Obama in Yangon

President Obama with Myanmar President Thein Sein in Yangon today. Photo Credit: The Malaysian Insider

I live in a country where politics are making international news on a daily basis; yet, I do not want to discuss politics on my blog. In fact, I will delete comments that are political.

Despite my I will avoid politics on my blog rule, I can’t NOT write about the fact that President Obama spent six hours in Yangon today.  This was a historical event. It is the first time an American president, while in office, has been to Myanmar.  The last president to visit was Richard Nixon after his term was cut short. For more information on the history of US presidents visiting Myanmar, check out Myanmar Times online here.

I have no idea how long people have truly been preparing behind the scenes for Obama’s visit to Myanmar, but I do know the US Embassy staff have been working their bums off for weeks.  Obama announced that he would visit this country just after the United States learned he was re-elected for a second term. 

The city has been buzzing. It started when all us Yangonites saw "Welcome Obama" graffiti signs all over town. A few of them were sadly defaced; but the most famous one seen here, ended up being guarded by police.  Even better, the graffiti artist, Arker Kyaw, was invited to meet President Obama!! Brilliant!

Photo Credit: Associated Press. France 24

I really began to notice all the sizzling energy on Friday. My local hang-out, Coffee Circles, was teeming with people who were clearly not tourists and clearly not resident expats. Camera gear – expensive camera gear – and people with their noses firmly placed in front of laptops took over the joint. Coffee Circles is generally busy at lunch, but these journalists were so focused getting stories ready, they didn’t seem to realize that the large table they were using to hold all their gear was taking up precious seating for all us regular people.

Yes, it was slightly annoying since my co-worker and I were holding our regular meetings there (I swear we need a table reserved full-time for the gig we’re working on. Coffee Circles is basically our office space!).  We needed chairs and tables that were being taken-up by all the big Cannons with the great-big lenses.  Still, the annoyance was minimal. Mostly, I felt a sense of awe and wonder.

I was curious to know what stories they were spinning from the ground. It was odd to see our local haunt as the hub for journalists and their energy was infectious. And that felt pretty cool. I couldn’t help but feel very privileged that we’re living here during such a historical period in this country.  We get to watch, from the far-sidelines, changes on a daily basis. It’s a very interesting time.

Besides Coffee Circles being the new local hang-out for fast-paced journalists, there were significant traffic changes that added to the whole Obama Fever episodes. Since we moved to Yangon this spring, weekly (yes, weekly: no exaggeration here) the amount of traffic and cars has increased. But I’m not talking about that kind of traffic.

On Friday, there were what seemed like hundreds of police officers in crisp, white uniforms patrolling the main road from the airport, Pyay Road. Some of them even donned lovely white, fitted gloves. (God, that must've been hot because it's super hot still!)  I live off Pyay Road, so it was obvious how many officers were standing guard.  Someone told me Obama actually arrived early, but that was a miscommunication.

The police were preparing. Practicing. On Saturday, they did a trial motorcade run. It wasn’t readily announced what Obama’s schedule would be, yet, but we knew he’d end up talking at the University at some point.

On Sunday, we drove past a section of Inya Road where I noticed two extremely large generators on top of each other. They weren’t there on Saturday. I said, “Ah! THAT’S where Obama will be!” He’d need the generators and it made me laugh that I could now notice important upcoming events by the number of generators that take up half a street.

This morning, we left our home early to take F to school school so we'd miss Pyay Rd closing down for an hour; but the roads were quiet. There weren’t many rambling, black exhaust spewing buses.  There weren’t many locals standing on the side of the road waiting for the buses, either.  It was odd, a little eerie, but also invigorating because I knew what it meant: everyone was preparing.

Photo Credit: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images, seen on CNN post here.

Sadly, I did not see Obama or his motorcade today. (I know. Total bummer.)  My six year old daughter and husband did, though. Just by chance. A friend of mine, P, saw his motorcade as well and even got a wave from him! One of my husband’s colleague’s baby was held and kissed by Obama.  There were other children present (maybe Embassy staff children?). I heard he shook their hands and gave them autographs.

I’m not sure what all this will really mean for the country and I’m not here to speculate about that. I’m not a political analyst.

I hope that Obama felt welcomed in this beautiful country.  I can't imagine that he did not. 

I am just grateful for the opportunity to have had a small seat in the bleachers on such a historical day.

Just a note: though I totally love comments, it is of utmost importance to me that I am respectful of the country where I live and am sensitive to the fact that I am not at all qualified to talk about politics here.  I will not and do not use this blog to promote any political agenda whatsoever. Feel free to leave comments, but if they are of political nature, I will delete them. Thank you for understanding.

