Week
16: Nov 16-21st The Month of
Local Color
I
have been putting forth a consorted effort to get out more and see more of the
country and go to events around the city-my goal for November. I started with
the famous pagoda here and my next trip out is to Golden City Chetty “where shirts are off and the food is
hot.” It is Jacob’s birthday and we meet
to eat Indian food. This is the same
place I avoided my first month here because I was afraid I would get sick, but
three months makes one brave and hungry to try new things. We arrive and get
stares from the locals and take over a huge table. The menu is big so I let others order for
me. Men in white undershirts move around
with precision, silver buckets in hand and a long handled ladle their weapon of
choice. We have a silver plate placed
before us with three small inserts ready for the variety of curry served. Not so gently a potato curry, a white bean
curry and a tomato based curry is sloshed into the spaces via the silver
bucket, sweaty man and his ladle. I
choose the bread I want to use to scoop up the Indian fare- yummo! All I have to say is that as long as my back
is to the kitchen, I am enjoying my meal. I get to make eating at a local dive
off of my list.
Next, I anticipate my three-day
weekend even though I have no idea of what is in store. One of the juniors has invited me to join
her, another teacher and a few more kids to attend the Balloon Festival in Taunggyi (I think I was invited
because she wanted to make sure her favorite teacher had an adult guest along-
lucky me). It is “to mark the end of the Buddhist Lent, and is also
one of the most prominent festivals of the year. Pagodas, houses, public
buildings, parks, and monuments are all illuminated and there are various kinds
of activities for everyone to enjoy. Thadingyut is not only for joyous but also
thanksgiving and paying homage to Buddhist monks, teachers, parents and elders,
and asking pardon for whatever misdeeds might have committed.” I wake up early and it is amazing
what a person sees at 6:00am in the morning.
Two different families arrive to feed the pigeons by our school. A huge
flock awaits the showers of grain that come from the full bucket. We leave on
Saturday morning at about 6:30 after being picked up by the student’s mother
(her mom is staying home to enjoy a peaceful house with no kids- surprise
number one). We arrive at the airport and get our sticker (no boarding passes
for this trip-all we needed was a small, round sticker to identify us as
passengers), release our luggage to the men who then hand carry it to the
airplane and we are off. I am a little out of my element since I do not really
know the kids and since they are either speaking Burmese or Spanish, but I
adjust and just hang out.
An
hour later, as we are arriving into the Shen State, I look out the airplane
window and the most vibrant colors that form a checkerboard on the landscape- I
am so looking forward to the cooler weather that I have heard will greet us. I
am not disappointed. Yeah- fall!!!
The
young lady’s dad sends a driver to pick us up and we have about an hour before
arriving at home base. On the way we
stop off at a wonderful restaurant for four different types of fish (I am
getting use to people ordering for me). We cross a small-planked bridge (I am
constantly scared I am going to break a stick that they call a bridge and fall
in the water!) and sit in our own hut, order and wait for the fresh fish to
arrive. We have Lemon fish, a hot pot
with a fish stew, grilled fish and “Troubled Fish”- it is a fish that is tied
up and stuffed. The name indicates it is
a troubled fish because even in death it suffers from the bamboo bindings and
stuffing (I am sure the kids--there are five of them-- are already tired of my
questions).
We
arrive at our house (it is an extra house the family owns because their home is
being refurbished so it is the bare necessitates, but it is free and
comfortable). Dona Fer and I head out to
tour while the kids run errands. We go see--- what else--- a pagoda. It is
lovely and I get to play with my vibrant tool on my camera. And here starts the
comedy of errors. We get back late and
miss the kids, miss dinner and wait for an hour at another house while the
family employees figure out what to take to the festival. We have no idea what is going on because we
do not speak the language and our interpreters are elsewhere. No worries- it is
a “go with the flow” kind of weekend. The next item off of my “to do list while
I am in Myanmar” is now checked off. I climb (some might call it heave) myself
in the back of the work truck and off we go—into traffic—lots of traffic. I guess this is a pretty big deal. I soon find out over 100,000 people are in
the crowd with us. This is exciting to a
point (soon I will explain when that point ends!). We walk around after we find
the truck that is parked close up earlier in the day (this sure is the way to
go- people have made our festival experience extremely convenient- most are
walking for miles and we drive up and have a front row seat) to find food. Check three off of my list- I actually eat
some street food and it was good- with chopsticks! Pictures to follow. Fifteen
balloons in all are set to flight that night. Some have fireworks shooting out
from beneath them after they were up, and others have beautiful displays. Some
make it up and some don’t. So imagine 100,000 people stampeding to get out of
the path of a fiery balloon and you can see where the excitement ends and fear
begins. This occurs early in the evening while I still have the sense of wonder
in my eyes. Now I start to worry about my hair- I forgot my hat and I have a
huge head full of hair that is so dry right now that it would be like hay
catching a flick from an ember of a cowboy’s stove. I set out to buy a hat and
come back with a hat, a scarf and a plastic chair (the lady was flabbergasted
that I wanted to give her the equivalent of $5.00 for a plastic chair to keep-
forever). Obviously, I could use my F150 pick-up truck with my soccer mom gear
in the back- but I improvise. We head home about 3:30 am and skip the last few
balloon launches. I am so tired and actually cold, but my new hat and my pride
kept me from complaining, but I do realize it is hard to keep up with 17 and 18
year olds.
