the far away lands: Saying Goodbye

So, this is it. I’m sitting here trying to figure out how on earth to articulate how I feel about leaving and about everything that has happened in the last year.

I spent my last day in Mae Sot not in Mae Sot at all, but in Myawaddy, Burma (just across the border) with two of my good friends. It was amazing to see the National League for Democracy’s offices being open and publicly visible, and for people to be freely talking about Aung San Suu Kyi and politics and not fearing reprisals from the government, so different from the atmosphere when I was there in June 2011. On Sunday night, after a BBQ at some friends’ house, we all went and watched The Lady together at a bar run by and for Burmese ex-political prisoners. It was a wonderful way to end my time in Little Burma.

My last breakfast in Burma

There is so much I will miss from my strange little border town. From the yelling Tokay’s, to the old Thai ladies that practice their traditional dancing on my street at 6.30 every night. I will miss my bike (which I have given to one of the girls at work), my soi (street) dogs, and constantly eating mangoes. And on the topic of food, I will miss the incredible variety of Thai food on offer in Mae Sot, as well as the unique and delectable Burmese foods – so many different salads, breakfasts of curry and naan or rich noodle soup with coriander and onions. It’s all so amazing and so delicious. Of course, there are many things that I will not miss, vicious dogs chasing me on my bike, being hit by motorbikes, having to cover myself in deet to dissuade the ever-present mosquitoes, the smell of fish everywhere and the distinct possibility that anything I order that I don’t know exactly what it is will probably taste fishy (I really do not like fish). I will not miss the heat, but at the same time, I will miss it very much. I have not become acclimatised at all, 38 degrees for weeks in a row is too much but the thought of anything less than 25 makes me think cold thoughts. I will miss the freedom I feel living here, even though at times I feel trapped and isolated; this has been a wonderful place to simply be myself without anyone having any prior conceptions about me.

One of the children on our Dry Food Programme

Of course, the things I will miss the most are my amazing job, my incredible family of friends, and my awe-inspiring Burmese colleagues. The work I have been involved in this past year has taught me more than I could have ever imagined, about everything. I now know far more about Burma than ever before, not to mention healthcare, which I previously knew nothing about. I know how to develop websites and write annual reports, design and implement self-income generation projects and improve local staff capacity. My inspiring colleagues have taught me about their lives, the struggles they face at home in Burma on a daily basis, and how to carry on in the face of brutal oppression. It has been an honour, and truly humbling to meet and work with each and every one of them.

And my friends here in Mae Sot. Wow. What a fantastic bunch of human beings. Supportive, hilarious, inspiring, motivated, conscientious, party-fuelled, and insanely hard working people who I am so grateful to have met and to call my friends. Saying goodbye to them all last night was a lot harder than I had thought it was going to be. The past few weeks with them have been by far the best time I have had in Mae Sot, and I am so glad that I am leaving on a high note; I am already speculating on my return.

Somtam and sticky rice

One of the main reasons the market stinks.

Vegetarian Laarb. Indescribably good.

This year has been one that I can never forget. Realising life-long dreams has only been a part of it. I have achieved so much more than I could have thought possible, in so many areas. Burma is changing, and I think it is still too early to speculate on what might happen there in the next few years, but one thing I know for sure is that I want to be a part of it.

Tomorrow, I am off to Melbourne to seek my fortune, so if anyone hears of any jobs there, let me know! Also, if you are there, get in touch and let’s hang out. I am also very excited to tell you that last week I had a paper published in a German-based academic journal (the paper is in English), so if you are interested in brainwashing or cults, have a read.

And finally, I would like to say one more big thank you to all my friends and family. Without your continual support, the past year would not have been possible, and I will always be grateful for your help. As for the immediate future, this is the end of The Far Away Lands for now. If my life becomes terribly exciting in Melbourne, I may write from time to time, so check back every once in a while if you are interested. I hope to be living somewhere else exotic and interesting within a year at the most (very possibly back in Mae Sot), so this is definitely not the end. Thank you all for reading, and for all your lovely feedback. It’s been fun to share it with you.

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: I love this town and I love these people. I have truly witnessed life here: birth, death and marriage; pain, suffering, oppression; hope, emancipation and joy. I will miss it all more than you can know.