Top Tips: Settling Into a New Country

All Rights Reserved.

I know, I know, this post is rich coming from me. I’ve already written here and here that I’m not completely settled living in Yangon. I’m still going through growing pains; but everyone does and I think that if we talk about it honestly and openly, it can help.

In past moves, I found it very difficult to reach out and take initiative meeting new people and getting involved in different activities. I’m a total introvert and it doesn’t come naturally to me. The fact that I landed smack dab in the middle of a brand new country and culture completely different from mine caused me to further withdrawal into my little, safe, inner introvert world.

The same thing happened when I not only moved overseas, but moved back to the US from living abroad and moved cities within the US. No matter where you’re moving, you will have to adjust.

With this move, I made the conscious decision to take initiative and put myself out there. I mean, not doing that didn’t help me out the other times I moved. Here are a few things I’ve learned and have been practicing since arriving. I hope this helps someone out there!

Go here for general expat stuff and here to find expat resources for kids on my blog.  For info on Myanmar, go here.

 

Settling-In Top Tips

• Read blogs (and comment), websites, and community forums on the city/country you’re moving to before you arrive. Introduce yourself. Who knows, you might make a connection with someone before your plane lands!  In Yangon, you can check out: a new community website, What’s on Yangon and its Facebook page; What’s Happening in Yangon FB group (you have to send a request to join); YEC (Yangon ExpatConnection) google group (which you also have to sign-up for). These are very active sites where you can get a lot of questions answered. I also recommend checking out Myanmar Times, the only English newspaper. Most of their weekly content is uploaded online here. They also have a going out section. :)

• Ask/search for photographs of the city you’re moving to before arrival. My husband took video with his iPhone of the house he rented and the drive ‘home’ from work so F and I had an idea of what things looked like. This helped immensely. I was able to start visualizing what the streets were like, what our neighborhood looked like. When we drove around the first day, it seemed slightly familiar as a result. You can find some happy snap shots here and see some beautiful, professional shots from local photographer, Chris James White Photography.

• Go to the supermarket as soon as you can. Sounds silly, I know; but this way, you can find out what food is available that’s familiar to you. There’s still not a lot of information about Yangon online. I was shocked when my husband told me there were brand new, very modern supermarkets here that sold lots of western food. (A lot of expats in Yangon go to City Mart, a supermarket chain, on Dhamazedi Rd. It’s in a shopping complex called Marketplace.)

• Check-out expat restaurants. If you have a chance to find out about some of the nicest places before you arrive, then you can go to them first. My husband used this strategy with our family. On our first day to Yangon, he took us out to Sharky’s on Dhamazedi Rd. This sort of thing helped us realize we could access places that were perhaps a little similar to what we’d find at home.

• Re-introduce yourself on expat forums when you arrive. Let the expats know you’re here, what your interests are, and ask questions. You’ll find most people are very welcoming, friendly, and willing to help.

• Routine. Set a routine as quickly as you can. Even if you’re not working outside the home, schedule your day. This will help you feel like you have a purpose being here.  Do something relaxing in the evening. Take care of yourself.

• Explore!  Schedule several things for yourself to see in the area when you first arrive.   Act like a tourist!  Check-out cool shops, visit pagodas, have someone drive you around different neighborhoods. Get a feel for the area. I remember the day I realized where I could buy beautiful ceramic pots on the side of the road (and totally know where that road was from where I lived), I felt like it was a HUGE victory. Not knowing little things like: where the shops are; how to get to my house; how to explain where I live if I needed a taxi; where to buy xyz made me feel like a child and super dependent on others. I didn’t like it one bit. Slowly, as we drove around a lot, I started to get my bearings. This was a big deal and really helped me.

• Hobbies: get active. If you like to run, then run. If you play tennis, play tennis. Again this goes back to reaching out to others on the community forums. Find out where the best places are to do the things you like to do. If you paint, be sure to bring as many supplies as you can with you and paint. Do what you love.  This will provide an outlet for you to release stress. And let’s face it: you’ll have A LOT of it. Moving sucks, no matter what!

• Community: have you wanted to try mountain climbing, but never had the chance before? Join a group.  If there isn’t one, create one! This is again where you have to pull up your big girl (or big boy) pants and just put yourself out there. All sorts of magic happens when you do this. I promise you.  

