Friday, May 04, 2012
Sandra just realised she hasn't posted any of our travels over the last few years here. And they have been quite interesting. Not necessarily because of destinations and all that (though, admittedly, we have been to some fantastic places) but because traveling with a child, and now three, poses completely new challenges previously completely out of the sphere of anything....
Saturday, November 29, 2008
New weblog
Sandra has decided that she can keep her own blog since she doesn't like typing mine all the time. And me, well, i still prefer to keep an eye on Xenne so it is fine with me so try http://yangonjournal.blogspot.com/ for her updates.
When we travel, i'll still post here so you might want to check on occasion. That is, if you're interested.....
When we travel, i'll still post here so you might want to check on occasion. That is, if you're interested.....
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
As usual
Way too late. And way too much to tell.
First of all, Xenne is doing great. Sandra & KK went to the hospital in Bangkok today to have him measured and weighted. A total of 9.3 kilograms and 75 centimeters. So he has grown a bit since the last time he was checked. And while we all waited (yes i did hitch a ride again in Sandra's bag) Xenne loved being carted around in a small toy car for which he is officially way too young but he loved and loved it. And when they stopped he wasn't very pleased and try to make it move himself.
Tomorrow we'll all fly to Yangon again. It is holiday time this week. And since Sandra had to renew her visa anyway, we all flew to BKK to pick up Sandra's parents who will fly with us to Yangon tomorrow. Horror of horrors, we fly at 7.15 tomorrow morning. Way to early for us skunks!
Unfortunately we miss the festival of lights almost completely. It is being celebrated in Burma right now( or yesterday, i'm not sure). And will be celebrated here in Thailand tomorrow. The end of Waso, the buddist fasting period and it is a big celebration. Oh well, maybe again next year....
For the rest, Sandra loves her work at the small school where she is teaching now. A lot different from the huge school with big classes (up to 26 kids) and enormous numbers (for grade for there were 4A to 4K classes...) and 4 different classes over 2 different grades and three classes were for english and one class she had to teach history and geography.... Now she teaches 13 kids in grade 2. All subjects apart from Music, PE, Art, Myanmar and Computer. And she is much more involved with the kids. Some of them are a real challenge (problems at their former, highly respected international schools where the teachers couldn't/wouldn't deal with them). And for math she has a heavily autistic kid that comes to class. So work heas to be prepared way in advance for that time. Luckily she has a great assisitent teacher and loads of support from the admin (exactly the opposite at the school where she was teaching in june-july).And great kids. So she hasn't regretted her choose to change schools one single moment.
KK's teashop has been sold. It kept loosing money. So it was a nice try but nevertheless a failure. SO up to the next adventure business wise.... For the time being it means that KK's brother who was runnign the shop is living in with us. Not that we have a lot of space. But Sandra doesn't complain, he cooks a lot better than the maid/babysitter........
Ok , that's it for now. Sandra wants to go and pack. It is late enough and she doesn't want to do the packing any time tomorrow morning. We leave the hotel at 5 (AM!!!)
First of all, Xenne is doing great. Sandra & KK went to the hospital in Bangkok today to have him measured and weighted. A total of 9.3 kilograms and 75 centimeters. So he has grown a bit since the last time he was checked. And while we all waited (yes i did hitch a ride again in Sandra's bag) Xenne loved being carted around in a small toy car for which he is officially way too young but he loved and loved it. And when they stopped he wasn't very pleased and try to make it move himself.
Tomorrow we'll all fly to Yangon again. It is holiday time this week. And since Sandra had to renew her visa anyway, we all flew to BKK to pick up Sandra's parents who will fly with us to Yangon tomorrow. Horror of horrors, we fly at 7.15 tomorrow morning. Way to early for us skunks!
Unfortunately we miss the festival of lights almost completely. It is being celebrated in Burma right now( or yesterday, i'm not sure). And will be celebrated here in Thailand tomorrow. The end of Waso, the buddist fasting period and it is a big celebration. Oh well, maybe again next year....
