Notes from Yangon

Last Sunday, for the second time since I got here, I actually saw a piece of blue sky; it only lasted a little bit. 

Does that sound horribly gloomy? I promise you it's not.  (Sunshine would certainly cast the city in a happier glow, but at the same time, it isnt down).  I've struggled with how I should start this, indeed, whether I should even start/do this, a blog on my living here in Burma/Myanmar Rangoon/Yangon.   I'm not going to pretend to speak authoritatively on the subject of life here,; I can only give glimpses of what I have experienced, so by no means wshould what I say be taken as ironclad, but I hope to maybe offer a few peaks at my experiences and life here. 

(Im also going to say, that I started this way before and veentually had to scrap the whole thing an dstart over, so, big breath, and here we go.)

Rainy season in Burma/mYanmar/Rangoon/Yangon is not quite like rainy season in Thailand or any other place I've been.  It really seems to rain, or opour torrentially, or drizzle, or be gray, just about all the time.  I will say that I do prefer sunshine, but listening to the rain sometimes can be calming. And who knows, come October, during the dry season, maybe I'll really be wishing for some rain.

Burma seems (right now, especially from all the flashy talk about new investmaent, partnerships, etc) poised for a makeover, a second chance, A rush of companies, people are coming in.  And at the same time, Big parts of Yangon are slowly crumbling.  One notices buildings next to each other, one looks sihiny and newish, the other, is green, or blackish-- (what I think is mold).   Lots of crumbling British colonial architecture,  Sometimes even the nice looking buildings, when you look from the side, you see they are all green... mold?  just... not... stable... architecture? Im kind of at a loss.  Sometimes people live in incredibly makeshift looking structures, structuires that almost remnind me of the ones I saw in the refugee camps on the Thai border. But, more generally people live in 'regular buildings.' nicer-ish condos, crumbly ones abound. Somewtimes people live in enormous gorgeous houses (this is a part of the city I havent been around that much yet), sometimes people live in little apartments.  (I'm told there is some interesting hereitage restoration work going on, but I can also say that more than oner person has lamented the state of the buildings here). 

On the whole it seems like Burma, Burmese culture, language, minority/women's/sexual etc rights, didnt really develop past the 1960s; it never got a chance to.  On one hand, that s totally unfair to say:  there is plenty of modernity here.  But in many ways, it seems like the stranglehold that the Burmese Generals had on society stifled more than just democracy.  A friend told me about her friend who was struggling to translate political theory into Burmese (now allowed) and found himself simply making up words, because they simply didn't exist. Women's rights and expected roles in society?  Rights of minorities, lgbt, etc. In quite a few ways, I feel like I'm looking at American society from the 1960s.  Not that somehow it isnt in Burmese culture for people to, say, accept that all people, regardless of backgrounds should havbe equal rights, but just that large parts of Burmese society  never got a chance to evolve in the ways that say American or other societies have.

       Now this, .... stagnation is not the right word, more like, lockhold on society  in the past is obviously, also not true in so many ways, right?  Hip hop is pretty much the most popular music at the moment (more on this below).  (Yesterday I missed a swag party with a 'sexy dance' contest.  yeah.  cab driver couldnt figure out where it was, and we were obviously no help.  More on that below).    Ok. Enough ruminating, especially on things I dont fully know enough about yet.  And, I will point out, I dont speak the language, which I think is always paramount to really understanding a culture.  That being said, I feel like my travels, and especially time in Asia have helped me be a little bit more clued in/aware of what's going on around me.  So what follows are just some random observations, notes on Yangon/Rangoon.

Yangon is not Thailand. And Yangon is definitely not India.  But for those who have traveled in both of those neighboring countries, there is quite a bit you can draw from those cities to start to understand this one..  So it's very much a developing country (really. a shame, seeing that Burma was one of the most developed and advanced countries in the region before the generals muffled society. But. this is not the place to ruminate on history)..  What does that mean? lots of pollution from cars and buses.  Palm trees.  torrential downpours (it is rainy season), btu they dont last too long.  Trash not always making it into trash cans (but nothing on the scale of India.)

            My first night I was here.I went to meet a professor who does media studies work here in Burma.  She was really nice to meet up with me the day before she was leaving.  When I got home, there was a blackout.  I could barely move around in my apartment or find things.   But it was kind of amazing how much it seemed people and the city seem to function normally under those conditions… because they’re totally used to it.  (I’m told blackouts are more common during the non-rainy season, which starts again in October).  

            Yangon is a city of cars.     There is no real (read: good) public transportation system.  Buses exist but are super crowded, slow, and maybe used to be, but aren't so much now I hear a little dangerous. (I have heard expats are starting to take them).  People (with any kind of means) take cabs everywhere.  I’d heard this, but it’s also really true.  Traffic jams are horrendous. I had also heard cabs were literally falling to pieces.  But while they’er not amazing, I have yet to see a car that bad.  And here, poeple drive on the right side of the road like in the US.  As a kind of F.U. to colonialism, the Burmese switched to the right side of the road soon after getting independence (as well as established themselves as what I think is the only country to be 30 minutes off of GMT).  But although people drive on the right side of the road, the driver doesn't have to be on the right. ie. some cars, the driver is on the left and some the driver is on the right.  This also means though that they can import used cars from just about anywhere. and they do.  Oh and seatbelts?  What?  I dont even know what that is.  (Seriously, I've yet to see a driver put one on even with beeping noises, and in the back seats they're usually shoved behind the seats so you can't actually wear them).

