March 1st- Travel time and then there is work!
I have just finished a week of travel and then a week of
trying to get back in the swing of things at work. One was certainly more enjoyable than the other. I will start the blog with yesterday and then go back to
the trips. Yesterday was a soccer
tournament for the middle school girls of which I help coach (yes, I use the
term lightly). Being on the soccer field at eight in the morning brought back
so many memories of the first fifteen years of motherhood. I have the supplies- two cool clothes (I wish I
had invented those), water, two mats for the girls to sit on, and four chairs
(I am sure it was funny to see me trying to pull those chairs through the streets to
meet the bus- needless to say, they are not the collapsible kind one hangs on
the shoulder). The dew is on the grass, the girls are trying to wake up and
enthusiasm is in the air. We tie the
first game, and win the second two. We win the whole tournament! So many smiles, hugs and screams (so
different from boys- who act like it is expected!) What a great way to end a very long week.
The end of February brought on Week Without Walls- a
tradition at many international schools that would be basically impossible for
American schools to pull off because it is such a litigious society that no
teacher in their right mind would take the risk. The middle school students
went to places within the country of Myanmar and the high school students
traveled out of country to Malaysia, Cambodia and Chang Mia (sp). I am
surprised to learn that half of our kids had never been to Inle Lake where our
trip takes place. The kids are excited but cannot act too much so while the
parents are seeing them off at the airport.
For many of these kids, school is their only form of independence
because parents tend to hold them close to the home. Slumber parties, hanging out at a friend’s
house and non-school related social activities are few and far between. As I was on the trip I did learn that a few parents followed us just in case they were needed. They stayed out of sight and I would not have know they were they had they not delivered a care package to one young lady and supplies for the orphanage to another. With
that said, I feel privileged that these parents would trust their children with
us.
We take pictures, take up passports and travel cards and
board the plane for our outside classroom. After an hour plane ride, and hour
in the bus and a small trek up a hill, we arrive to an elephant sanctuary. First, we learn from the owner that there are
seven elephants that we will interact with- all rescued for one reason or
another. He discusses their beginnings,
the sanctuary's current state, and their vision for the future. It is not even an hour into our trip and I
have learned so much and am equally inspired. We walk up and plunge into the
four huge baskets of bananas and start offering them up to the elephants. Each of the huge
beasts accept the food by either opening his/her mouth for us to plop a banana in
or curl his/her trunk around the yellow fruit. I take time to interact with
each one even although as everyone else, I am drawn to the four-year-old baby
elephant that was rescued from a trap after being abandoned by his family. The
students are cautious, yet soon know no fear.
Next, off to plant a tree.
Mahouts (the elephant caregivers) live at the refuge to stay with their
elephants. It is said that the bond
they form with their elephant is precious and so the camp invites them and
their family to live on site. It is said
the relationship between the two cannot be duplicated by a new handler. All in
all, 35 people have been housed and those people help run the camp. I mention
this because one of their jobs is to dig holes so that visitors can plant a
tree and continue a reforestation project. As we traveled to the camp, all
along the highway we see Teak trees labeled as they are protected. We also
see a bamboo forest and a wonderful tree called a fire tree. It has a bare bottom and bright red flowers at
the top- it looks like a forest fire if many are placed together. We plant and
then the new hole is watered. It is amazing to me how these people make
due with what they have. From the stream, a blue PVC pipe carries water up
hill. The young men carry buckets of
water from the end of the pipe, up hill to the newly planted area. When one has
others do most of the work, the task is fairly easy- the only problem the kids
had (or I should say their chaperone had) was balancing on the hillside.
Next, we go back to the feeding area and change into Shen
pants so the kids can get in the water and bath the elephants- finally, a clean steam. I am in heaven and do not miss the
chance to wade in cool, flowing water even if there are two huge elephants in
my path. I get wet up to my bottom yet
dry quickly because of the heat. The elephants are enjoying the bath almost as
much as the kids do. We end our morning
with a wonderful meal (picture to follow) prepared by the families who live
there. This is definitely a must do if
you travel to Myanmar.