For the rest, Sandra loves her work at the small school where she is teaching now. A lot different from the huge school with big classes (up to 26 kids) and enormous numbers (for grade for there were 4A to 4K classes...) and 4 different classes over 2 different grades and three classes were for english and one class she had to teach history and geography.... Now she teaches 13 kids in grade 2. All subjects apart from Music, PE, Art, Myanmar and Computer. And she is much more involved with the kids. Some of them are a real challenge (problems at their former, highly respected international schools where the teachers couldn't/wouldn't deal with them). And for math she has a heavily autistic kid that comes to class. So work heas to be prepared way in advance for that time. Luckily she has a great assisitent teacher and loads of support from the admin (exactly the opposite at the school where she was teaching in june-july).And great kids. So she hasn't regretted her choose to change schools one single moment.
KK's teashop has been sold. It kept loosing money. So it was a nice try but nevertheless a failure. SO up to the next adventure business wise.... For the time being it means that KK's brother who was runnign the shop is living in with us. Not that we have a lot of space. But Sandra doesn't complain, he cooks a lot better than the maid/babysitter........
Ok , that's it for now. Sandra wants to go and pack. It is late enough and she doesn't want to do the packing any time tomorrow morning. We leave the hotel at 5 (AM!!!)
Friday, September 19, 2008
Did i say the rainy season was over.....
Big mistake. It's been pouring down for the last week and a half. Not continuously thankfully but when it is raining it is as if someone above has opened the tap... Hopefully it'll be over before long. Then we can enjoy the sun for a little while before we miss the rainy season when we have frequent power cuts again.... A very vicious circle .....
For the rest, things are basically the same as the last time i posted. I still look after Xenne mostly. But it is getting more and more difficult for me to keep up with him tiny skunk that i am. The little man has progressed to pulling himself up to a standing position. Therefor attaining heights that i can only reach if someone puts me up there....
Sandra is still very busy with school. She now has an addictioanal kids with behavioural problems. Apparently he was ostracised by his former class AND his teacher even though the teacher should know better being an american with a teaching degree and all that. And, according to Sandra, gets far better pay than she does... But he seems to do ok for the moment. He is slowly setteling in. And then there is an autistic boy who comes to class for one subject every day. The rest of the time he has special care class. The biggest problem in a country like this is that there is so little access to proper materials. It is already an issue with books. These are shipped here but it can take anytime from a few months to a never arrive so most books are actually carried in during visa runs and so on. But so many things westerners take for granted are just not here. Like big sheets of coloured paper in every available colour or other goodies that are so usefull at a primary school.....
Oops problems with servers and so....
For the rest, things are basically the same as the last time i posted. I still look after Xenne mostly. But it is getting more and more difficult for me to keep up with him tiny skunk that i am. The little man has progressed to pulling himself up to a standing position. Therefor attaining heights that i can only reach if someone puts me up there....
Sandra is still very busy with school. She now has an addictioanal kids with behavioural problems. Apparently he was ostracised by his former class AND his teacher even though the teacher should know better being an american with a teaching degree and all that. And, according to Sandra, gets far better pay than she does... But he seems to do ok for the moment. He is slowly setteling in. And then there is an autistic boy who comes to class for one subject every day. The rest of the time he has special care class. The biggest problem in a country like this is that there is so little access to proper materials. It is already an issue with books. These are shipped here but it can take anytime from a few months to a never arrive so most books are actually carried in during visa runs and so on. But so many things westerners take for granted are just not here. Like big sheets of coloured paper in every available colour or other goodies that are so usefull at a primary school.....
Oops problems with servers and so....
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Ants and cockroaches
Ok, first of all, i know i'm way way behind keeping this blog updated. Sorry 'bout that. But Sandra's been really busy with the new school. She loves teaching one class and one class only. She has a rather challenging class because of some kids that are in it (2 brothers of which one is slightly dyslectic and the other has some behavioural problems), a girl that should be tested for reading problems but the parents refuse since their government won't send them abroad again if a child has a need for special education (they work for their country's embassy) and some kids with too much energy).But she loves it. So she's been very busy getting everything in order. After all, she's never taught 2nd grade at all.....
Besides, i've been playing a lot with Xenne. He's crawling forwards now too and so we have to run after him a lot. He loves playing with balls. Especially the ones that makes sounds. So yep, it is all about priorities....