      (A corollary to all this is that motorbikes are not allowed in Yangon.  I was recently told that it's because there was a strong anti-government motorcycle gang at one point, which I could easily believe, but this could also turn out to be urban legend....) 

  Before coming, I'd heard about all used vehicles from Japan, but until I saw it, how much this is true didn't really register. (It's also amazing how fast these things fade from view, ie, you stop noticing.  Ive been here a week? and already). There are lots of buses and cars all over town wit Japanese writing on them.  (Though my favorite one I've seen is a small 'Family Mart' truck, a truck from a Japanese convenience store, like 7-11).

The Internet:

When I got here, the Burmese internet was broken.  Broken as in the actual dots of light that travel on fiber cables around the world, ie the physical pieces of the internet that most of us dont usually think about, well they were only partially connected and working.  It was, of course, frustrating, but also really interesting to experience it first hand,  as many of you know, I did research on the very topic. Then as a journalist, I got totrack down what was actually happening. (And my first published story was on it).   (You can read that story here if you want:   ). I'm currently working on a much bigger, follow-up piece about the state of the BUrmese internet and plans to enhance the robustness, speed, and infrastructure here.)  For the most part, the internet is now 'fixed.'  But fixed or not, it's still a good deal slower than we in the US (let alone a place like Korea) is used to.  Burma has yet to experience the influx of Japanese style convenience stores (Though that's not for want of trying.  There are a few knock-off -y ones here that are definitely trying...)

Food:

Street food. It semlls so good. And yet.  It's rainy season.  Hygeine is not that bad here... But.... it's not Thailand.  And we're pretty much advised to not really eat it, especially during rainy season.  (Instead I just spend too much money at places that have fast internet.  There are a couple in the city. More on that below) The Burmese journalists in my office also don't eat it.  And the one time I did finally try some street food, something I thought would be very innocuous, let's just say, I got a little sick. I dont even know  Food in general for a Naomi with an oddly turned digestive system? Let's just say I'm still figuring it all out.  One definite occurance? lot of oily food.  Not always and not everywhere.  But. quite a bit.  There are quite a few bakeries that seem like kind of a cross between the Chinese style and Japanese style and donut shops are pretty popular. , like TOkyo Donut et,c -- it's a weird amalgamation of Japanese bread store, chinese bakery, and some Indian sweets all kind of mixed in, plus like say Thai fruit shakes that they sell at these places... ).  But because of where Burma sits geographically, and because of it's history, there is a ton of Chinese and Indian food in this city.  I've had some pretty good (but insanely oily) dosas.  And quite a bit of Thai. 

  Restaurants:  There are restuarants here that if you saw it in a developed country, youd say, oh yeah, that's totally a restaurant. And then there are all sorts of in betweens.  Tea shops set up on the sidewalk, some with an actual kitchen inside, too.  SOme that are just inside.  And then Beer stations.. which as far as I can gather so far, are basically just like tea shops but the drink of choice is alcoholic.

Hello!  That's the general cry one hears from people on the street who want to engage (but don't necessarily really speak english), as well as from cab drivers driving by thining you might need a ride (and some who drive slowly alongside you, not getting that no means you dont really need a ride. ^^;)

English speakers:

            There are plenty of people here with good English.  I havent met that many of them yet.  But I know they're here (I have met some).  Interestingly, it is the older generation that often speaks better than the younger (unless they're really studying it in school).  Because for a while after they got independence, the British school system was kind of kept in place (as much as I can understand).  I met one man who was so happy and nervous to use his English; he hadn't had really much of a chance to in years. He told me his Burmese name, but said all his childhood friends used to call him by his English name, Glen.  

 There are outdoor markets all over the city. And then there are City Marts. Basically a huge grocery store/supermarket (whats the difference?  To us Americans, is there one?).  Everything from food to household appliances to paper and notebooks etc.  Apparently they are in multiple spots all over the city.And they sell everything..  Seriously. They sell Italian chocolates, stuff you dont find tin the US. It's a little disconcerting, or at least it was for me, because I had to wonder, with the kind of prices inside sucha n immaculte clean looking place, that very typical Burmese dont shop at a [place like that.  I dont know... Im still figuring these things out. It might be that the more 'typical' person is buying only a few select items at a shop like this.  But, especially when one realizes that all the price tags are in english with the prices in roman script, it does give one pause.  

  Then yesterday, I finally wandered into Ruby Mart.  Conclusion?  It's kind of likethe Sams Club/Walmart version.  But again some crazy price differences.   Like  some mascara for less than a dollar. maybelline.  and revlon nailpolish for 6 dollars.  But really cheap headphones.  I still am a little befuddled.  But hello kitty earbuds are a'callin me. 

