Getting the low down

Things have been busy recently, since Matt left. I've been placed in command of the editing ship, and have been spending 8 am to 8pm at the office. My evenings have been filled with sitting and talking (to those who want to practice their English), with the 10 guys who are crashing at the house I live at (which also serves as an office for one of the ethnic groups).

It has been an educational series of nightly discussions, which generally focus on the topics the Burmese government's oppression of democracy movements and the varied ethnic nationalist groups that have long fought for some autonomy within the Burmese union.

I was recently informed that when working online, I should be careful about the names and locations I use. There is no physical threat, but the Burmese government runs a very very mean and fast surveillance and counter-intelligence campaign against the ethnic groups - even the ones based in Thailand. That means the website is often hit by viruses and e-mail accounts are hacked. Plus they regularly fish for any information regarding what nationalist group activity on web sites and blogs.

That being said, I will be posting photos so long as the people involved are alright with it.

Am giving photography lesson to a new friend. In exchange I get motorbike lessons.

Local monastery.

A market that, as far as I was told, primarily caters to Koreans. It also sits 15 above the ground.

This is a view of the rest of the reservoir. There's not much to see now, but before the reservoir arrived, this is where the town sat. In the distance, which you probably cannot see, the water is low enough to reveal the old monastery. It has since been rebuilt (see above images).

Sea of Dogs and Rain: A sound postcard

Looking out through one of my walls, during the first rain since I arrived.




The first night in Sangkhala, listening to the dogs out my front window.

Seven Days of Firsts

Several things have changed. Most centrally, I am now working in Thailand. Work? Yes, real live work. I was told yesterday that not only are they covering my living costs but that I will get be getting a small salary 2,000 - 3,000 bhat (Thai currency) a month; Not much in American standards, but I am not in America.

What I'll be doing is actually a grab bag of activities, and as this is the end of my first week I'll not have a clear cut job description until another American arrives in 2 weeks to help write and edit the stream of articles, reports, and briefs that come out of the two (actually three - also a woman's and children's rights group) offices.

I willingly admit that I'm surprised to be here. So far, its been every day. And its not just big things - like I can't speak the language (which I hope to slowly overcome), but rather the small ones. Like, for example, that my walk home takes me over a lengthy bridge made entirely of bamboo, or that geckos chirp, or how I am now the proud owner of a pink rose pattern pillow that says 'love you' to sleep on, or learning that white people smell like cheese (apparently).

Any initial panic or concern that I AM here for 6 months has faded. Of course the following 2 weeks will be just me - Matt left for Burma for Burmese lessons - so it will be interesting being the only native English speaker here. But its just 2 weeks, and I would like to learn Burmese or Thai. So there's no better way then immersion.

My bed. And my neon blue mosquito net.

A view from the back of a moped on my way to work. The bridge in the background is the bamboo one I mentioned.

Matt's houseboat.

Transition

Such Great Heights

Erin

Yggdrasill