For the rest, live goes on as 'normal'. The rainy season seems to draw at a close. After months of rain and very gray skies we've had a few sunny days now. Which doesn't make the weather all that nicer since it is bloody hot. And since there is so much humidity still it doesn't only feel like a sauna, it IS a bloody sauna. One that you can only leave when you enter an airconned room . And for that you need electriciy. Something that has become erratic again in the last week (ever since the sun started to shine again. What are the odds?).
The rainy season has caused some other 'minor' irritations as well. In this country you always have ants. But in the rainy season they just seem to procriate and multiply by the thousands.... They are EVERYWHERE! And when i say EVERYWHERE i mean EVERYWHERE. Every now and then Kyaw Kyaw or Sandra sprays the rooms trying to kill them but they're back a day later. And they can't do it all the time since it is not very good especially with Xenne. Sandra even found them in the big waterbottle (the 20 liter one) where they'd been hiding in the spout. And sometimes you leave something on the table for 5 minutes! and there are ants all over. We've even found them in a glass that was only used for drinking water.... And diod i mention that these ants are FLYING ants?
And then the other day after spraying in the small kitchen as well, we found 7!! enormous cockroaches there. Dead fortunately. Did i mention they were big? Not at all th e'big'' european variety. No the big ASIAN variety. A body as big as a thumb (at least as big as Sandra's thumb). Aparently they'd come to hide in our apartement when some guys worked on the big watertank next to our apartment (those watertanks are the source of our running water.
Sandra, Xenne and KK want to go shopping so i guess this will be all for the moment. Will try to get more news up soon.
Besides, i've been playing a lot with Xenne. He's crawling forwards now too and so we have to run after him a lot. He loves playing with balls. Especially the ones that makes sounds. So yep, it is all about priorities....
For the rest, live goes on as 'normal'. The rainy season seems to draw at a close. After months of rain and very gray skies we've had a few sunny days now. Which doesn't make the weather all that nicer since it is bloody hot. And since there is so much humidity still it doesn't only feel like a sauna, it IS a bloody sauna. One that you can only leave when you enter an airconned room . And for that you need electriciy. Something that has become erratic again in the last week (ever since the sun started to shine again. What are the odds?).
The rainy season has caused some other 'minor' irritations as well. In this country you always have ants. But in the rainy season they just seem to procriate and multiply by the thousands.... They are EVERYWHERE! And when i say EVERYWHERE i mean EVERYWHERE. Every now and then Kyaw Kyaw or Sandra sprays the rooms trying to kill them but they're back a day later. And they can't do it all the time since it is not very good especially with Xenne. Sandra even found them in the big waterbottle (the 20 liter one) where they'd been hiding in the spout. And sometimes you leave something on the table for 5 minutes! and there are ants all over. We've even found them in a glass that was only used for drinking water.... And diod i mention that these ants are FLYING ants?
And then the other day after spraying in the small kitchen as well, we found 7!! enormous cockroaches there. Dead fortunately. Did i mention they were big? Not at all th e'big'' european variety. No the big ASIAN variety. A body as big as a thumb (at least as big as Sandra's thumb). Aparently they'd come to hide in our apartement when some guys worked on the big watertank next to our apartment (those watertanks are the source of our running water.
Sandra, Xenne and KK want to go shopping so i guess this will be all for the moment. Will try to get more news up soon.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
So much for the promised update.....
Well, being on 'holiday' with Xenne all by ourselves took up most of the time. And KK didn't arrive till very late yesterday. While Xenne, Sandra & I will leave in an hour or so..... Apparently there were no flights available on friday (no seats). Not that strange if since most of the carriers have seriously reduced their number of flights and Air Bagan has stopped servicing Bangkok..... but it makes it all a bit harder to get to Bangkok and back...
I think i have the memory stick working so maybe i can regall you all with some more Xenne. The other stuff (in textform) can wait till we're back in Yangon. Then i'll tell you all about Sandra's job switch, how she likes teaching 2nd graders, our ant epidemic and more.....
I think i have the memory stick working so maybe i can regall you all with some more Xenne. The other stuff (in textform) can wait till we're back in Yangon. Then i'll tell you all about Sandra's job switch, how she likes teaching 2nd graders, our ant epidemic and more.....
