Los lugares turísticos en Myanmar

Esta semana ofrezco algo para mis amigos hispanohablantes. El siguiente es un proyecto de mi clase de Español 4. Lo publicamos en Edmodo y compartimos conversación con otros estudiantes alrededor del mundo. ¡Disfruta!

• Los lugares turísticos en Myanmar

Por nuestro tema elegimos cuatro lugares preciosos en Myanmar. Hay mucho que podemos describir pero empezamos con los lugares turísticos que les pueden interesar cuando vengan a este maravilloso país. Esperamos que les interesen lo que hemos escrito y estamos entusiasmados para contestar sus preguntas abajo.

Kyaikhteeyo (La piedra dorada)

-       Profe

Kyaikhteeyo, en myanmar, o la piedra dorada, es un lugar especial. A la vista es exactamente como se imagina, una piedra grande y dorada. Está encima de una montaña unas horas de Yangon. Su aspecto brillante llama la atención, pero su historia es mucho más interesante.

Los budistas cuentan que había un viajero que conoció al Buda y él le dio al hombre dos de sus pelos como reliquia por su homenaje. Después se hizo lo que ahora reconocemos como Kyaikhteeyo, un área sagrada. Los dos pelos hacen que la piedra flota y no se cae de la montaña. ¡Es realmente increíble!

Muchos budistas quieren visitar este lugar especial para rezar o meditar. Los turistas vienen para observar, sacar fotos y experimentar un poco de la cultura myanmara.

Hay dos maneras para subir al cima, en camión o a pie. Cada opción ofrece su propia experiencia y aventura. En al camión estás al aire libre y el carro va rápidamente por las curvas mientras sube. La primera vez que fui subí en el camión y el cielo abrió y cayeron gotas de agua todo el rato que subíamos.

La segunda vez que visité la piedra dorada, caminé para llegar al punto más alto. La excursión tomó seis horas pero las vistas eran impresionantes y había muchos lugares a dónde parar y descansar.

Si visitas Myanmar, recomiendo que no olvides de conocer Kyaikhteeyo.

El lago Inle

• estudiante X

El próximo lugar que recomendamos es Inle. Inle es un lago en el estado de Shan. Lo interesante sobre este lugar es que la gente vive encima del lago en barcos y casas altas. Típicamente, esos barcos y casas son hechos de madera. Es, básicamente, un pueblo en el agua. ¡Todos deben visitarlo! Recomendamos que vayan allí en noviembre o diciembre. No hace mucho calor ni frío durante esos meses. A cambio, hace un poco de fresco (mi clima favorito).  Normalmente, los turistas vuelan desde Yangon a Heho por avión y después van a Inle en coche o autobús.

Ngapali

• estudiante M

En Myanmar, hay tres playas famosas: Chaung Tha, Ngwe Saung y Ngapali. Chaung Tha y Ngwe Saung están en la región Ayeyarwaddy en el sur de Myanmar y Ngapali está en el estado Rakhine al oeste.

La playa que nos gusta más es Ngapali en el estado Rakhine por su arena blanca y agua cristal.

Puedes viajar a Ngapali por avión de Yangon (la ciudad más grande) o Nay Pyi Daw (la capital). El vuelo dura 55 minutos a Thandwe Aeropuerto. El pueblo Ngapali está a 15 minutos en coche de la playa.

La comida de Ngapali, Thandwe es muy deliciosa. Tiene muchos mariscos y pescados por ser una playa. Los hoteles tienen restaurantes buenos también pero la comida cuesta mucho más que en los restaurantes del pueblo de Thandwe.

La marea está alta durante la noche y el mediodía desde la 1 hasta las 3. Podemos nadar en el mar por la la mañana o por la tarde. ¡Pero, podemos tomar el sol todo el día!

Hay muchas actividades que puedes hacer en Ngapali también. Unos hoteles ofrecen equipo para kayak, parasail, bucear, andar en barco o visitar las islas cercanas.

