February
15th- I’m Baaaaack.
How easy it is to get out of the routine.
The
second semester is flying by. I have so
much to do that taking time to write a blog seems like a luxury I should not
take. I am writing beside my students
(yes, I went to workshop and have been inspired) so it is not that I am not
writing, just a different kind of writing.
I will share some of those musings also. Our first full week back is
difficult. I think I have over
committed. I am assisting with the Model
United Nations club (and am learning much about geography), helping with middle
school soccer, the HS student council and the community service groups. The
kids are fairly self efficient so it is more of a consultant situation rather
than a leader. So far in soccer we have tied one, loss two and won the last two
games. Oh my, middle school girls can get so excited!
I
go on a visa run at the end of January- so I will start there. Every 70 days we have to leave the country.
Weird rule but the school pays for the airline ticket and a small per diem so
it works out ok- kind of a mini-vacation.
At
the airport in Myanmar, I do something really stupid (isn’t the first time and
won’t be the last time in imagine). So a nice man is beside me checking in and
his luggage is a little over weight, he decides he can give up/throw away the
lotions, shampoos and soaps he got at his fancy hotel and I overhear. I say, “I’ll take them.” (I love free stuff)
and proceed to put the big bag in my luggage.
As I walk away from the counter, visions of Midnight Express start running through my head. Quickly, I remember
the code word my brother and I worked out in case I get into any trouble, and
have to laugh at myself for being the trusting soul he told me he worried
about. I guess he has a reason to worry.
So…. Of course the guy is on the same
plane as me and he ends up coming over and sits next to me and we talk the
whole ride to Bangkok. He has been in
Myanmar for a few weeks consulting the generals in accounting and finance (thus
the fancy hotel soap). Extremely
interesting is his take on the leadership of this country. The bad part is I
end up saying I will give the fancy soaps back to him as we get off the
plane. Good thing it really was L’
Occitane products! He will return in a
few months and perhaps be my second guest (the first being two girls from
Prague- I know what you are thinking. No such luck!).
On
this trip I need to get a new visa (my last one was for 6 months), so on
Thursday we (I tag along with another couple who are doing the same) are in
Bangkok, up at 5:30 am in order to get into the line early. Many are coming to Myanmar so the visa office
is busy. Of course I start talking to
the people in line (I am an expert on Myanmar now-huh) and the two girls next
to me in line are young, cute, from Prague and hiking through South East Asia.
You guys think I am brave- think about that!
I give them my contact information so they will have a person in Myanmar. I have six hours to kill while our visas are
being prepared so Matt, Katherine and I walk, and walk and go up and down stairs
to the light rail train and shop, and shop. I get a hair appointment and have
the best shampoo of my life- it is like a mini massage for the head and neck.
Dang they know how to do it here.
So
to sum up the trip, I see the protests in Bangkok, see some he-she girls, see
the Red Light District, eat “Mexican” food, eat Lebanese food-twice, get a foot
massage, find canned green chilies to bring back and attend an intense three
day workshop and a job shadow day at an international school in Bangkok. I did not party or really have down time
because we were up at the crack of dawn each day-So much for the mini-vacation.
Oh and I take 30 minute showers because of the awesome water pressure- one day
I took three!
Back
in Myanmar, events start to flourish. Remember
the girls I befriended at the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok? Well, low and behold
they call and become my first houseguests.
Basically, I think they enjoyed having a clean bed, strong WIFI and a
kitchen to cook in because they did not really leave the house. This gives me
some perspective. I guess I have it pretty good. They had been sleeping in
villages, on dirt floors and dingy hotels with paper-thin walls. In Myanmar,
the house I am in usually has many residents because of the space.
I
do an art walking tour of Yangon, the school has a fun fest and I man the huge
Zorb ball one of the parents just bought and donated so the big kids would have
something to do. The weather is beautiful so we dine out on many nights where
we can eat outside (complete with mosquito coils lit under the tables). I go dancing a couple nights and I finally go
to 19th street. WOW! The visual stimulation of this street is striking. The people I meet are so interesting. I sit at a table with friends and next to us
are eight doctors who are with Doctors Without Borders. Of course, I ask many
questions and am inspired at their altruism. Next stop, 50th street
bar where I meet a man who works for the United Nation UNICEF division. Next, I
talk with a soccer recruiter for the Myanmar national team. I am like a kid in an academic candy store.
