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| Hawaii of The Orients - Ngapali Beach |
Now, to answer your million-dollar question - "WHERE TO??!!!"...... In a lot of their tourism campaigns, it says 'Why travel so far to the beaches of Hawaii when you can find them here?' Well, folks, Welcome to the Hawaii of the Orients. Welcome to Myanmar (and it is NOT Burma, mind you!). That's right, our next port of call is Yangon, Myanmar. Truly unchartered territories for many, but especially so for me! And whaddaya know? Myanmar is HUGE! Like 65million population huge! So, just imagine going from Phnom Penh to that!
Before MOH accepted the offer, we were invited to go have a look and see if we'd like living in Yangon. (hahaha. Some of you would've seen my photos on FB!). No doubt, it was a very, very short trip - but I was basically sold on relocating based on 3 things :
1) The Shwedagon Pagoda - where I had my really long chats with Mr. B and the serene peacefulness I felt while here
2) The galore of street food at Chinatown and the Night Market - I'm a street food junkie. I saw the night market and I said "Ok. When's the move?" LOL! (if I ever have bad days in Myanmar, just remind me of this remark!!)
3) A taxi driver. Say who?? Haha. Well, let me explain about this taxi driver - he was a young man, maybe late 20s, early 30s. I got into his dilapidated taxi and he charged me USD1 for the ride. At a traffic light stop, there was a beggar. This taxi man, without hesitation, without a blink of an eye, just gave the beggar USD0.50 = half the taxi fare gone, ya. Later, when I offered to pay for that as well, he said no need and returned my money. Now, THAT certainly put a lot of things into perspective for me. Sometimes, when we want to help others, we are so worried that we don't have enough for ourselves. But apparently, the strongly religious Myanmarese believe in helping others. They live by a simple philosophy : "that even if I am poor, there are others who are poorer who may need help more than me." I saw this as yet another 'sign' from the universe :) Therefore, completely sold on the idea of relocating.
The move is both daunting and exciting at the same time for the both of us. Myanmar is huge and let's put it this way, it cannot remain closed forever. So, it's exciting to be almost at the forefront of it. Exciting too cos I'd like to meet ASSK for a cup of tea. Hahaha! Daunting because the city is really huge. I could get lost in it forever! (For those who knows my bad sense of direction would believe this is a great possibility and there's no GPS here!) Daunting because it's learning a whole new language - although I know how to ask for chilli - that is like SO important and of course to say 'Thank You', learning a whole new culture, learning a whole new world actually! I know so very little about Myanmar (and am now only starting to read up on books about this country...) Exciting because ... it's a big city and because of all the daunting learnings and experiences to go through. Daunting because communication is not just slow like the tortoise, it is also very expensive. In fact, this is not daunting. This is..... going to be a major frustration, I think. Oh dear. And here I am, complaining that internet was s-l-o-w in Cambodia. Well, it is that AND patchy in Myanmar !! Please, please I beg you guys, not to send me any large files otherwise, there'll be lots of *slap forehead ten thousand times* moments for me. And for those of you who get so pressurized with my 'quick-turnaround-time-of response', you may now breathe with ease :P It'll be your turn to chase me for a response instead :P But then again, you know what? Things can only improve. Can't stay "slow" forever. Before you know it, Eileen will be back to haunt you and hunt you :) And maybe, just maybe, Maxis might one day roam in Myanmar too. Oh-oh-oh - Myanmar is also notoriously known for its electricity black-outs. Uh-oh.
Your next question : "What am I going to do here?" I'm going to be an expat housewife :) No, no, no. Don't get me wrong. It's not going to be like one of those hi-so expat wives with their bridge games and hi-teas. For me, in fact, for both MOH and myself, whilst this is an exciting opportunity, I'm not glassy-eyed about it. It is still what we'll call a "hardship" posting. There'll be no maids, no cars, no drivers, nothing luxurious about it. Soooo.... I would be dressed down everyday and I'll be cycling my bike to places - err provided it is legal to do so, otherwise, I'll have to learn the local public bus system (daunting!!). I foresee lots of time at the Shwedagon Paya, maybe looking for enlightenment.... While waiting for my emails to download as I still need to run my businesses albeit remotely, I could do some writing - maybe that novel can finally see the light of the day! I could train 5 hours a day (hahahahha!) but most likely, I'd attach myself to an NGO or an orphanage and help people who are less privileged. The universe had aligned itself nicely for me, I see :) I could also try my hands at being a supermarket cashier. Who knows what might take place from there, right? (I'm actually not kidding about this!) Basically - "how you respond to the life that has been granted to you is what makes you." So - I'm all for it. Besides - the next Asian Bridal Summit will be hosted by Myanmar (cos they won the bid in China last year) - and maybe I'll see all my wedding industry friends here in Myanmar - if the Summit does take place! (Culture & Heritage weddings anyone? JFT for sure! LOL!)
And really, it's not like I would be stuck in some jungle, you know. There's still FB! Hahaha! I would still be contactable - maybe slower. Whatever it may be, we'll all keep in touch, surely. I'd keep you all posted about our adventures (or misadventures) in Mystical Myanmar - whether on FB or my blog (whichever is faster. *laugh again*) I'm going to relocate with an open-mind and again, who knows what or where things might lead to, yes? I'm going to stay positive and have unwavering faith and when that faith dwindles, I'll rock up to the Shwedagon Paya and pay Mr. B a visit. Whatever it is, MOH & I are thankful for this opportunity, this experience, this new journey.
Of course, you guys are all welcomed to come visit. We're still working on sorting out our accommodations in Yangon (not just daunting. Very daunting!), but rest assured, you guys are welcomed to stay with us for sure - if you don't mind the "budget accommodation". I'd gladly take you out and about in town and definitely take you out for food (House of Memories is a must-stop), shopping and getting down with them locals, etc.... but, hahaha - be prepared, you may have to bring your own bedsheets or sleeping bags :P Let's put it this way - I'm hosting you, as my friend, my pal. I'm not hosting the Queen of England :P Hahaha! (plus demand of hotel rooms exceeds supply. So you do your math! :P)
Now I've to get back to ironing the dollar notes to make sure they are crisp enough for and fight MOH tooth and nail for what needs to be thrown out and what needs to be brought along with us.
......So with that, see you guys in Yangon soon !
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| At the Shwedagon Paya, Yangon - for peace, serenity and enlightenment :) |
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