Friday, August 01, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Again in Thailand
Xenne, Sandra & I arrived in Thailand about a couple of hours ago. This time we'll stay a few days since it is difficult at the moment to get flights in and out of Burma. many carriers only fly on sunday, wednesday and friday. There is one carrier that flies every day but the price is quite a bit above the others. So, we decided to stay a few days. Maybe KK will come on friday but that is not sure yet. And it helps that we now have 2 days to go to the embassy. That makes quite a difference if you have a baby to carry around.
For the rest, loads to tell but will do that tomorrow. It was not possible to access my blog these last weeks....
For the rest, loads to tell but will do that tomorrow. It was not possible to access my blog these last weeks....
Saturday, June 28, 2008
No very funny little film of Xenne
Since i can't get to the relevant page on this blog. But it'll get here someday. Somehow. He was making Sandra and me laugh so much yesterday.
It won't be much today. Somehow have to keep login in every 5 minutes. Quite annoying as usual. And Sandra didn't let me write my blog on the laptop the week either. Sandra had bought some new dvd's and they saw that in the evening. They had to use the laptop since the DVD-player has gone to the teashop.
But she's promised me i can write some this week.
It won't be much today. Somehow have to keep login in every 5 minutes. Quite annoying as usual. And Sandra didn't let me write my blog on the laptop the week either. Sandra had bought some new dvd's and they saw that in the evening. They had to use the laptop since the DVD-player has gone to the teashop.
But she's promised me i can write some this week.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Sandra's sooo busy
Or at least, that is what she says. And after school she doesn't want to go to the internet cafe. So i have almost no opportunity to update my blog... But i can understand her. After all, if it is between choosing the internet cafe and Xenne the choice is pretty obvious. Hopefully Sandra wil have a computer (with internet connection) in her office (which she shares with 2 burmese teachers) and then i can be online a bit more often too. Now i prefer to stay at home and play with Xenne.
Sandra tells me that it is quite a change from last year. The school is very big (relatively). There are at least 9 Primary 4 and 10 Primary 5 classes (she has no idea about the number of classes for the other grades..). But she's slowly adjusting to so vast a school.
Soon more. I'm trying to convince Sandra to turn on the computer in the evening so i can type my 'daily' report and then she only has to upload that when she has a good connection. But she's not really listening yet. I assume that it is because she had to get used to working again (after such a long 'holiday'. Maybe she can be persuaded this week.
Sandra tells me that it is quite a change from last year. The school is very big (relatively). There are at least 9 Primary 4 and 10 Primary 5 classes (she has no idea about the number of classes for the other grades..). But she's slowly adjusting to so vast a school.
Soon more. I'm trying to convince Sandra to turn on the computer in the evening so i can type my 'daily' report and then she only has to upload that when she has a good connection. But she's not really listening yet. I assume that it is because she had to get used to working again (after such a long 'holiday'. Maybe she can be persuaded this week.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Some pictures from our last visit to Thailand
With mama in a chiang mai songthaw
After shopping at the local market
Family group picture
What is this? 
Let me see that!
No comment
In the train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok
In the same train
In a Chiang Mai coffee shop
A lesson in sleeping
In the train from BAngkok to Chiang Mai
Hello hello
What is this? Let me feel that again
Fun with Dad
A quick visit to Thailand
And not really planned either. Sandra had been trying to contact the international schools ever since we got back from Thailand but to no avail. So on friday she decided to visit them. And bingo, a job. With twice as much pay as at Sandra's last school and less hours. So she's pretty happy about that. She's going to teach english, history and geography to 4th and 5th graders... Mmmmm.
Anyway, so she needed a business visa (the last one was a tourist visa which is only valid for 1 month). After a lot of phonecalls it turned out that we could only get an evening flight on wednesday and an early morning flight on friday (8 am). After which Sandra will rush to to hug Xenne, say hi to KK and, after a quick shower, hurries on towards school and classes....
She hates being in Bangkok with just me and Xenne and KK in Yangon. But it was not doable to take Xenne for such a short period of time. Especially since we were running around all day today arranging our visa, so emergency shopping (for books and such...). It took a while to get the ok from immigration to go and get the visa by ourselves (without Xenne). And we're hoping that we won't run into problems tomorrow morning after all.