If you’re part of a religious or spiritual tradition, reach out to that community. There are mosques, Hindi Temples, Sheik Temples, a variety of Buddhist temples, Christian churches (including Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Assembly of God, Lutherans, Baptists, etc.). If you’re Wiccan, you’d probably find others here. Whatever it is, I’m sure you can find a community.

There are surprising number interest-groups that meet-up in Yangon. Here are a few that I know about:

            Hash harriers (for runners and walkers who love beer)

            Cyclist clubs (there’s a group for mountain bikers, too)

            Writing group

            Book clubs

            Board game groups

            Trekking

            Mountaineering/Rock Climbing

            Drama: a community theatre will be starting soon

Music: there was a chorus for awhile. There are lots of indie bands. You can find your niche here.

Tennis

Football/soccer

Golf

Swimming

Horse riding (English saddle)

Poetry open mic nights (once a month, I think)

Art scene

Photography club

Salsa nights

Exercise classes: yoga, pilates, aerobics, etc.

• Learn at least a few words in the local language before you arrive. There are loads of apps out there now. Myanmar centric: there’s one called iBurmese. My daughter and I practiced saying mingalaba and tata and a few other words before we arrived. This app helped because we could hear someone pronounce the words. There’s also an app called Yangon Taxi. This is helpful, too. It has a list of places many people go in Yangon and then provides a map + taxi card written in Myanmar that you can just show the taxi driver.

• Taxi tips: You’ll be surprised how many taxi drivers speak a smattering of English; but if you’re staying at a hotel, ask reception to give you a business card in Myanmar language w/ the address on it so you can hand it to taxi drivers. If you’ve moved into a house/flat, ask someone (like the agent who helped you get the place) write the address down in Myanmar. Keep that card handy so that if you run into trouble, you can show it to someone. This is really important! 

• Give back. Volunteer. Get involved in the community. This is a great way to meet new people.

• Meet people from your own culture.  Try restaurant/bars that cater to your country folk. There are also cultural/educational institutions you can connect with like The Institut Francais de Birmanie, the BritishCouncil, the American Center to name a few. You also can join clubs like the Australian Club, the British Club, the American Club. In Yangon, there are people from all over living here: Russians, Romanians, New Zealanders, Germans, Swedes, Finns, Norwegians, Kenyans, Koreans, Italians, Filipinos, Singaporeans, Chinese, Japanese, Canadians, Thais, Brazilians, Spanish etc. If you’re from a country you think isn’t widely represented, you might be correct, but you never know: there may be someone from your country or a nearby country. Put it out there on YEC or What’s on Yangon, reach out to others.

• Get to know locals. Yes, it’s helpful to meet other expats, but your experience here will only just barely, barely scratch the surface if you don’t make friends from the place you’re living.  

I don’t know a lot about Yangon, really. I’ve only been here about six months. Despite being a total introvert, I’m not a recluse. I’m also nice. So you can always email me/connect with me and I will be more than happy to meet-up for coffee and have a chat when you arrive. Of if you just want to ask me questions, you can post them here or email me.

There were many kind people who replied to questions I had before we arrived and those individuals made a huge impact on me and helped me feel better about my move, so I know how reassuring it can be just to make a connection with someone.

Though I'm still adjusting to life here, I do usually accept this is just part of the process. I also have really reached out and stretched myself. I've joined a writing group, a book club, and I'm the features editor for the new website, What's on Yangon. By doing this, I've met some amazing people that I completely admire and look forward to spending time with every time we meet-up. You can do the same thing. :) 

Well, did I forget anything? What are some of your top tips for moving? What has worked for you? What hasn’t?

Safety and Hurts

All Rights Reserved

 Have you ever noticed the vast difference between what groups of people consider dangerous or unsafe… especially when it comes to kids?  In some countries, it’s completely OK for an entire (small) family to ride on a motorbike. No helmets. In the USA, we don’t let our kids outside without knee pads, elbow pads, helmets. We’d pad them up in padded suits if we could.  Wrap them in cotton wool.

We traveled to Bagan and Inle Lake this past week. In Bagan, at a traditional bean paste factory (paste made from soy beans), I watched a four year old boy roam nimbly between gigantic vats of boiling soy beans and open fires. The ground was slick with the paste – I nearly slipped and fell – but this kid in his flip-flops didn’t even flinch. No one flinched. It was totally OK for him to be there. He apparently knew his limits.

