Preparing for the first field mission in Southern Myanmar

After having enjoyed some quiet days during public holiday, we finally started our projects.

As most of you might know, Lara does her PhD here in Myanmar. She is part of a 6-year project called “Managing telecoupled landscapes for the sustainable provision of ecosystem services and poverty alleviation” of CDE and partners. This project is being carried out in three countries: Myanmar, Laos and Madagascar, and is coordinated through Switzerland. In total, 10 PhDs are working in this project, who are supervised and guided by several postdocs, senior researchers and professors.

(For the moment, Flo also assists this project, as the Myanmar project team is very “young” and can use any kind of assistance for the first field mission.)

Links to the project:

Project website: www.telecoupling.unibe.ch

On facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Managing-Telecoupled-Landscapes-CDE-Switzerland-455043984675058/?pnref=story.unseen-section

On Monday morning (25^th), Flurina (postdoc and supervisor of Lara) from CDE Bern arrived in Yangon. Soon after, we met the entire Myanmar project team for the very first time. The two selected PhD students from Myanmar, which we have never seen before, were already waiting for us when we arrived at the office of our local partner EERi (Environmental and Economic Research Institute). The two ladies seemed rather nervous, but incredibly lovely with very warm but rather shy smiles. Dr. Win Myint and Nwe Nwe, who we had met before, also joined us most of the time. 

We started the herewith beginning collaboration with some kind of meet & greet as well as a project presentation. For the two PhD ladies it was the first time they really got in touch with the project and their PhD topics. Hence, everything was new to them. Additionally, they weren’t so much used to speaking and listening to English. For a few moments, we were rather unsure, whether 4 days of field mission preparation would be enough for all of us. But what might have seemed as a rather big challenge at the beginning, turned out to be surprisingly easy. The two ladies proved to be very intelligent and hard working. Within a few days only, they apprehended everything easily and even rapidly improved their English skills. Even besides being charming at all times. Lara is very much looking forward to working with them for the next three years! :-)

Apart from getting to know the project as well as the PhD tasks, translating all interview questions into Myanmar language, preparing for transect walks, discussing administrative issues, we also tested the planned workshops in the villages. We will work with one focus group per village, discussing the most important land use changes in the last approx. 10 years. This will give us an idea of what is going on in these rural areas of this highly dynamic country.

It’s going to be very exciting!

The schedule of our first field mission is:

1 May: Travel with the car to the South, with an overnight stop

2 May: Spend the day in Dawei, meeting with the local University in Dawei and authorities

3 May: Drive around in the region in search for suitable villages (we might detect just by driving past, which villages are prone to changes in their agricultural land use)

4 May: Visit the Tanintharyi Nature Reserve

5-7 May: Stay in village 1, doing interviews, transect walk and workshop about land use changes

8-10 May: Stay in village 2

11-13 May: Stay in village 3

14 May: Day off for recreation

15 May: Wrap-up within the team

16-18 May: Visit villages again for collecting missing data

19 May: Travel back to Yangon (14 hours drive)

Denzel - our first Burmese friend

During our stay at our friend Joan’s place (Flo’s boss) we soon met Denzel. Denzel has been the Gardener of the residence for many years. Straight from the beginning, Denzel treated us very very well. Since Denzel was raised as a Christian, he speaks better English than many of the Burmese people we met so far. He would constantly ask if we needed something or if everything was allright and he was very interested in talking to us and explaining us everything. He even took time to show us the local market nearby and helped negotiating prices for everything we bought. He would also call a taxi as soon as we mentioned that we wanted to go somewhere. He thus quickly became a very interesting an also important contact for us. Even now that we are back at the Guesthouse we sometimes call him or he calls us to ask how we are doing.

After only a few days staying at Joan’s, Denzel already invited us for dinner at his home. We were a little surprised but we of course gladly accepted his invitation. In the evening of 15 April we were picked up at our place and drove to Thingangyu Township, clearly a much poorer area. One arrived at Denzel’s we climbed up the narrow stairs to the fifth floor and we were welcomed by Denzel’s family and a whole bunch of Victoria’s relatives. After greeting everybody we were invited to sit down at the table which was laid for two. We were served a cool coke and Denzel set up two fans (the two fans they have) next to lara and me. We handed them some swiss chocolate as a present which they did not expect at all and were very embarrassed to accept. Apparently, bringing a small present when you’re invited is not a common practice. After showing us their apartment, we were again asked to sit down at the table and Vicoria started serving all sorts of delicious burmese dishes including a soup, noodles, chicken, some vegetables and more. It all tasted absolutely delicious and we expressed our deepest gratitude and complemented the chef for her excellent work. Victoria in turn could not help but apologizing for the poor variety of food and told us that she could not prepare more due to the Thingyan (all shops are closed during new year). She then also told us about the time she was working for a UN delegate and close friend of Aung San Suu Kyi and proudly presented two photos showing her and Aung San Suu Kyi posing for a group picture. After dinner we were served countless coffees and teas and we learned about various local things such as the better cooling properties of bamboo sleeping mats compared to a synthetic product or the fact that Victoria had a hard time getting up the 5 flights of stairs “because my wife is fat, you kno” (she also referred to herself as "fat" several times and we had a hard time holding back our laughs). With all the interesting stories and insights time was flying and very soon it was 22:00 and the taxi driver was back to take us back to Joan’s place. When we arrived back at the house we were again confronted with a very different reality. It wasn’t until then that we were overwhelmed by the immense generosity, hospitality and overall friendliness we had just witnessed in a family whose (financial) possibilities and perspectives are so entirely different from ours.

