Sitting at a friend’s cabin, drinking a pumpkin spice latte in a warm armchair by a fire. The aspens are already turning colors, and today the clouds have been so low the mountains all around Estes are invisible in a cold, white haze. Mmmm, fall. I haven’t written much this summer. I think mainly because I … Continue reading »
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, from her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech: “Burma is at the beginning of a road. It is not the sort of road that you find in England: it is not smooth; it is not well-maintained; in fact, it is not yet there. It a road that we will have to … Continue reading »
Some people have asked me what the weirdest part of transitioning to life in the States is, and my answers have varied but largely come back to the issues of wealth and possessions. A lot has been spinning around in my head lately, and it’s all centering on the same theme: the enormous discrepancy between the average lifestyle here … Continue reading »
Today marks one year to the day since I left the States, clueless yet excited, to teach in a foreign country known as “Thailand,” where I’d spend my days basking in the sun on a jungle-island paradise, drinking pineapple juice, and teaching perfectly obedient and lovely Thai students. Things turned out to be a bit … Continue reading »
Question: What’s better than going to the zoo in Burma? Answer: Shepherding a class of 13 4-year-olds around the zoo in Burma in 106 degree heat, trying to stop them from sticking their hands in animals’ mouths, deflecting tearful requests for ice cream, and keeping them distracted/entertained at all times to prevent a meltdown. I … Continue reading »
For those of you who may be interested in coming to see Myanmar first-hand, I thought I’d type out some dos and don’ts to help prepare you for your trip: 1. Don’t exchange money on the black market. In April 2012, the government officially floated the currency at 818 kyat (pronounced “chaht”) to the dollar, … Continue reading »
