From Shan State to the Delta Region

My last days in Taunggyi

Chinese whispers They love that game!!!

Group F farewell dinner at Smart Bar

I’ll be leaving Taunggyi EC in a few days to transfer to Myaungmya EC and can’t help feeling a bit sad, even though it’s something I’ve been dreaming of. It was not easy to break the news that I was leaving to the teachers, and since then I’ve been getting moving remarks and text messages saying how unhappy they are. It’s heartbreaking but I keep telling them how good it’ll be for them to be exposed to other teaching styles and accents. I get the impression that most of them think it’s not 
them but me the one benefiting from the change as they list the advantages. I’ll be swimming when I travel to the beautiful nearby beaches, tasting delicious seafood and working alongside our previous Vice principal, Daw Than Naing, currently the Principal in Myaungmya. They loved her and know she’ll definitely support me in any way possible. Even the weather is not as hot as that of places like Yangon or Mandalay because the town is located by a river. 

Kids playing at an orphanage

The Chan family and Ei's friends

So it sounds I’m going to love it there. It’ll be fascinating to experience a different part of the country. Life and culture in the Delta Region will be surely not the same as the Palaung and Pa’O traditions I’ve learnt in this time. I’ve visited beautiful places like Pindaya, Hopon, Kakku, Kalaw, Nyaungshwe and Indha villages like Mayng Tauk, sometimes with teachers or trainees, with friends or on my own. Talking to local people has been the best way of knowing about their beliefs, history and way of life. 
The scenery in this part of Myanmar is astonishing; green hills covered with tea and mandarine orange plantations as well as bayan, teak and pine tree forests.  And then, the vineyards, of course. All decent wine in Myanmar comes from Shan State and nobody who comes to Taunggyi should miss the wine tasting at Aythayar Winery, especially at sunset. 

karaoke at No Name last night

Wendy and Nicky at the vineyard

On my last weekend before leaving, I went to Kalaw and did a one day trekking. It was a kind of farewell to the Shan mountains and a challenge to my knee condition. Yes, I made it, I was proud of myself. The guide spoke English quite well and we had interesting chats about changing politics and development.

I’ve loved my time here and I can recall some surreal and hilarious situations like being invited to a beauty contest held at the post office or being treated as VIP and escorted by the Higher Police Commander during the Fire Balloon Festival. I must admit I enjoyed like a little child since gunpowder and fireworks run in my Valencian blood. But this amazingly spectacular event of fire and light can be dangerous. Later, that same night I was driven around in a police car as a special guest, there were some casualties burnt to death by a falling balloon. 

Palaung villager

Transferring also involves packing, trying to stuff in all those countless lounggyis and other assorted presents I’ve been getting, couriering my ebike and other personal belongings to Yangon, having farewell dinners with one group at a time, karaoke and wine drinking, college farewell ceremonies, making arrangements by email and phone with BC and VSO, preparing handover notes for the next trainer. A hectic time!!! I would’ve been a nightmare without the support of Marian, Jonathan, BC staff, principals and EfECT trainers in both ECs. 

To make things harder, the college power transmitter broke down and I had no electricity for the last two weeks. Our lives were affected in many ways: it meant cooking and reading with candles, having cold showers and no battery in phones and laptops for emailing, doing listening activities or admin work. We were lucky to have water, but TEs had to buy it at their own expense. 

Trekking in Kalaw

 On my travelling day, I was accompanied by a group of 10 TEs to Heho Airport where there were some tears saying goodbye to each other. I was then picked up at Yangon Airport by a BC van and we arrived in Myaungmya five hours later, only because there was a terrible traffic jam in Yangon. 

My first days in Myaungmya

New house

I’m now figuring out I’ll be living here for the next 15 months. The accommodation is great, very spacious; the college campus is small and buildings older than those in Taunggyi; there are hardly any dogs, so it’s quiet at night but noisy 6 am in the morning when trainees their start their P.E. instruction in military fashion; the weather is hot and wet, so I’m sweating all day. There have been short but frequent power cuts but the EC has a generator. I‘m excited to hear some great news: a swimming pool was recently built and will be opened after the SEA Games end. Besides, the principal has promised I’ll soon have mosquito screening fit into the front door and window and a router for Wifi access. Brilliant!!!