 This is Denzel!

 Denzel introducing us to the closest local market where you can buy meat, fish, vegetables and lots of other stuff. Notice the curious look on the faces of the passing couple, classic reaction...

 Debating the price for vegetables.

 Denzel and Lara on one of our little excursions in the neighborhood.

Groupt picture at Denzel's. From left to right including Burmese names: Victoria (Kimela), Christopher (Coco), Josephine (Darapi-kyio), Denzel (Sahu) and Lara (Madam). Flo (Sir) takes the picture.

Thingyan Water Festival – Burmese New Year’s celebrations

In Yangon and probably all over Myanmar everything is closed from April 13-16 as everyone is celebrating the Thingyan, the Burmese New Year. In these four days which are also referred to as the water festival you should be careful what you carry when leaving the house as you might be getting a bucket of water straight to your face around the next corner. All over town each and every one is splashing water around in celebration of the New Year. By pouring water over someone you clean them from the dirt of the past year and prepare them for a fresh start.

Since Lara knew what to expect from experiences made in Thailand in 2012, we were aware of what was coming and prepared ourselves by buying some kick-ass water guns. Since we were not sure where the big water battle was taking place in Yangon we tried to find some hints in the internet. According to some blog, the place to be during Thingyan is around the Kandawgy lake not far away from our apartment. Shortly after noon we thus left from home in search of some water battles. To our surprise, nothing was really going on in the Kandawgy lake area. Every once in a while some pick-ups carrying soaking wet, young Burmese people partying to extremely loud music passed by. 

 Ready for Thingyan!

 

Nothing really happening around Kandawgy Lake...

Since we did not really know where to go next we asked a taxi driver to take us to the “water festival”. After a few minutes we got off the taxi at city hall, where things looked very different to Kandawgy lake. In front of the stage at city hall, a big crowd of Burmese people were partying to hit parade pop songs that were performed live. Every few minutes, the crowd was soaked with water by official committee members operating powerful water hoses and sprinklers similar to those on tennis courts. Next to the main stage there was another very crowded tribune where everyone was holding a garden hose spilling hundreds of liters of water over the pick-up trucks passing in the narrow street between the stage and the crowd. Everyone from young to old was dancing and chanting along the obviously famous songs. 

Next to city hall: increasing pick-ups and small trucks indicate that we're on the right track...

 We are indeed!

 Center stage to the left, crowd to the right and in between the narrow passage for the party-mobiles

 Scenery in front of city hall

The tribune where everyone carries a garden hose

For about one hour we partied with the excited crowd, feeling slightly exposed as most people were probably 20-30 cm shorter than us. After having drawn the attention of a very drunk young man who was starting to get annoying we then sat down at a table behind a market stand where a few kids were selling beverages. We quickly got into a conversation with a young Burmese man who wanted to speak German with us since he had spent the past 8 years in Frankfurt. Flo asked him whether it was prohibited to drink beer in public or if one could get a beer somewhere, and he told us that although the selling of alcohol was forbidden, some stands do have beer and you just need to ask for one. Before we could say anything, he handed his friend some money and told him to get us some beers. Simultaneously he reached for the bottle of whiskey in his bag and offered Flo a decent glass and two refills, wishing us a happy new year. A few minutes later his friend returned and gave us two special beers both containing about 8% of alcohol. When we wanted to reimburse him for the beers and the service he respectfully declined and told us that it was time for them to go dancing in front of the stage. After they left we got ourselves into a water-fight with the youngest of the kids selling beverages. 

 Flo and the generous burmese guys, thanks for the drinks!

 Fighting with the kid from the beverage stall

 It was hilarious!

