Where is Myanmar, anyway?
Myanmar is in Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand.
Why was the 18 hour bus ride harrowing? Can you answer that in a way that wouldn't be so shocking to 11-12 year olds?
The ride was harrowing mainly because of the duration. A flight from Yangon to Bagan takes about one hour, so you can imagine the quality of the roads and the bus if the ride takes 18. A "VIP Air-Con", which I was on, basically means you are in a donated Korean junk-bucket circa 1980 with vents and little leg room. The blaring karaoke music videos that played all night didn't help matters!
In the Bagan villages,do the homes made of bamboo and balanced on stilts have refrigerators?Ovens?How do they sustain weight?
The villages I visited are actually near Inle Lake, a mountainous region northwest of Bagan. Bamboo is one of the strongest natural materials in the world. The structures are built to be self-supporting and the walls and roofs are made of lighter, thatched materials. There is electricity that runs through the villages. Some have refrigeration devices and most cook on open flames.
How do people survive on 7 cents a day? What kind of clothing do they wear?
It is very difficult for them and many blame government corruption for the economic troubles. Since everyone is so poor, things like food and clothing are relatively cheap. There is little luxury to be had for the general population. Most men wear a garment called a longyi. It is a cotton or silk sarong that is worn around the waist and wrapped sort of like a towel. It hangs close to the ground. Women wear visible white or yellow powder on their faces to protect them from the sun and for general aesthetic purposes.
What is Myanmar's history? Did the British colonize the country?
Britain ruled Myanmar(then known as Burma) from 1824-1886 as part of its Indian Empire. It was a province of India until 1937 and became fully independent in 1948. The government was led by a military general from 1962-1988. He later appointed himself president but in 1990 he lost a democratic election to a woman called Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmar is controversial because the military dictatorship in place did not hand over the government or the parliament to Suu Kyi. Instead they have kept the Nobel Peace Prize winner under house arrest and kept a tight grip on control of the country. This is why Myanmar (still known officially by the US as Burma) faces economic isolation and sanctions from many countries in the international community and is seen by some as a "pariah state."
Did you feel any effects from the earthquakes this past week?
No vibrations felt in Myanmar, but people were worried about aftershocks.
Myanmar is in Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand.
Why was the 18 hour bus ride harrowing? Can you answer that in a way that wouldn't be so shocking to 11-12 year olds?
The ride was harrowing mainly because of the duration. A flight from Yangon to Bagan takes about one hour, so you can imagine the quality of the roads and the bus if the ride takes 18. A "VIP Air-Con", which I was on, basically means you are in a donated Korean junk-bucket circa 1980 with vents and little leg room. The blaring karaoke music videos that played all night didn't help matters!
In the Bagan villages,do the homes made of bamboo and balanced on stilts have refrigerators?Ovens?How do they sustain weight?
The villages I visited are actually near Inle Lake, a mountainous region northwest of Bagan. Bamboo is one of the strongest natural materials in the world. The structures are built to be self-supporting and the walls and roofs are made of lighter, thatched materials. There is electricity that runs through the villages. Some have refrigeration devices and most cook on open flames.
How do people survive on 7 cents a day? What kind of clothing do they wear?
It is very difficult for them and many blame government corruption for the economic troubles. Since everyone is so poor, things like food and clothing are relatively cheap. There is little luxury to be had for the general population. Most men wear a garment called a longyi. It is a cotton or silk sarong that is worn around the waist and wrapped sort of like a towel. It hangs close to the ground. Women wear visible white or yellow powder on their faces to protect them from the sun and for general aesthetic purposes.
What is Myanmar's history? Did the British colonize the country?
Britain ruled Myanmar(then known as Burma) from 1824-1886 as part of its Indian Empire. It was a province of India until 1937 and became fully independent in 1948. The government was led by a military general from 1962-1988. He later appointed himself president but in 1990 he lost a democratic election to a woman called Aung San Suu Kyi. Myanmar is controversial because the military dictatorship in place did not hand over the government or the parliament to Suu Kyi. Instead they have kept the Nobel Peace Prize winner under house arrest and kept a tight grip on control of the country. This is why Myanmar (still known officially by the US as Burma) faces economic isolation and sanctions from many countries in the international community and is seen by some as a "pariah state."
Did you feel any effects from the earthquakes this past week?
No vibrations felt in Myanmar, but people were worried about aftershocks.
posted by arappeport at 5:40 AM
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