SIM cards and cellphones and wifi:

   SIM cards are now more readily available in BUrma. Before coming, I had read that there are now totally cheap ones.  BUt permanent ones cost about $250.  Though they did just release ones that are about $130.  So, needless to say, lots of people here don't have cell phones.  Even the exat reporters in my office.  Navigating the world, as if one was back in pre-cellphone, pre: 2001 ish? land is... interesting to say the least.  There are people on the street who have a small table with one or two phones, and you can pay to make a phone call.

And wifi?  good, fast, reliable wifi?  there are only a few spots in the city with that.  And hands down, Traders Hotel is said to be the best.  And this leads to a very interesting mix of clientel.  Usually at such a swank, nice hotel, one does not see, say, the backpacker type.  But because of the state of the internet here in Burma/Myanmar, it attracts and welcomes all.  (For a pretty price, of course).  It also increases the odds of running into a friend, because everyone wants the wifi there.  Literally, my editor told me they chose that location for the office because it's right beside Traders, ie good internet if something ever happens to the office internet. (During the massive slowdown, we lost all internet at one point.)

There is a really interesting expat crowd here.   I've been on the Yangon Expat Connection Google group for a bit before coming and was pleasantly surprised with all the different things being advertised.  Indian cooking classes, pilates, etc....  (I'm starting to fade, and this blog post has gotten way way too long.  Is anyone still reading?)  Sooo I'm going to quickly finish.  (I will just mention that among the American expats, It seems like there are a lot of people from DC...)  There are tons of Japanese people here.  I was really surprised at how much Japanese i've heard.  I saw some numbers that said, the biggest group of expats are (not suprisingly) Chinese, but then close behind are Japanese, Korean, and then American.

The British Club and the former British Anbassador. 

  But daaaahling, the place to be on the first friday of every month is the British Club. Or so everyone said.  I apparently went at the wrong time, missed the party, but ended up meeting the former Ambassador from ENgland who is back to send up a human rights conscious business investing consulting firm (Did that make sense?)  Super nice. Invited me to meet some friends who have worked here for a long time, whose husband is a musician (naomi is trying to netowrk with the music set here).  Ended up in a ridiculously smoky apartment, having a really interesting conversation with her friend and her who have been here a while, working in human rights, and now working with the military government.  Let's just say I havent heard so much positivity about elements of the government.  Cute half 5 year old daughter who has taken to glomping on to me when she sees me.

A note on Burmese machismo.

The closest thing that I think merits a comparison is what I've heard and read about machismo in a place, like , say, MExico.  I'm still gleaning this.  ...I dont want to say things here that would give a fals impression, or that I would need to correct later.  But let's just say , there;s a kind of macho Burmese guy thing going on.  I'm told it's called 'pon, and it resides mostly in a males right arm (or right side?).  (I feel like this would make a fascinating thesis).  

   And women... are evreywhere, selling things in shops, buying, working, being engineers, etc. But that being said, there is definitely the 'chaste Burmese' girl, and a very different definition of proper attire for modest women (ie. pop stars dont really show much), and one doesnt see many women hanging out in tea shops or beer stations.... but otherwise they're pretty much everywhere... ie. this is not northern India.  But, apparently mixing, say, the wifes clothes with the man's in the laundry can detract from his 'pon'... I dont know, Im really going to stop ruminating on that, as I just dont know enough yet.

And now for my serious (serious face!) paragraph.  My -this is me explaining to you as your business consultant what to expect in 'Myanmar' paragraph.'

            The political changes within the country within the last year and a half have heralded an incredible amount of economic opportunities and changes within Myanmar.  Everyone is trying to get a grasp of the market, markets from telecom to energy that are almost completely wide open.  But the military has still been attacking people in the north (though new peace efforts are underway).  I covered the Speaker of the British House of Commons on a visit to Burma this week.

Political changes in Burma?

 When asked \about the cahnges, the general gist I've gotten from people is (This is my totally unscientific sampling so far), "well now I can say what I want, but nothing ewlse has really changed."  Peple have toldd me they dont like the president, the military. they like Aung San Suu Kyi.  But that in reality, nothing else has really changed.  And that.  Is really fodder for probably a whole other post (numerous probably) , if not semester long research projet.  Read: partly, I think there are too many things to tease out.  But let's just say as a brief sum up of it:  Things have been liberalized enough so that the economy is starting to dfeel the impact and people are investing. Whether or not that means that politiaclly things really will cahnge.... I think the die is still waiting to be cast on that one.

                 

And what is Naomi doing here?  Well, more on that later.  This is seriously too long.  If you want to see things I've written so far for the newspaper, check out : www.irrawaddy.  I have been (kind of surprising myself), using my real name.  Let's just hope I can get back in to the country when I go to Thailand next month to renew my visa.

OH MY GOD.  Did anyone actually get through that?  Next I promise lots of pictures.  And short posts.