Bagan

• estudiante A

Bagan es una ciudad antigua de Myanmar. Del siglo nueve a siglo trece, Bagan fue la ciudad capital de Myanmar. Hay más de 10,000 templos budistas en la región en el pasado pero ahora, hay solo 2200 templos y pagodas en la zona. Rey Pyinbya encontró la ciudad en el siglo siete. Después, en el siglo nueve, los birmanos entraron en la ciudad y en el siglo diez, Bagan se convirtió en la ciudad capital de los birmanos. Bagan era la ciudad que tenía muchas oportunidades educativas  y la religión del budismo era muy fuerte. El reino de Bagan se cayó en el siglo 12 cuando los mongoles lo atacaron.

Hoy Bagan es un lugar popular entre los extranjeros que están visitando Myanmar. La gente viene para las vistas de las puestas del sol, para explorar las ruinas de la ciudad y para aprender sobre la historia de Bagan. Ahora, Bagan tiene muchas hoteles y restaurantes para las visitantes, especialmente para los extranjeros. No vas a arrepentir tu experiencia en Bagan. Es definitivamente un viaje especial.   

More on Yangon

And this post takes us back to life in Yangon!

Secondary school faculty - I'm in the back shady spot wearing my sunglasses!

One annual event in my life is traveling to Bangkok for my visa renewal. Yes, I have to visit the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok, Thailand in order to renew my Myanmar work visa... The good news about this yearly errand is that I get a trip to Bangkok! I usually shop, seek out health food stores for hard to find items, take care of doctor appointments, eat great food and sometimes sit by a pool, if time allows! This year was special because my former colleague, J, who now lives in Chiang Mai, Thailand, met me. It was so fun to catch up, do yoga and discover a great new health food store and restaurant, Lemon Farm, together. We weren't very good about taking pictures (we were having too much fun) and Bangkok isn't "new" to me anymore, so I guess I forget, but here is what captured my interest enough to pull out the camera.

My iced Americano, with a dash of rice milk, served in a pitcher! 

The cafe had cute cat art. Can you see me in the reflection?

A few days after I returned (one year visa in passport!), quarter one ended. This means grading, writing individual narrative comments for each and every one of my students and submitting everything for report cards. There is always something to do when you are a teacher. 

Playing bananagrams with my students!

Quarter one finishes with a Myanmar tradition: Homage Day. Students and teachers don traditional dress and students honor their teachers at a special assembly, featuring speeches, music, dances and singing. The culminating moment is when students' voices join in unison to thank their teachers and ask them to forgive them for any mistakes (in Myanmar language).

You already know what happens next! I book it to the airport and jet off to Bangkok to meet Y for our reunion on Koh Chang.

Upon returning to Yangon, there was a new quarter to start, parent-student-teacher conferences to have and friends to catch up with. The school community here is special. Our social committee is very active, sponsoring all kinds of events to explore the city and for us to just hang out with each other. However, a few times a year we celebrate our support staff, the cleaners and guards who help keep our school shining and safe throughout the year. These photos are from our Potluck and Bowling event at the end of October.

Right Track Bowling is a 30 minute walk from my apartment/the school.

Playing a game, yes, betting 3,000 kyats was involved!

In this winner-takes-all game the final rolls of the dice are intense!

I came upon this cute little church while wandering in downtown one weekend. Somewhere in here I also saw a great Italian movie at the international film festival, La grande bellezza. An epic story set in lovely Italy.

This coffee store is in my neighborhood, but it is never open. Can you see why it caught my eye?

Another social committee event - watching old silent films set to Radiohead.

And then came Halloween! My favorite holiday was celebrated with a Vegans Anonymous potluck and dress-up days at school.

Gluten free vegan witch finger sugar cookies

Vegan potluck spread

Alice, on her way to school. No getting distracted by white rabbits allowed!

Teachers dress up like students day! Sporting the school uniform.

Just finished reading:
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool; a children's book recommended to me by a friend/former colleague. An entertaining story with a spirited young protagonist, historical fiction.

Twilight Over Burma: My Life as a Shan Princess by Inge Sargent; her autobiographical account of her marriage to a Shan Prince and her time in Burma. This one is up for discussion at book club next week! There is also a film and a quick internet search displays a lot of articles about the controversy this book has encountered.

Just finished eating:
If you knew me when I was a kid... or teenager... or, okay, okay, a young adult, then you know my favorite food is/was Macaroni and Cheese. Since going gluten and dairy free in 2009 for health reasons, there has not been a lot of carb-y, cheesy goodness in my life. Which is absolutely worthwhile because I no longer suffer from daily stomach pain. However, I am always looking for creative ways to get my old fix. This vegan gf version of my old favorite does the trick.