Ok. now i will try and upload some pictures from our last time in Thailand
Anyway, so she needed a business visa (the last one was a tourist visa which is only valid for 1 month). After a lot of phonecalls it turned out that we could only get an evening flight on wednesday and an early morning flight on friday (8 am). After which Sandra will rush to to hug Xenne, say hi to KK and, after a quick shower, hurries on towards school and classes....
She hates being in Bangkok with just me and Xenne and KK in Yangon. But it was not doable to take Xenne for such a short period of time. Especially since we were running around all day today arranging our visa, so emergency shopping (for books and such...). It took a while to get the ok from immigration to go and get the visa by ourselves (without Xenne). And we're hoping that we won't run into problems tomorrow morning after all.
Ok. now i will try and upload some pictures from our last time in Thailand
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
All is still well....
Prices on rice and water are slowly returning to more normal. And the news on the international websites is good. Sandra doesn't trust the local news very much since it still shows the VIPS handing out food (a small pack each time) and still shows the new tents with a family in front of it.. Yeah, right...
We were very close to the meeting that the international community had this sunday. But Sandra didn't want to spend $4 for a cup of coffee at the Sedona so i never got a chance to see Ban Kee-Moon. I thought that would be so cool to mention in a casual conversation in the future. But she really couldn't be talked into having that coffee...
For the rest.. Well, i'm writing this, hoping it'll come over well since 3/4-ths of the page is missing and i can't actually open my own blog... So if you see something strange, too bad.
We were very close to the meeting that the international community had this sunday. But Sandra didn't want to spend $4 for a cup of coffee at the Sedona so i never got a chance to see Ban Kee-Moon. I thought that would be so cool to mention in a casual conversation in the future. But she really couldn't be talked into having that coffee...
For the rest.. Well, i'm writing this, hoping it'll come over well since 3/4-ths of the page is missing and i can't actually open my own blog... So if you see something strange, too bad.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
In Yangon
Actually, i must admit that on the surface things don't look too bad in Yangon. KK's family is fine, most of them went back to Bagan since things here were way too expensive. Our apartment is ok too. Although KK's brother who was house-sitting, told us that they (a cousin decided to keep him company) had to clean a lot since the bedroom floor got flooded somehow. The next building got most of its roof blown of. And we suddenly have an amazing view of the lake. We can even see the restaurant really well of which we saw only the lights before. We have electricity most of the time (if a 2 day-stay can be regarded as a decent time period for reviewing) and water. In the Yankin Shopping center it was crowded as usual. But then it is obvious that the people who suffer the after effects of the cyclone aren't the people who shop there. Those people have plenty of money to keep them going. And the shelves are stocked normally.
But then you look closer. Water is at least twice as expensive as it was before. And rice is much more pricey as well. Both essentials for people here. And everywhere people are cleaning up. But i've only seen the military sitting on the ground, waiting for something or someone. When we arrived, Sandra & KK saw 3 cargo planes on the tarmac. Behind one of those planes there were a lot of m-men sitting. On the other side there were empty trucks with their doors open. And a fair few people waiting around. That was all that was going on. Of course our plane was not even half full. But there were even a few westerners,other than Sandra & Xenne, on it. The taxi driver told us that on the markets one can buy goods that have been donated by the international community. I am not sure whether he has seen it for himself or whether he heard about it. But it says enough....
Ok, time to send this on. The lines are incredibly slow...
But then you look closer. Water is at least twice as expensive as it was before. And rice is much more pricey as well. Both essentials for people here. And everywhere people are cleaning up. But i've only seen the military sitting on the ground, waiting for something or someone. When we arrived, Sandra & KK saw 3 cargo planes on the tarmac. Behind one of those planes there were a lot of m-men sitting. On the other side there were empty trucks with their doors open. And a fair few people waiting around. That was all that was going on. Of course our plane was not even half full. But there were even a few westerners,other than Sandra & Xenne, on it. The taxi driver told us that on the markets one can buy goods that have been donated by the international community. I am not sure whether he has seen it for himself or whether he heard about it. But it says enough....
Ok, time to send this on. The lines are incredibly slow...
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Off to Yangon
Tomorrow we'll all be heading to Yangon. See if KK's family is ok. see about his business and if our apartment survived unscathed or whether there is major cleaning to be done... That is, if we can locate KK's brother since he has Sandra's keys to the apartment. KK lost his the day before we left for Thailand. so it could also be that the whole apartement is empty....... Oh well, we'll see.
