Myanmar: Day 1...what I've learned

So today we had breakfast at the school….french fries, beef roti, fruit, cheese sandwiches, noodles. Um, DELICIOUS. (the heads of the offices here are all Middle Eastern - and their food is GOOD!!)

Then we were off to learn about Myanmar (from now on, let’s call it RM – Republic of Myanmar).  We learned about our school, the camp, and then went on a tour of Rangon (the old capitol, also where I now live). Here’s the highlights of what I’ve learned/seen…

-        -  RM people were lotion on their cheeks that look like gold paint; it makes them age well

-        -  The biggest RM note (chet = K) is only a 5000 one

-        -  Taxi’s use meters: a “mouth meter” which means you bargain before you get in

-        -  EVERY.ONE. wears a skirt sarong (I forget the actual name) but for boys they wear the knot in the front, and the girls wear them to the side. If the man wears it to the side it means he’s gay

-       -   Schwe Dagon is the OLDEST Buddist statue in the world

-        -  80% of the country is Buddhist

-        -  SIM card for a phone is $250 (no, I will not be getting a phone here)

Schwe Dagon

Apes at the Schwe Dagon!

HUGE LION!!!

And I’ve already learned how to say some things in Burmese:

-        -  Ne kong le = how are you

-        -  Sa pi bi la = have you eaten

-        -  Be thaw me le = where are you going

-        -  Jesu tim badee = thank you

-        -  Hogget = yes

-        -  Mahoboo = no

-        -  Paiset sche-mae = check

-        -  Why bee-bee = already bought

What’s even cooler about knowing how to say those in Burmese? I ALREADY CAN SAY THEM IN THAI!!!

Minglabar,

Apes :)