Oh, and the witch fingers!

What I'm Listening to:
Cat Power! I had the pleasure of seeing her live at Cruilla this July in Barcelona and she is my favorite discovery from a weekend full of amazing live music.

Interview of the Week:
Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes, Monsters of Folk, Desaparecidos) and Matt Berninger (The National) get together to talk about the song-writing process and music in general! I felt like I was at a bar overhearing an intimate chat at the next table. This is also one of my new favorite podcasts. 

A Worthwhile Cause:
One of my colleagues and friends is trying to enact real change in the population of stray animals in our neighborhood with a catch, neuter and release program. It's the season of giving, so why not chip in a little to help the pups and kitties? A few US dollars goes a long way in Myanmar!

Ha ha, definitely not in Yangon! A throwback to Thanksgiving weekend last year in Ngwe Saung...
Photo credit to T and her fancy camera!

I hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving! I am already starting to think about the end of the quarter, finals and holidays with my family!

A Different Kind of Vacation: The Camino de Santiago

Uh-oh! This post is a day late! I have had it just about ready for a few days, but I guess I got distracted reading articles relating to the US elections... Anyway, we aren't going to unpack that here - this post shows and tells you a little more about the Camino and why I decided to take it on.

I first learned about the Camino de Santiago as a 20-year-old undergrad in Spanish class. I had just returned from a study abroad in Granada and I was obsessed with all things Spain. One of my professors showed us photos of her trip and as I watched the beautiful nature shots and fun times with friends go by, I thought, “I want to do that.”

The Camino de Santiago (or The Way of Saint James) dates back hundreds of years as a religious pilgrimage. There are many different paths that arrive in Santiago, but the main route is the Camino Francés. Religion continues to be present along the Way, but people now walk with other motives also. 

A tiny chapel outside of Astorga.

I opted to make my Camino goal come true in the summer of 2016. I had put it off for years for many reasons, but lack of time, as it takes five to six weeks to do the entire trek, was my main excuse. I finally decided that doing part of the Camino was better than not experiencing it at all. 

Moonset just before sunrise, a little past Rabanal el Camino.

I was also looking for a different kind of summer vacation – lounging poolside quickly loses its sparkle and I liked the idea of being active. I love living in Myanmar and Yangon is a dynamic city, but it lacks green spaces and access to nature. It felt right to get out and just walk. The time to think about life and reflect on my goals that walking all day, every day, opens up was attractive as well. Being able to use Spanish and enjoy the cuisine along the way were, of course, big pluses. 

A dusty part of the Camino on a hot day.

Pilgrims make their way through one of the many small towns.

Approaching Molinaseca. 

Due to its well-trodden history, the Camino is an ideal trek for those who do not have a lot of backpacking experience. Yes, you do need to bring all that you need for your journey on your back, but there are opportunities to supplement your supplies or replace items along the route. Many towns exist because of the Camino and small pensions, convenience stores and cafes cater to pilgrims. Though most walkers complete about 20-25 kilometers a day, I met many people who hiked more or less. 

My 15 Euro splurge on a private room in Molinaseca.

My top bunk in a hostel room for four in Cacabelos.

In the end, I trekked 367 kilometers, about half of the Camino. If you ask me about my dream vacation, I have a lot of ideas! But, walking the entire Camino de Santiago would definitely be one of my answers. 

Me and my best friend Raquel, aka my backpack, on the Camino (somewhere between Pamplona and Navarrete).

Meanwhile Back in Yangon...

My last lots of posts have focused on my travels, so I thought it would be good to circle back to life in Yangon. While Myanmar is very foreign to most of my friends in the west, it has come to be my familiar place, my home for now, over the last few years and a lot of what I do here is routine. In this post, I'll share a little of what that looks like!

I returned to Yangon at the end of July, the weekend before teacher meetings were set to begin and just over a week before students would return to school. It was a bit of a quick turnaround, but I had wanted to maximize my time in Spain. :)

It's not too fun to write a post about all the planning I do to get my four Spanish courses (six classes!) off the ground each August (though I do love the creativity of teaching and the newness of back to school always!), so this post focuses on what I am doing in my precious teacher free time.