We travel by bus to the jetty and board a boat to our hotel
(how cool does that sound??). As I write, I remember my fear that I will step
into the boat only to topple it over- this is not the clear stream of earlier
in the day but rather a lake that has hundreds of thousand people living on
it. I would not want to swim in it. The
hour-long ride is wonderful as the wind blows and as new sights are recorded in
my memory banks. We arrive to the hotel to workers playing drums and other
instruments and cool clothes being handed out along with hot ginger tea. Keys
are passed out and the worrying begins. How do we keep 44 kids occupied and out
of the hair of the other people staying at the hotel? It is not like we can send them on a
scavenger hunt because we are literally on the water. We walk over thin wooden planks to get from
on hut to the other. I am sooo scared I
will fall through one and the kids are running and hitting them hard with no thought
what so ever. Oh to be young again.
We get up the next day and are off in our boats to see the
floating gardens and visit some artisan shops.
I am in awe of the way the people of Inle have adapted to their
environment. For the rest of the
morning, we visit shops (traveling by boat) of people who have made products
onto an art form. My students tell me
that I pay way too much for anything I buy and so I begin to start letting them make
my deals. I purchase a silver bracelet,
an antique (I hope!) tattoo needle, a pipe with an elephant base, three
scarves- one made from pure silk and two made from raw silk. This was my favorite place to go. The owner, an old man who has run this family
business for many years, tours me and a couple students around the place,
pointing out each loom and labeling its thread (lotus silk, raw silk, cotton etc.). The colors of the threads are breath taking
and the patterns amazing. Hopefully, my
pictures will do it justice. I cannot
wait to get home and frame some of them.
I am a little weary of the fact that I felt like I was in a sweat shop
and worried that the weavers were being taken advantage of- and later I found
out that my feeling were correct and that one weaver shared that she made the
equivalent of .60 cents a day. Just like in everything- those that have get
more and those that do not are not educated enough to have a voice.
The next day we go to another area of the lake, Indein
Village, and I find I should have kept my money for this area. I know this is
an educational trip but I cannot help but be pulled in by the one of a kind
things that are available. I am so mad
at myself for spending too much on the first day.
I will share a link that
explains the area for those of you who would like to learn more and stop here
for those of you not wanting a travel log.
I am just glad I will come back to Inle Lake when I have visitors in
October. I missed so much and there are things I would like to repeat. http://inlelake-myanmar.com/interesting-places.html
The next to the last day we visited an orphanage and got to
set up stations for the children. At one
station we explained the story of Sadako
and the Thousand Paper Cranes because at another station they made paper
cranes with our kids. At the same
station we read them a children’s story called The Rainbow Fish. At another station they played soccer and at
another station we set up as studio and our student took pictures of them so we
could develop them later and the children would have a picture of themselves. On
this day, I had several "uh ha" moments. First, there were so many of them- kids
that is. I am torn as to how I feel
about this. Through research I have found that up to 75 % of the kids in these
homes have living parents. Because of
the fact that it is hard to provide schooling for the children in rural parts
of Myanmar, parents often give up their children so they can go to a monastery
or go with someone claiming to be opening up a school based orphanage. Here is
a website that I found that explained the situation quite well. http://www.myanmarorphanages.com/the-myanmar-situation/
Secondly, I find out how resilient children are. Each one of
these children has smiles a mile long and a spirit that would out to shame
those of us who claim ‘we do not have thing to wear”- as we stare at our closet
full of clothes, or that we are “starving” when our last meal was but six hours
ago. At one point in the day, I am introducing The Rainbow Fish and to set it up posed a couple questions to the
children that are then asked the same question in Burmese by one of the middle
school kids we brought. I ask, “Have you
ever know anyone that as so selfish that they wanted to keep things to
themselves and not share. You know…” and
then I give a couple examples. My
student restates what I ask and then the children pause and i can see them thinking. Then they all look at me and shake their head
no. I am flabbergasted. No- never in
their lives have these young children met someone selfish. As the shock of the answer hit me, and tears
start to well up in my eyes, I lock eyes with Maureen, my student (who is in my class and now knows me
well). She sees what is about to happen to me and so distracts them by asking another question. My emotions would be
hidden from these young children. I then quickly put the camera up to my eyes so they would not see the tears and work hard trying to contain my cry to a silent one and not the ugly cry we all try to avoid. It was not pity that
they would see in my face and through my tears, but rather admiration and embarrassment. What a stupid question
to ask those who knew nothing about materialism. I am humbled.
