A Day in the Life: An Expat in Myanmar

I am still home-sweet-home in Florida, USA, and will be here for another week. The jet lag finally melted away, and the work stress is slowly following. 

I have received many questions about what daily life is like for me in Myanmar, so I decided to take a small break from my travel posts to describe what it's like for me, an expat, to live in a developing country.

Coachie-coachies all dressed up for Homage Day ceremonies in September.

Recently I read a blog post on Pinterest because I am researching a destination for future travel. This person called their post "[Country Name]: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly." The author used each adjective as a heading and went on to describe the geography, politics, economy, culture, people, and other experiences from that country. I know that the author was trying to be clever, but as I read the post, I thought about how offended I would feel if some foreigner came to my country and started calling it "bad" or "ugly." My question is, who really decides if things are "bad" or "ugly"... or "good" for that matter? In my post, I will point out some of my favorite things about living in Myanmar, and some things that I find a bit quirky (or even uncomfortable). But remember, these are only my opinions and my truths as I know them.

FYI - there is a lot of information in the captions of this post, so don't skip over those if you want the full(ish) picture.

First of all, I absolutely live to travel, and Myanmar is an excellent place for such an opportunity. The country itself is quite beautiful, and it is also very close to many other destinations. From  Yangon, it takes about an hour and a half to get to Bangkok, two hours to Vietnam, and about three to Hong Kong or Singapore. There are obviously more places in the vicinity to visit, but that gives you an idea of the opportunities that I have, and why it seems like I never work. (I promise, I do work... In fact, I work VERY hard. Which is why I play so hard!)

Bagan, Myanmar - October 2016

Kalaw (Central Myanmar) - November 2016

U Bein Bridge - Mandalay, Myanmar - June 2017

Ngwe Saung (beach), Myanmar - September 2017

While I obviously love traveling, the point of this post is to help you understand what it's like to live a daily life in the Myanmar. One more photo to celebrate the beauty of Myanmar, and then I will move on to the task at hand: 

This is Shwedagon Pagoda, which is one of my favorite places in the entire city of Yangon. It's kind of like my new Empire State Building; every time I see it, my heart flutters and it makes me smile. It is just so beautiful.

New learnings
I am not political nor am I am expert on world history, but I want to clarify some of my new understandings about where I live. Before moving to Yangon, I made the mistake of telling people that I was moving to a Third World Country. After moving here, I learned that it is more correct to refer to Myanmar as developing, rather than third world. I have learned that the original meaning of "third world" has to do with allegiances during the Cold War. Third World Countries were those who remained neutral or whose views were not aligned with the either political side. It just so happens that many of those countries were poor, but over the years that label has come to be a stereotype. For example, Saudi Arabia was neutral and therefor a Third World Country according to the political definition, but today it is a very affluent country. Inversely, America - a First World Country - has some very poor and underdeveloped areas (such as the areas where I used to teach). The term "developing" generally refers to the standards of living, health care systems, education, and infrastructure of a country. While this term has its flaws - it does imply a certain hierarchy between countries, and social ethics could certainly come into question - it is the more politically correct because it is less stereotypical or demeaning. (If you disagree with me, I am definitely open to new learnings! This is just information as I have come to understand it.)

There is a political situation happening in Myanmar, but my blog is not place to comment nor judge such matters. My only comment is that I feel safe living where I do in Yangon. In fact, I feel safer than I did at times in the States. Yes, I have to take precautions. But I've always had to do that, especially as a single woman (unfortunately). 

A few people from back home have suggested that I left America because I no longer like it. Quite the contrary, I LOVE my country. I also happen to love culture and language, and I find it fascinating to live in such a challenging place. I use the word "challenging" because I do not speak the language, nor did I know much about the culture before I moved here. I've tried to learn along the way, and it has been a fun journey!

In Myanmar, the driver sits on the right side of the car, like they do in the UK. However, they drive on the right side of the road, like we do in America. Someone once told me that this is a result of the UK's influence on Myanmar when it was a colony (the driver's position), but also a rebellion against them (the side of the road that they drive on). I have no idea how much truth there is to this idea, but I thought it was an interesting take.

I gave a little tour of my apartment in a post awhile back. I have updated it a bit but haven't had time to take pictures. However, I can share some small differences about my living quarters in Myanmar versus my housing experiences in the United States:

Air conditioning (referred to as "air con" in this country) is a window or wall unit in my apartment as well as my classroom. Temperatures are displayed in Celsius.