Once we finished our drinks we asked ourselves if maybe someone would allow us to get up on a pick-up and pass the tribune and stage. Of course they did! We were gladly invited by the first ones we asked to join them on the truck. Standing on the back of the pick-up we passed by the tribune of a million hoses. We could barely see anything as the water was coming from all directions imaginable. Clinging to the handrail which they had attached to the car we enjoyed the crazy shower mostly with our eyes closed. Once we reached the center stage area, the incoming water decreased and we danced and waved at the huge crowd cheering and smiling at us. What an awesome 30 second ride!! On the other side of the stage we descended the truck, wishing everyone a happy new year and giving high fives. The rush and the excitement of the moment, doubtlessly supported by the beers and whiskey, is something we will probably never forget. Thingyan is absolutely great!!

 Happy and excited after the ride along 

 In the taxi on our way home. Taxi-drivers sure know how to prepare for Thingyan :-)

Visiting Shwedagon Pagoda – Yangons iconic buddhist centre

On April 12, the start of Thingyan the Water Festival and New Year’s celebrations we decided it was time to finally visit Yangon’s most prominent feature, the Shwedagon Pagoda. After taking of the shoes at the gate of the South Entrance we started walking up the marble stairs leading to the main platform. At the entrance we were welcomed by a charming elderly tourist guide who offered to show us the Pagoda in a 1h-tour. Once we settled the price of the service we started our tour in the hot sun of the late morning and Damien explained us the history of Shwedagon Pagoda, which, in a nutshell, can be summarized as follows:
 

According to the legend, two merchants from Yangon, Tapussa and Bhallika, travelled to India some 2500 years ago where they met Gautama Buddha (who had attained enlightenment throught six years of meditation without food and water) and offered him rice and honey. Having obtained eight hairs from him as a blessing, they returned to Yangon. On their journey they gave away 4 pieces of hair to Kings they met on the way. Back in Yangon, they were welcomed back by King Okkalapa, to whom they gave the remaining 4 of Buddhas hairs. When the king opened the box, all 8 pieces of hair were there again, floating in the air and glowing in all colors. Jewelry was raining from the sky, the deaf could hear again and the sick were cured. Together with relicts from 3 former Buddhas, King Okkalapa then enshrined the hair in the Shwedagon Pagoda, which originally amounted to a height of 10m. 

Until today, several of the reigning Kings and Queens enlarged the Pagoda to a present height of 99m and a weight of 14 t, of which roughly 1t are pure gold. The top of the main Stupa is covered with over 100’000 diamonds, rubies, sapphires including a 76-carat apex diamond. On the main platform 64 smaller pagodas as well as countless shrines and donated temples surround the main pagoda. A very impressive location!

Gate at south entrance to the Shwedagon Pagoda 

 south entrance stairway from the outside, main stupa in the background

 posing for a picture with damien, our tour guide

 Flo gets introduced to buddhist praying

 Lara honours a buddha with leaf gold

 The western part of the platform of Shwedagon Pagoda

 The impressive 99m main stupa..

 ...and its top part featuring over 4'000 small bells and over 100'000 pieces of jewelry

 Lying buddha (= ready for audience)

 The Maha Gandha bell story: This bell, donated by King Singu Min 1778, was stolen as a throphy by the Brits after the anglo-burmese war in 1825. During the theft, it fell into Yangon river and the Brits were unable to recover it. The Burmese however managed to lift it up by attaching bamboo until sufficient buoyancy was achieved. After its recovery the bell was placed in the very spot it can be found today.

For the Buddhists the day you were born is very important and largely defines what kind of person you are. At Shwedagon Pagoda, each of the 8 days of the week (wednesday am and pm are two separate days) has its own corner. Pouring three cups of water on the buddha in "your" corner will honour budda, his teaching and the monks and will bring you peace, happiness, prosperity and you will meet good people.

 

 Lara and the Buddha in the tuesday corner.

 Damien showing us the old buddhist scripture that all monks need to master.

After a few hours on the platform we went back home to spend the hot afternoon indoors. At 20:00 we then returned to the Shwedagon Pagoda to see what it was like to be there at nighttime. The place was pretty crowded with locals (both monks and “regulars”) but to our surprise we did not see any other foreigners and we were thus asked a few times to pose for a picture. It was very nice to talk to the charming locals, who barely dared to ask us if it would be ok to take a picture. 

Compared to the visit during the day, the warm shining of the omnipresent gold, the meditative chanting of the monks and the occasional ringing of bells by Buddhist visitors (ringing the bell three times is proof of a good deed you conducted and is believed to bring happiness) created a positive, calm, friendly and overall magic atmosphere we very much enjoyed. When leaving Shwedagon Pagoda, we were both very glad that this was not our last visit to this beautiful place and that we’re already looking forward to showing it to anyone visiting us in Yangon.