We
have another golf tournament and I do not do as well as I did the first time
(beginner’s luck) so I do not know if golf s in my future. I took my seniors on a walking tour of the market
to get some sensory images, smells and sounds from which to write poetry; I
think they got some ice cream and called it a day. I on the other hand, was
inspired to write about all I saw; perhaps they will come around one day. The funniest thing that happened was when I
approached a little boy in the market who was standing in his father’s stall on
a board, crying. I smiled and talked to
him to calm him only to see a stream of pee come from under his too long t-shirt. I guess I literally scared the piss out of
him.
I
am sure I missed many things that occurred this month, but as things start to
become routine, one loses the prewriting process of recording thoughts and if I
do not write things down, they are lost.
Reflections
so far:
1.
I am missing the Olympics.
I can get them on two channels but there is not commentary. On one hand this is a good thing- I can just
watch without all the banter. On the
other hand, I do not know enough about these winter sports to know what I am
seeing. The Olympics also makes me miss
my boys; watching is one of the things we do as a family. I will never forget Dylan waking me up at
3:00am one morning to show me the speed walking event. Even in my sleep-induced
stupor, I found the humor.
2.
Books- Although I have so much more time to read, I find it
hard to finish a book. I like laying out on the couch and reading on a Sunday
afternoon. Somehow my e-reader does not give me the same experience and I do
not like bating down mosquitos after every page I read. I sure hope that real books do not become a
thing of the past. I read the other day that San Antonio has opened (or will
open) the first electronic library where they will check out e-readers to
patrons and allow them to download up to five books on it. This is a great
concept, but I am worried the library of my childhood will soon be gone. Next thing you know we will have robots doing
story time. This progress is a
double-edged sword.
3.
I mentioned a few post back about a book The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. The other day on the way home from soccer
practice we passed over the bridge and I asked what the name of the river
was. The girls went on to tell me as
well as share a legend that came from the river. The same legend (much like fable of the fox
trying to help the gingerbread man across the river) the was referred to in the book so I could
speak about it with them. We learn so
much from books without even knowing it is happening.
4.
Next week, I travel to Inle Lake with 44 eighth graders and
three other teachers. I am sure I will
learn much about the culture as well as learn much about patience. Wish me
luck.
5.
Sometimes you have to just be still. This semester will bring on many
opportunities to travel. After the Week
Without Walls trip to Inle, I will go to Golden Rock (a huge bolder legended to
be balanced on the hair of Buddha, Laos for a 3 day weekend hopefully with
Irene, my former foreign exchange student, Bangkok for a conference, and then
we have “spring” break for ten days and I will travel to ….. JAPAN! It will be
cherry blossom time and I am extremely excited. So on one hand I am trying to
pack it all in and on the other hand, I am cautious of trying to do too much.
It was nice this weekend sleeping-in late and working on things I need to get
done. Sometimes it is a good thing to be bored.
6.
My brother and sister –in-law are coming (and maybe a
friend). Because things are so popular here, I will make reservations soon.
Anyone else want to join us???
7.
I am writing along side my students. Here is my first attempt at mimicking a poem
entitled “Learning to Love America”
Learning to
Love Myanmar
Because it
only has pure products
Because the
orchids bloom year round and only cost $3.00 a plant.
Because the
monsoon rains are soft and intermittent- stopping so my slow walk is dry.
Because now I
have two homes, special in their own way.
Because I
teach at YIS the campus that holds the students with big hearts and smiles that
light up the cloudy skies.
Because of
pomellos, curry and their disastrous attempts at desserts.
Because
strangers are not strangers once they are greeted with a warm “Mengalaba”
Because I have
been to Italy, France and Spain- lands whose culture and history are rich, but
whose struggle is so long forgotten that things seem easy.
Because Myanmar
is being rebuilt on the backs of people willing to work hard and organically
and from leaders who have dreams undiscovered.
Because being
homesick is lonely, futile and useless.
Because I am here- embracing the moments, and learning all that life has to offer through people, places and prayer.
Picture time:
At the Myanmar Embassy to get our VISAs. This time we got one for a whole year. This is foot news because if it were only six months that would mean part of my summer would be in Bangkok getting a visa.
Because I am
here- embracing the moments, and learning all that life has to offer through
people, places and prayer.
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