Inle Lake is dotted with small, floating villages. Water is life. Everything, everything is about the water. Kids row to school. Families row to the pagoda, to the market, to the clinic. They wash in the lake. Fish.  Fly kites in canoes. By the age of five, kids are taught how to row very small boats. I saw eight year olds (or so it looked; perhaps the kids were slightly older) row their group of neighborhood kids to school.

By the age of 12, boys know how to row with just one leg while standing on their narrow canoe. Babies snuggle in the arms of parents sitting at the upper edge of the shaky boat, completely balanced. It’s normal. It’s OK.  And no, there aren’t lifejackets. This is life. Life on the water.

Are you gasping yet?  It might be hard to wrap your head around these differences.  You might be thinking “I would never let my seven year old go out on a lake, rowing an unsteady canoe all by himself,” but kids here are never alone.

 All Rights Reserved

Extended families share the same house. One moment, a mom breastfeeds her child, the next she’s gone and a sister or auntie or friend is watching the baby. No hand-off. No “do you mind please watching” or “I’m going to run upstairs real quick…will you please look after…”  It’s natural. Everyone helps.  Multiple eyes are watching the kids, teaching them how far they can go before being hurt.

The perceived safety gap is stark between western and non-western countries, but things aren’t so different at home. 

Growing up in the country, we sat in the back of our pick-up truck on top of wobbly bales of hay. We rode horses bareback.  My brothers had guns at a very early age.  Real guns that shot real bullets.  Entire summers were spent at my BFF’s house, unsupervised, swimming in her pool and riding four-wheelers in the fields. I took walks alone into the forest telling no one what I was doing or where I was going. Many of my friends were driving combines by the age of 13.  This was our life. No one thought it was crazy or weird or strange or unsafe.

 All Rights Reserved. Photo credit: Kina Blackburn

My city cousins thought this life was foreign and dangerous.  Perhaps they thought our parents put us in unnecessary jeopardy. On the flip side, we country bumpkins wouldn’t let our kid ride a subway alone or walk to school by themselves in a big city. The city is perilous, after all, right?  Unknowns lurking around every corner…

You get my point.  Safety is relative. And no one wants their children hurt. 

At Inle Lake, my daughter fell into the water.  Well. The truth is my big bum knocked her over the edge of a very slim and rickety “dock.” Within seconds, complete strangers had jumped in the water after her, pulled her up, and women came running out with clean clothes offering them as “presents” to us. Their senses worked more quickly than mine did. They ALL knew what to do immediately and several of them worked together solving a problem before I ever could’ve…unless I lived on the water, of course.

Is it better to try preventing the inevitable in vain, or is it better to teach limits and how to deal with those hurts?

After all, everyone gets hurt.  We fall down.  Get scraped up. Have broken bones.  Broken hearts.  We all get hurt.  

Noodles

photo credit here

Some of you are wondering about Myanmar food.  Molly, a dear friend and a fan on my FB page, asked:

 Beck, I'm dying to know what the typical Burmese equivalent to Mac and cheese/comfort food is. It may be too boring but I'm always so curious about daily life details.

Well, I don't think most things are boring and Molly's question definitely isn't. If you're a foodie like her, then you'll love this recipe-filled post.

I do need to ask a few more Myanmar people what they think is the ultimate Burmese comfort food, but I think many would say Mohinga: 

Mohinga  photo source here

Mohinga and Mondhi are probably the two most popular noodle dishes of the Bamar ethnic group.

Of course, there are many other ethnic groups in Myanmar and they all battle it out for their favorite noodle dish. Bottom line, though: I think a lot of people would say some form of a noodly meal would be a standard. 

Kut kyee kite "cut with scizzors" is a favorite noodle dish of the South Coastal people, the Dawei.  It's filled with  noodly goodness, bean sprouts and shrimp.

The ASEAN-Kora Centre blog provides a recipe on how to make this yummy meal.  They also provided the photo.

The Rakhaing (or Rahkine) who live on the western coast are famous for their "burn throat, burn tongue" noodles served with lots of pepper, fish flakes, loads of chilies, and fish stock! It's called ar pu shar pu or sometimes "Rakhaing mondhi." 

You can find a recipe for this very hot dish on this wonderful site here called Hsa ba.

One of my favorite noodle meals comes from the Shan region (northeastern part of Myanmar) and is called...drum roll...Shan noodles! It's served with rice noodles, chicken broth, crushed peanuts, and something like a hoisin sauce. YUMMY.

You can find a great recipe again at Hsa ba.

There you have it! Oodles of noodle recipes and pics. Hope you enjoy it!

What is your favorite comfort food?  Which of these Myanmar noodle dishes look the scrummiest to you?