The light switches are "upside down," if you are American. You press down to turn on the light (or "open the lights") and you press up to turn them off (or "close the lights"). Electrical outlets also have switches and only work when they are open (on). Outlets like the one in this picture can use the European plugs or the US ones. There are also 3-hole outlets with more squarish prongs found in some places (like my classroom), and another one that has wider round holes.

I don't have a medicine cabinet or much storage in my bathroom areas at home, so I converted this rattan spice rack and Japan Store suction cup towel rod into bathroom fixtures that make my life a bit more comfortable (and familiar).

I do love to shop local. I practically keep the company Koko Candles in business with my monthly candle purchases. All of their candles are made of soy and are hand-poured in Myanmar. They offer candle-making classes, but I have not been able to attend one yet because my schedule was absolutely terrible this semester. Life should be better next semester, so I am hoping try to go to one of their sessions! 

The neighborhood
I live across the street from my school. My commute to Main Campus is about 35 seconds long, and that is not an exaggeration! When I have to walk all the way to the 123 Campus (our lower primary grades), it takes me a whopping 4 minutes to get there. This was one of the main selling points for me when I accepted the job because I have had a 1+ hour commute (in each direction!) my entire adult life. I was sick of commuting. Some people at my current school don't like that we live in such proximity to work, but I still absolutely love it.

View from the top floor of our school... One reason why I spend so much time up in the art room!

My students constantly amaze me. I teach a folk dance called "Sasha," where we count 1-2-3 in Russian. When we take Sasha on a field trip around the world, my students share their languages that they speak at home or study in after school/weekend programs. They write it on the board and teach the class how to pronounce the words. My students have taught me to count to 3 in Myanmar (Burmese - pictured, in purple), Chinese (pictured, in green), Korean, and Thai.

Yangon has a population of more than 5 million people, but it doesn't feel like that where I live. My neighborhood is called Thingangyun (approximately pronounced like the words "thing" + "an" + "gin" like the drink). We are about 20 minutes driving from the downtown city centre, so my neighborhood is more residential than urban. There are city buses, but I never take them because all of the posted information is in Burmese, and I can't figure out how the system works. We have to take cabs everywhere, but I plan to buy a bike next month to help with mobility. 

The sidewalks are not so great in a lot of places, so I mostly walk in the streets whenever I go places. This is one of the reasons why I only run when it is daylight: I am afraid of falling into the sidewalk or getting hit by a car! 

As Myanmar is still developing its infrastructure, there are open sewers and areas for trash and runoff along the sides of many streets. Some neighborhoods cover them with slabs of cement, and some do not. When we get heavy rains, the streets often flood. This happens really badly by the house where I lived last year. The apartment building where I live now is on a different road on the other side of campus, where the flooding is much less extreme. That little change has made a huge difference in my life! (Though I still have to wade through that road to get to 123 Campus, but I only go there twice in a 6-day cycle.)

Glimpse down a side street 

An example of a hole in the sidewalk - notice the foot at the top of the picture for scale

Moderate flooding on the street where I live

More severe flooding... You know I'm a tall girl, right?? Check out those water levels! On days like this, I am always afraid of falling into one of those holes pictured above. Or of snakes. (I definitely squeal when something touches me in the water, though it is usually a plastic bag or piece of trash. Or paranoia.)

This is the road that leads to my old house and the 123 Campus.

I do not like when the street floods like this. Snakes and holes are one thing, but my least favorite thing is when cars speed by. I have definitely been doused by dirty runoff floodwaters on multiple occasions... 

...and this is why I was so happy to finally be fully immunized to live in this country! 

For me, the street flooding is probably my least favorite part about living in Yangon. In addition, the street dogs make me really nervous - especially as a runner. A mama street dog snapped at me once last year when I was running because I got too close to her pups that were hiding in the bushes. (Luckily I got away from her!) I now have my rabies vaccination and I stick to known running routes to be safe. Also, I detest the driving in the city. It is utter chaos on wheels. With lots of honking. But you have to experience some unpleasantries in order to appreciate the good things in life, right?

Ballzy is the only street dog I actually like in Yangon. He and his friends guard our apartments and school from other street dogs.

