Lasting Impressions

***check back in a week, photos to be posted***

This is my final day in Southeast Asia, after a full five months. I feel like I've truly done so much, that all I have on my agenda for today is to eat some street vendor pad thai and get a massage. Bangkok has grown on me to the point of becoming one of my favorite cities, first impressions do only terrible things for this city's reputation, but there's more beneath the touts, pollution, tuk-tuk traffic and all.

Wrapping up the excursion of a lifetime with pops I will recap our final week: From Hanoi, Vietnam we went to Yangon, Myanmar. Having visited the country under very different circumstances, namely for research into the plight of the persecuted refugee seekers, it was interesting to venture into the capital city. Guilt about spending any money in this dictator-administration made us pay close attention to the family run small guesthouses and Thai-based airlines. We have been told, and hold firm to this, that a little international exposure of what life outside this oppressive government can be like is good for the citizens of Myanmar/Burma/Bagan*.

*Myanmar is the name given by the corrupt genocidal government. Burma was the name of the country under British imperialism, locals have never referred to their country as Burma. So perhaps we should call it Bagan, the only original claim to unadulterated identity.

A small word on corruption: If you were to change money from USD to Myanmar Kyat at an official government run money changer the exchange rate would be 6:$1, however if you were to change on the illegal black market in the alleys of downtown you're looking at 1,150 Kyat to one US dollar. That is beyond ridiculous. And of course pity the fool who attempts to be official in this land and changes money "officially" they'll be spending nearly $200 for a cup a joe, that might cost 2500 Kyat. One dude who approached us with an itinerary for the day to all the sites and asked questions like, "what do you do for a living? What do you study in school? Are you staying in a big hotel or a guesthouse?" He told us he was the administrator official of something, and we quickly left him. Otherwise people were immensely friendly, invitations to homes flew at us, we were of course some of the only foreigners, and certainly two of the few actual tourists around.

Christmas Eve was spent in Kuala Lumpur, Malyasia. It was a riotous time of every Western holiday jumbled into one night (Santas everywhere, aerosol sprays to look like snow, red heart shaped confetti, roast turkey dinners at every restaurant, people in costumes: minnie mouses, reindeer, rabbits, crazy wigs, streamers and noise makers and partiers in the streets... truly a little of everything, pretty impressive for an Islamic Nation. The next morning we just missed our flight to Bali because I didn't realize it was an hour later time zone. Our only hiccup, and we were put on the next flight. Penalty: spending Christmas day in an airport.

We did make it back to Bali, beautiful beach weather, luscious gardens, ohmysoul fantastic food! And I got a moment to pop back to the clinic and give big hugs and kisses to my favorite midwives, Ibu Kadek and Ibu Agung Mas! It was a wonderful surprise reunion. Bali was good to us, as always. I can't wait to be back.

Lastly in Bangkok, and here I wrap up all. I will be back Monday night late. Looong flight awaits, and then snow and friends and family and classes and Godiva and American grocery stores and skiing and my own pillow (if Forest will send it back!) and so much more!