Sandra isn't too thrilled to go. But she keeps in mind that there is always the possibility of a (hasty?) retreat back to Thailand. Provided that Kyaw Kyaw gets a visa (read: if the consulair section of the Thai embassy is open or not). Sandra went shopping today and bought a lot of baby food and candles. Hopefully it'll be enough.....
Sandra's parents just left. We' all said goodbye. Well, they kind of forgot about me really. I was in Sandra's bag as usual but no one paid much attention to me.
If i have a change i'll try to put up some pictures later. But now Sandra tells me we need to pack.
Sandra isn't too thrilled to go. But she keeps in mind that there is always the possibility of a (hasty?) retreat back to Thailand. Provided that Kyaw Kyaw gets a visa (read: if the consulair section of the Thai embassy is open or not). Sandra went shopping today and bought a lot of baby food and candles. Hopefully it'll be enough.....
Sandra's parents just left. We' all said goodbye. Well, they kind of forgot about me really. I was in Sandra's bag as usual but no one paid much attention to me.
If i have a change i'll try to put up some pictures later. But now Sandra tells me we need to pack.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Update on the cyclone
The news is getting worse and worse each day. We all follow the big news channels (CNN, BBC, Al-Jazeera) and we all get extremely fustrated about the lack of cooperation of the military government.
We have no news yet of KK's family but we remain very hopeful and statisticaly speaking they should be fine. Besides, that area is not too near the river.
Sandra just chatted to a former collegue and she said that there is still no water and electricity in Yangon. A week after the cyclone hit. The internet obviously works but only because most internet cafes have generators. She also said that many foreigners (the teachers at Sandra's forer school for example) are all leaving because they can't deal with the situation.
Sandra isn't sure wether she shoudl hope that the government won't give her a vias any time soon (so we have a good reason to remain in Thailand for a while) or that they wil give her the visa so we can see how KK's family is and our freinds and what (if any) is the damage in and around our apartment.
For the rest, we're all doing fine. Chiang Mai is hot and humid. We don't do much except play with Xenne, have a massage, see old friends and things like that...
We have no news yet of KK's family but we remain very hopeful and statisticaly speaking they should be fine. Besides, that area is not too near the river.
Sandra just chatted to a former collegue and she said that there is still no water and electricity in Yangon. A week after the cyclone hit. The internet obviously works but only because most internet cafes have generators. She also said that many foreigners (the teachers at Sandra's forer school for example) are all leaving because they can't deal with the situation.
Sandra isn't sure wether she shoudl hope that the government won't give her a vias any time soon (so we have a good reason to remain in Thailand for a while) or that they wil give her the visa so we can see how KK's family is and our freinds and what (if any) is the damage in and around our apartment.
For the rest, we're all doing fine. Chiang Mai is hot and humid. We don't do much except play with Xenne, have a massage, see old friends and things like that...
Monday, May 05, 2008
Cyclone
We're safe and sound in Thailand. It seems that this holiday couldn't have been planned better. According to the news, the cyclone will arrive here too but is apparently diminished in strength so it'll more be like a normal storm.
Yangon looks a mess when we see the pictures on the news and we hope our home is ok. But there is no way to establish contact at the moment. Sandra sent a message the other day (about something completely unrelated) and she got a message back telling her that the delivery has been delayed.... Which is not so strange as Yangon has no power (and no water either if we understood everything correctly). And KK got the news from the Burmese in Khao San Rd already yesterday that the whoel of Burma was closed already for 3-4 days. No flights in and out of either Yangon or Mandalay. Sandra had booked a little early because she had planned to go to the Burmese embassy before her parents would arrive (a plan which failed since it was extremely busy at the embassy when they arrived there so we didn't wait. The visa is now being arranged via a travel agency). But in teh end it was a good thing we got here this early or we might not have gotten here at all.....