On a more positive note, one of the things that I find most charming (and sometimes quirky, in a good way!) about living here is the little statues and bits of culture all over the place. Sometimes they are Buddhist relics and sometimes they are elephants or other guardians. There are also little displays that may celebrate the season or simply offer a dash of decor in random places. Sometimes these are found in the streets or restaurants, and sometimes they are in stores or shopping plazas.

I love these guys. (These statues in particular have more Thai influence than anything, but they are still a cool part of the "local" charm, for me 😀 )


Elephant decor at a local restaurant - found on the staircase banister

"Rainy Season" display at the junction shopping center near my apartment.

Active Life (#runlikeagirl)
While I do live in a foreign country, I have been able to carry on with some of my favorite pastimes that I did when I lived in the States. I go to a yoga studio that I absolutely adore, and I still run quite regularly. I am much slower in Myanmar than I was when I lived in the northern United States because of the heat and humidity, but I am grateful that I am still able to run. I have even done a couple of races in this part of the world. My next one is in mid-January, in my very own city of Yangon!

My yoga studio has two locations. I love both of them for different reasons. This one is closest to my neighborhood. I love it because it looks like you are going into a secret garden when you enter. The downtown location is also wonderful because it is full of sunlight and is attached to a vegan cafe called Nourish. One of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday morning is to go to an early class and eat a healthy brunch afterwards. It makes for a very happy start to the weekend :-)

I run mostly around a stadium nearby. There are not many street dogs, and I know the mileage quite well.

There are usually soccer games that dot the stadium course where I run. On weekdays it is not a problem because I run so early, but I tend to encounter about 4-6 games in the half-mile loop around the stadium. (You can see a game in the background behind me in this selfie.)

These barricades attempt to keep taxis out.

I usually end my run here. Not a bad finish line, eh? #sunrisesaremyfavorite

I also coach volleyball at school. I have discovered that I absolutely love coaching! I play with the girls sometimes, and the coaches even played together in a tournament that our team hosted at a fundraiser. It was so much fun to play again. There is a local volleyball club that plays pickup ball somewhere in town. I have yet to go, but I would like to try it sometime. 

I have joined a softball team at the American Legion as well. It is almost more social than physically active, but Softball Sundays are super fun. It's nice to meet other people. I am pretty athletic, but I am NOT a softball player, so I am grateful that my team is pretty patient with me. Mostly I earn my keep by running really hard on the bases. I basically throw a party every time I actually make contact between the bat and the ball. Haha! 

Coach Stefanie 🏆

Softball Sundays - I love that we play this American sport with the stupas in the background!

Local life: East Meets West(ish)
I interact with locals and shop at local places, but I live with and work with Westerners. I shop in the local market every Sunday and buy fruits and veggies from the beautiful lady that works at the stall, and I pay her without exchanging a single word in English. However, I also shop at one of the new high riser shopping malls in the downtown area of the city, where I buy Western products like almond butter and granola. 

Love my local coffee shop. Mr. James is the best! #goodvibes

This is the local market where I buy most of my produce. It is behind my apartment complex on a narrow, crowded street. I have to soak all of my veggies before I eat them because of pesticides and standards of agriculture here. They sell "veggie wash" in the stores, but I don't think it makes sense to wash chemicals with chemicals, so I use vinegar water. So far, so good!

Myanmar Plaza is home to my grocery store, my favorite spa, and a few other shopping staples.

Inside Myanmar Plaza - on Sundays, it's like a rave in there, with flashing lights and music blasting at special events on the ground level. Notice that the escalators don't match up. They are in different locations on different floors.

The "fancy" Japan store in Myanmar Plaza - just one example of a store inside the mall.

Bathroom signs.

Food, glorious food!
Some days I crave street food, and some days, a girls really just wants a hamburger (though if I'm being honest, they aren't very good in Yangon, but they ARE available!). The country is slowly opening up, so I can get a taste of both worlds. I am a little sad though, because Starbucks is opening downtown. I love Starbucks (I know, I know...) but it's almost like a "there goes the neighborhood" feeling. It reminds me of the first time I saw a salad place open up in Bushwick (the neighborhood where I taught in NYC, which is now crawling with hipsters). I know it's a good thing for the economy, but I worry that the country may start to lose some of its charm as it Westernizes. But I suppose that is how places evolve.

Some noodles from a local food center near my apartments (not Linn's, for those who know what that is!)

And then we have this.