The
next morning we find out that we are now on a balloon launching team. We are
going to the day festival, through the gates, into the big field (that we avoided
the night before for fear of being in a stampede) and will be part of the
festival. It is nice to have people in high places. They have gone out of their way to make this
weekend a memorable one. We dance, we cheer and we light the balloon- it launches
and the team runs along with it to continue to pump the live fire fumes into
the base. I move aside and let the ones
who know what they are doing complete the task. How exciting!!! We leave to get
dinner and have plans to return- thank God it rains and our plans change. After being in a traffic jam for two hours,
abandoning the truck and walking three miles to town, I did not think I could
take anymore fun (yet would never admit it). Awwwww sleep.
The
next day we are driven to the airport and back to reality. What a great trip it
was. I will stop now and write more later. My next event is “Black Voices (a
female a cappella quintet) and Gitmeit (a group of 30 singers from Myanmar that
are the first secular choir” Concert. I can’t wait to share the experience.
Reflections:
1. People watching is one of my favorite
pastimes. Watching others watching the balloons launch was amazing. Watching four young men power a Farris wheel
was unbelievable and watching young people share their homeland so graciously was
humbling. Seeing a parent notice me watching their precious child and then
seeing that parent light up and share their joy was special. Catching a group
of kids taking my picture and then seeing the excitement on their face when I
pose for them (with them) and then ask them to pose for me is a special memory
I will cherish. We really are one human race with so much to share with each
other if we let down our guard a little and share the love
2. Thanksgiving is coming up and it is bittersweet. We will celebrate here on Saturday and I will
attempt to make my first piecrust from scratch. Another first-wish me
luck. Then on Thursday I imagine I will
need to find something to do so I will not feeling sorry for myself and dwell
on missing my kids. It is a holiday that centers on food, but it is whom one
shares that food with that really counts.
I am so glad to have quickly formed some friendships here so that the
celebration will not be forced.
3. Have you ever seen a poinsettia tree?
I have now- huge ones - and they are beautiful. Wow- a wonderful Christmas gift
for the eyes.
4. I cannot explain how hospitable and
sweet the people of this country are.
Perhaps these examples will be good ones to share. Upon arriving in Yangon after our trip, we
get off of the plane, walk down the steps (yes, it was a little plane and we
get off and walk on the runway) and seven airline employees have a line formed,
each holding an umbrella to protect us from the sun. Secondly, on our trip
after we abandoned the truck in the traffic jam, walked three miles and were
caught in the rain, we ducked into a small noodle shack to stay dry. The drivers found us and walked us to the truck
under the protection of umbrellas and all the while- they were soaking wet.
This was above and beyond the call of duty- this was what they wanted to do.
5. Everywhere I look I am taken back in
time. I will share a picture of a family
of FIVE on a Vespa-like bike. Do you
think they have laws against that? I think not. Two schools of thought on this
and I am in the middle.
My first street food
a a local woman feeds the birds at 6:00am
Oh my..what to say first?? Your details of life there brings me to such awe, laughter and sadness for you(missing your boys). I feel the truth you speak of about the truth of the Reason for the Season and questioning what if rubbing the belly because he is cute. Adventure of the trip to the celebration and taking time to smell the flowers, sort to speak watching the people watch you. You are the light in that world and Glory to God for that. Oh, I felt to excitement of the wave as if I were apart of it...Priceless :). Thank you for sharing. I so enjoy traveling with you ...it is truly a hoot. Hoping you have something to soothe the burn of that tennis elbow(falling out of my chair with laughter). Your writings fills my minds eye with such vivid color! It might be best if you close your eyes while riding in taxis at night time, using your minds eye to see cars with headlights on LOL. I pray a hedge of protection around you. Your tenderness towards this culture and its people, touches my heart and inspires me to look deeper into what is around me, for this your words of wisdom are so appreciated. I look forward to next writings of your adventures, new wisdoms gained, and things that has changed your heart to seek deeper meaning of life purpose. With much appreciation for your time to share through your posts. Until next the reading be well and blessings abundantly to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteThanks Brenda. Glad I can express myself in a way that captures this adventure. Your comments make me want to keep it up. Thanks for that. See you when I come visit Trish- I hope. For now- Merry Christmas!
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