First things first, I bought vegetables! Being able to cook healthy meals is a treat after traveling and having to rely on restaurants for most of your food. Beans, tomatoes, coconut milk, fresh cilantro, tofu, sweet potatoes, limes, ginger root, a lemon, green beans, purple cabbage and dragon fruit pictured below!

I love the variety and availability of great local produce!

I gazed at the familiar glowing golden-ness of the Shwe Dagon Pagoda, while meeting and catching up with friends (this shot is from the Alfa Hotel's rooftop bar).

I enjoyed some teacher social events... My school's social committee hosts a lot of get-to-know-you events for the new teachers and it seems there is always somewhere to go or something to do... I never get bored!

K and I in the school bus on the way to a teacher appreciation dinner.

The parent association president (standing) with a table of teachers.

All school photo! Can you find me? ;)

Dance party! One of the many events hosted at a teacher house.

I ate some delicious Burmese food! I love Rangoon Tea House!

My Eggplant Curry, with sides, rice and soup...my friend's samosas and chicken wrap.

The rooftop bar tour was a bit of a theme in August... Here is Sule Pagoda from Yangon, Yangon.

I hosted a former student from Seattle who had recently graduated and done volunteer work, teaching English and sex ed, to community leaders in northern Thailand. B came with her friend C after their program ended and they visited me  for exactly one week. They made the most of their short visit as only young people can, doing a whirlwind tour of Myanmar, bussing to Bagan, scurrying all over Yangon and catching up on sleep in my extra bedroom (it is available for YOU too; email me to book!).

Though B and C were on a pretty tight budget, we decided to splurge on a fancy brunch at the Novotel. Brunching is a cultural experience and serious pastime among foreigners and well-to-do locals alike. 

B and I fancied up for brunch

Brunch complete with sushi chef.

My selection!

I made friends with the geckos in my apartment. We are buds; they eat the mosquitos and sing to me. Nothing tops my Desi-cat for at home company, but seeing as she is snuggled in with hew new family in Seattle...

Just one of the parade or processions that pass by in front of our apartment building on a daily basis. This is Myanmar!

And, on a long weekend in September, I snuck away to the gorgeous beach town of Ngapali!

This is what the coast of Myanmar looks like... in rainy season!

Yes, I work hard during the week, go to bed early and spend time on weekends grading and planning... but I do have lots of fun too!

This post is one day early! Remember to vote tomorrow, US friends! I already submitted my ballot from here.

 What I'm Listening to as I write this post:

Carla Morrison - A current student recommended her to me and I love her! I bought her Amor Supremo album and I really like it. It's a solid late at night or Sunday chill album; she has a beautiful voice and the lyrics are poetry.

What I'm Eating for Breakfast This Week:
Though this recipe is called Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites it seems mighty healthy to me!

Números

Numbers

During my 3 weeks on the Camino de Santiago...

I cooked 7 meals.

I had a choice of 2 shirts each day (turquoise or blue).

I found 2 four leaf clovers.
I drank from 1 wine fountain (part of a monastery).
I ate 4 gluten free baked goods (!). 

I spent 6 months beforehand dreaming and planning.

I lost 3 bobby pins.

I stayed in 13 albergues (hostels).
I found and returned 1 bracelet to its owner.
I swam 2 times.

I drank 9 bottles of wine.

I collected 67 stamps in my pilgrim's passport. Actually, I used 2 pilgim's passports... (because the first one filled up.)

I slept 1 night in a tent.

I went to mass 2 times.
I had 19 picnics.

I took 2 ibuprofens.

I saw 0 bedbugs.
I got lost one time... somewhere between Rabanal el Camino and Molinaseca... 

I drank 40 coffees.
I got 1 blister (right heel).
I took 0 taxis.
I sampled 2 servings of pulpo (octopus).
I hand-washed clothes 17 times... I used a washing machine 1 time. 

I made many acquaintances and new friends (from the US, Spain, South Africa, France, Hong Kong, Costa Rica, Italy, Germany, Finland, Sweden...).
I walked 367.6 kilometers (228.4 miles); this is about half of the Camino.