  promote school enrolment throughout the province.

Locals paying homage and delivering food donation to Monks for P'ChumBen festival

POE official whom I collaborated with daily

It was wonderful to feel part of a community where neighbours have the time for each other. I truly enjoyed working and living among local people who were full of energy and hope despite their circumstances.

Kevin and I at the San Monorom round about

Volunteering with VSO - Cuso International gave me a sense of accomplishment and an opportunity to learn from teachers who do the best they  can with limited resources. 

 I enjoyed my experience so much that  after 12 months of return home in Canada, I’ve decided to volunteer again with my accompanied partner, Kevin in Myanmar for a year with Cuso International!”

https://www.vsointernational.org/educaitionroles    May 2017   

see page 7 - Education Today:  https://content.yudu.com/web/69r/0Aiy7k/ETMay2017/flash/resources/index.htm?refUrl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.education-today.co.uk%252F

This Is My Canada / Mon cher Canada

A priceless birthday gift

May and June spun into one.  Both months were filled with a constellation of events and activities.

In early May, Kevin and I arrived in Yangon for a 2 week training orientation; to experience, to get a taste of Myanmar whilst partaking and familiarizing ourselves with invaluable information about Myanmar before we were sent-off to our placements. Nay Pyi Taw for us.   

Nay Pyi Taw, the new government capital city of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and centrally located,  is situated north of Yangon and lies southwest from Mandalay.    SuSu , an extremely helpful Cuso staff accompanied us by  bus to our endpoint and,  together with a local taxi and a handy man in every aspect of the word, who  met us at the Thebagon bus station, drove us to our new home.   

After a comfortable bus ride from Yangon to NPT, we were pleasantly surprised to find that NPT is more developed than expected (some areas more than others), and appears to be an agreeable place to live in, provided that one has their own transportation and is free to come and go as they please.  Equally pleasing, was to find that our new home is in the heart of a local community; and, that the Swe Ja Bae local market is within walking distance.   After living out of suitcases and backpacks for 2 weeks, we were glad to unpack and air out our ‘musty’ clothes –let alone to finally indulge in cooking our very own wholesome food. 

That evening and all the next day, a well-seasoned volunteer, Carol, who only had a week left with her placement, took the time to show us around the city; to show us where the shops and some of her favourite local restaurants were in NPT.  We also ended up having lunch with her at Santinos – her favourite place to eat.

Monday morning, on my arrival at the Parliament, on my first day of work,I was introduced to the partners.  Unlike Mondolkiri, Cambodia where I was greeted with open arms, where the education director had gathered all staff together outside the education complex (to introduce the new primary education advisor) to deliver  a speech with his horn, to tell them that I will be sharing office with primary education staff to learn the Khmer language, to learn from each other,  I was instead shown to my new office (shared by another NGO and her interpreter), to my desk.  Shortly after my initial disappointment, rather, what was I thinking?,  the same older woman came in with several cleaners to my new office to instruct them to move my desk exactly in line with the others, where my desk would firmly be placed.  The same individual then proceeded to take the place of my assigned Line Manager, (who was evidently new in the field,) and promptly signed my document  (instead of my line manager who appeared to show little interest in the situation? - was he nervous too ?).   At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of it all.  However, things improved quickly!

A week later, the new line manager took hold of the reigns. I moved office.  (My original office was reorganized and taken over by a number of staffs from another department) .  I was given the choice of having two offices with 2 desks:   A shared office with a group of foreign NGOs and/or move in with the Research parliamentary staffs where my Line Manager and his assistant were based.  I chose the latter.  To me it made perfect sense to work among helpful Burmese staffs , learn the language,, to learn from each other as I did in Cambodia,  to learn about the parliamentary system … and much more. 

 

****

June

Before we new it, June came and went!   Throughout the month of June, it seemed I had ongoing birthday celebrations; from birthday cakes to dinners to outings.  My daughter, who had just returned from a canoe trip with her partner and colleagues, had sent me a priceless birthday gift!

"Happy birthday maman;
I hope your next year brings you so much life, laughs and adventure.

I took this photo on your birthday while I was on a trip thinking of you. It was taken at Cow Bay in Cayquot - Was a magical experience.

Sending you one million hugs,   So much love - love you lots xoxo  Léah"

June was a month where the locals repaired and prepared our dusty road for the much-needed-anticipated rain.  All the potholes on our little dusty lane were filled with a variety of rocks and of different sizes. Once filled, every pothole was coated with loose gravel.  Our neighbour in charge of this process, instructed the neighbours with a specific task.   Children, in twos and in fours, ran back and forth to the dirt pile , outside our neighbour’s home, filled either their buckets or stretchers with enough gravel  to neatly smooth out the holes done by the elders. 

Heavy rains did come.  Only for a short while!  The ground is bone dry, and at the Parliament, the grass is watered every day to upkeep the well manicured grounds.  July is near and there seem to be no sign of rain.

Elsewhere in NPT, though we‘ve raved to some people how lucky Kevin and I were to live in our own house, instead of a hotel, we did have a bit of a scare.  One morning, without warning, while I was at work, , 2 immigration officers and a local chief pounded on our front door.  They wanted  to know why a foreigner lived in a house instead of a hotel?  Kevin was promptly asked to show our passports and visa papers.  All the while, throughout the commotion, awaiting for clarification; awaiting for some type of response from the Cuso Mayanmar office, Burmese chatter between the 3 men buzzed around Kevin's ears, wondering if  their may be a slight possibility of being evacuated from our house to a hotel.  In the end however, after lengthy discussions between Cuso SuSu and an immigration officer, Kevin was told that we could stay.  Within 24 hours of this mishap, Cuso had contacted the immigration department in Yangon to straighten things out and to confirm our stay in our house.  Thank goodness! 

A couple of days later, 3 anti – malaria health –care providers with the same village chief (that came with the immigration officers) appeared at our house to place anti-malaria dissolving (tiny brownish) pebble bags  (that everyone pocked holes in) in our water harvest.  They told us that this was a normal yearly procedure done throughout the communities in NPT to prevent mosquitos from building larvae in still water – thus eradicating, preventing malaria or dengue fever.  To solve our problem, we decided to leave the faucet open, draining the water completely out of the water harvest when it rained. 

As for work, I thoroughly enjoy working together with staffs, MPs and my class.  I have an open door policy where my students come and go as they please.  Some have early morning commitments but still manage to attend my class.  When I prepare for the next day, some students will pop in to ask if they can help and or simply hang out!  I love my students – they’re so humble and hungry to learn.  

As for my line manager and I, together we're learning the ropes - making lemonade out of two lemons ... He's understanding: he's a breath of fresh air to work with.     I feel so lucky!

More later … : )   In the meantime,  Wishing you fun reading and lots of laughter  for the next coming month.