Yangon looks a mess when we see the pictures on the news and we hope our home is ok. But there is no way to establish contact at the moment. Sandra sent a message the other day (about something completely unrelated) and she got a message back telling her that the delivery has been delayed.... Which is not so strange as Yangon has no power (and no water either if we understood everything correctly). And KK got the news from the Burmese in Khao San Rd already yesterday that the whoel of Burma was closed already for 3-4 days. No flights in and out of either Yangon or Mandalay. Sandra had booked a little early because she had planned to go to the Burmese embassy before her parents would arrive (a plan which failed since it was extremely busy at the embassy when they arrived there so we didn't wait. The visa is now being arranged via a travel agency). But in teh end it was a good thing we got here this early or we might not have gotten here at all.....
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
So much has happened
Although i wasn't there all the time i got all the info from Sandra......
On thursday she got the telephone number of a dutch woman who lives here in Yangon. It turned out that there is not really a dutch community but that the dutch who live here in Yangon get together every year to celebrate Koninginnedag (for an explanation of this very dutch day see http://www.thehollandring.com/koninginnedag.shtml ). Sandra was sooo disappointed. She had just booked tickets to Thailand for the 30th. But she said she'd love to join them next year (and get together before that time of course). It turns out that there are 21 ! dutch people living in Burma as far as it is known. Sandra was so surprised. 21 dutch, that is so much more than she ever expected. She had heard about other dutch every once in a while (e.g. a taxidriver talking about a dutch man he knew who lived in Yangon and whether Sandra knew him. Or Xenne's doctor who talked about a dutch woman and her 3 year old son) but she had never imagined that there would be this many people here. And now she wonders what they're all doing here....
Then on saturday Sandra, Xenne & I went into the supermarket to buy baby food while KK stayed with the taxi and all our other shoppings (read: he and the taxi driver sat in the teashop looking at the car and drinking tea). Sandra was just looking at some baby things when a woman started to talk to her. She had seen Xenne (he was in the baby carrier) and she was so surprised to see another western woman with a baby. Her son was 5 months old and he's also half burmese (she's american). So they got all exited and started to talk like crazy in the store. Luckily for me, Xenne started to squirm and cry a little otherwise we might have been in there for ever. They exchanged phone numbers and yesterday Xenne, Sandra & I went over there (they had electricity and we didn't). And Sandra thought it was fantastic. They had so many things to talk about. And they were both so happy to find another woman with a baby here in Yangon (there are western children here but usually past the toddler stage at least). And now they can't wait till the 2 guys meet. KK was busy yesterday so he didn't come along. Me, i found all that baby talk a bit boring but i was happy just to be there and enjoy the cool air....
Alright, the next post will probably be from Thailand.
On thursday she got the telephone number of a dutch woman who lives here in Yangon. It turned out that there is not really a dutch community but that the dutch who live here in Yangon get together every year to celebrate Koninginnedag (for an explanation of this very dutch day see http://www.thehollandring.com/koninginnedag.shtml ). Sandra was sooo disappointed. She had just booked tickets to Thailand for the 30th. But she said she'd love to join them next year (and get together before that time of course). It turns out that there are 21 ! dutch people living in Burma as far as it is known. Sandra was so surprised. 21 dutch, that is so much more than she ever expected. She had heard about other dutch every once in a while (e.g. a taxidriver talking about a dutch man he knew who lived in Yangon and whether Sandra knew him. Or Xenne's doctor who talked about a dutch woman and her 3 year old son) but she had never imagined that there would be this many people here. And now she wonders what they're all doing here....
Then on saturday Sandra, Xenne & I went into the supermarket to buy baby food while KK stayed with the taxi and all our other shoppings (read: he and the taxi driver sat in the teashop looking at the car and drinking tea). Sandra was just looking at some baby things when a woman started to talk to her. She had seen Xenne (he was in the baby carrier) and she was so surprised to see another western woman with a baby. Her son was 5 months old and he's also half burmese (she's american). So they got all exited and started to talk like crazy in the store. Luckily for me, Xenne started to squirm and cry a little otherwise we might have been in there for ever. They exchanged phone numbers and yesterday Xenne, Sandra & I went over there (they had electricity and we didn't). And Sandra thought it was fantastic. They had so many things to talk about. And they were both so happy to find another woman with a baby here in Yangon (there are western children here but usually past the toddler stage at least). And now they can't wait till the 2 guys meet. KK was busy yesterday so he didn't come along. Me, i found all that baby talk a bit boring but i was happy just to be there and enjoy the cool air....
Alright, the next post will probably be from Thailand.
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