Rambutan, a local fruit similar to lychee. (I used to think they looked like aliens! Hehe.) It has a hard jelly-like texture and is a little bit sweet - the flavor is kind of like a squishy pear. You eat the clearish-whiteish part. There is a hard seed in the middle. 

One of my favorite dishes at Nourish Cafe (the vegan restaurant attached to my downtown yoga studio). This is an acai and berry smoothie bowl. D-E-L-I-S-H.

This fruit is called durian. It's banned some places because of its spiky skin. Supposedly it tastes really good, but I can't get past the smell. It is used in a lot of local dishes and snacks in Southeast Asia.

My FAVORITE dessert pastry in Myanmar - egg tarts

My comfort food is mac 'n cheese. The kind in the box with the powder. Absolutely no shame in my game. I bring it back in my suitcase when I come home because it is rare to find this in Myanmar.

I buy local products whenever possible. For example, I order Annie's Yogurt on a weekly basis. It is a local company in Yangon, and their greek yogurt is all natural. I use it daily in my smoothies, but I also sometimes buy the little jars as snacks from my yoga studio. My favorite flavor to snack on is coffee (pictured here).

There are lots of food options in Yangon. They have everything from local street vendors with noodles and sticky rice, to burger and pizza places (though the pizza specials often have prawns or corn on them... things I would never see on pizza in the States!). The only familiar fast food place (so far) is KFC. They serve rice instead of potatoes.

My favorite local food place is called MTM. For some reason, I don't have any pictures of this place. It is in my neighborhood, on the busy street near the junction. You sit in little plastic chairs on the sidewalk by the street, and they bring you food as they cook it. My favorite dish there is called Lady Fingers, which is the name they use for okra. (I happen to be obsessed with okra here.) They also make a killer friend noodle dish. Of course all of this tastes best with a cheap local beer. 

One of my favorite Western restaurants is called Yangon Bakehouse. They have super yummy food and serve a good cause too. They train local women in all of the positions from server to cashier to manager. They can work their way up and eventually graduate so they can go on to earn a living and support their families. I eat here (either in-house or delivery) at least once a week.

Egg sandwich and cappuccino... yum!!

Chalkboard with specials... at Thanksgiving time, they even had pumpkin pie!

You will find a lot of expats here, sometimes working on computers. Just like any Starbucks you would see in America.

The beer in Myanmar is generally cheap and similar to Coors Light or something along those lines. It ALWAYS gives me a headache. The expat community jumped for joy when a craft brewery opened awhile ago. It is on the riverside, which makes for lovely views as well.

Yay! Craft beer! And it's local! (Get it?? BURma + BRITain)

A Myanmar flight has a bonus beer. Hehe.
My favorite is the red ale, but it's all pretty tasty.

This girl loves a good sunset on the water. Makes the beer taste even better!

The patio is charming when the sun goes down.

A few (more) of my favorite things

Something new and different about my life in Southeast Asia is that my level of pampering has skyrocketed. I get foot massages and mani-pedis very regularly. I also get a hair wash on a weekly or biweekly basis. These hair washes are not just regular hair washes that you get when you go for a hair cut in the States. My favorite place in Yangon gives you one hour of full body reflexology, and then they give you a 20-minute hair wash and scalp massage. I usually get the blow out too, which always makes my hair look way better than I could ever do on my own. All of this costs about $7 USD. Yes, I know I am spoiled, and I am completely okay with that!

Finally, one of the best things about living in Myanmar is the people: They are very charming and welcoming. Sure, I get a lot of stares because I don't exactly blend, but that happens almost everywhere (except when I visited Germany and the surrounding countries). Almost everyone here is very kind and happy to have visitors. People here seem to be proud of their country and their traditions, and they are happy to share it with others. It really is a beautiful place.

My wonderful teaching assistant, Ms. Thwe. Not only does she make my work life immensely better, but also teaches me a lot about daily life and local culture.

Final Thoughts:

I started writing this post last year at this time. I revisited the post many times, writing and writing and writing paragraphs at a time, trying to describe every little detail about my new life. I realized that I can't ever fully explain everything, but hopefully this gives you a little glimpse into what it's like for me to live "over there." 

And maybe - HOPEFULLY - it'll convince you that you need to visit your friend in Myanmar. You are always welcome... I'm just a plane ride away :-)

Merry *Myanmar* Christmas and Happy (Western) New Year!