We end the afternoon with group pictures and presentation of
our donation of rice, oil and a few other staples as well as a soda and a
package of treats for each of the children. On the website I posted a link to in the last
paragraph it talks about the negative effects of people coming in for a one
visit stop. It speaks of orphanages not being a tourist attraction. It is my hope and prayer that these children
did not feel this way and that we did some good if even for a couple
hours. Here is the paragraph that gives
me pause: “We are continually learning that it brings long term damage for
children to attach and then “detach” from people who show care, but then leave.
Although people have good intentions, the children feel “put on display”
every time donors and visitors come to spend time with them. Everyone needs
uncle and aunts, but tourists do not fill this need in the children. Think
before visiting a children home. You don’t want to exploit the children.” - See
more at:
http://www.myanmarorphanages.com/tourist-attractions/#sthash.ADOPD236.dpuf
Interesting huh? Hopefully, this article is talking about people who come in for a month and
really form a bond and then leave. I think the kids were just glad to have someone new to play
with and our students learned a great deal in the
All in all, it was a great trip and I feel our objectives
were met. We wished to show the students
the beauty that their own country had to offer, introduce them to traditions they might not know while giving them a chance to
bond before they enter their first year of high school.
I am home on Friday and off to Golden Rock on Saturday. I join six other teachers on this
pilgrimage. For me it was a sight seeing
pilgrimage, but as we drive into the city, I find for Buddhists, it is a true
pilgrimage. Many are arriving with bedding and supplies so they could spend the night and receive a blessing as the sun rose. First, I am impressed with
the transportation system up the mountain. New big trucks gather in a covered
pavilion and await those who wish to see the rock. We climb up a metal
freestanding ladder and climb into the truck. We then head straight up the
mountain going way too fast for comfort (can you say roller coaster) and with
each turn, I feel as though I am going to fall out and roll off to my
death. It is a one-lane road so they
have a system of checks so a head on collision is not in our future. And we arrive. Immediately, I see men who have found a way
to make a living on this mountain. They
have chariots that have a seat in the middle and are carried by four men. They make a beeline for me- asking if I want
a ride the rest of the way. First, I think- “There is no way in hell I am going
to make anyone carry me. It would be a
comedy of errors just trying to get in it.” Secondly,” Can I not get away from
these weird means of transportation? First boats with chairs, now chairs in the
air???” Then, I thought- “Why me?”- Knowing full well the answer.
I will end here and state that I learned a lot this week and
cannot wait to explore more this country has to offer—but for now- I do have a
job and many things to grade. L
Reflections so far:
1.
I will need a great deal of time to reflect on the orphanage
visit especially after doing some research so my post would be better. Is this why I am here?
2.
I sat and talked with an attaché from Egypt the other night.
My roommate is so good about getting out of the teacher housing and meeting the
rest of the expat community and I am a benefactor of her friendships. I meet so
many interesting people when I get out and explore the night-life. I need to do it more. I think I am so intrigued by the new people
with whom I teach that this prospect was overwhelming. I just learned the other day that one of the
women who teaches with me use to work for the CIA. That another one who had her children in
Tanzania, Africa went camping and just barely escaped being dinner for fourteen
hungry lions. “How much more interesting
does it get?” … would be a good question, but I have found that news pieces of
information are out there waiting for me to learn. One is never too old to
learn from others.
3. As I post pictures I pull them from uploads from the last twelve months. I have to get past several other trips. In doing this I reflect on those trips. Since last March, I have been to Italy, four cool places in Myanmar, Nepal and all around texas. I am blessed and so glad we have cameras because my mind cannot hold all this in.
4. Reflections in pictures: One of the things that dot the city and countryside are these clay water pots. Here is this thinking behind them: "Yay Chan Sin (Water Pot Shelf) is still widely found through out the country. Though purified water are in hand for those who live in urban, traditional Myanmar prefer the pot made with sand and clay. They believe the pot makes the water colder. Yay Chan Sin is a sign of kindness among Myanmar as it is used to donate water whoever pass through it. Everybody can drink it without any prohibition." I believe it is a wonderful tradition that I hope continues and that does not become a stand for a plastic water bottle.
The looms at the Lotus silk factory.
There has to be an easier way!
Reflections in Art photography- yes- these are just random "so Tricia gets a good camera and now she thinks she's a photographer" shots
A woman is proud of her work as a weaver.
3.
The rest will be in pictures:
No comments:
Post a Comment