UPDATE: I accept received many emails quest most the ethics of travelling to Burma inwards low-cal of the upcoming elections. As a result, I accept updated the links department to include around of the nonprofit organizations involved inwards encouraging republic inwards Burma, inwards gild to furnish a dissimilar lense for viewing the province of affairs inside the country. I volition orbit it again: it is upwards to you lot to determine whether or non you lot desire to locomote to Burma, but at a minimum it is extremely of import to read upwards equally much equally you lot tin most the history together with politics together with conflicts inside the troubled province earlier you lot go. As individual said to me recently: create non simply hold upwards a tourist inwards Burma; acquit witness to its struggles together with prepare people upon your return.
***
I accept been threatening to dive into a massive laid of posts most Burma, together with having since spent fourth dimension exploring the beautiful ruins of Angkor inwards Cambodia, visiting friends inwards Chiang Mai together with so taking pictures together with closely next theGolden Rock, almost every unmarried town had cyberspace access. Granted, it wasn't the quickest connector I've ever had, but it was sure available together with real cheap. In Yangon, Internet cafes were plentiful, together with stuffed alongside immature Burmese playing games or on Google Chat. Even inwards the northern town of Myitkyina, at that spot were 2 Internet cafes - surprising for such a modest town.
Of course, access is censored. Twitter was available most of the time, equally was Facebook. Hotmail together with Yahoo were, from those who purpose them, fairly unavailable - together with therefore most of the province has a GMail work concern human relationship together with wants to know yours. In gild to access GMail, I had to purpose https instead of http at the front end of the URL - the sometime is non blocked, but the latter is. Blogger / blogspot sites were systematically unavailable, alongside the exception of 2 times: i time inwards Bagan's Taste of Old Bagan eatery together with around other fourth dimension from Inle Lake's Nyaungshwe (Comet Internet Cafe). In both cases I was able to access Blogger because of a proxy run through (of all places) Saudi Arabia. Many tidings sites are likewise blocked, equally are chat forums together with MSN Web Messenger. Gtalk is widespread, however.
7) Burma or Myanmar?
One of the questions I acquire oft is whether Burma or Myanmar ought to hold upwards used equally the province name. The official English linguistic communication get upwards was changed from "the Union of Burma" to "the Union of Myanmar" past times the authorities inwards 1989. According to the Burmese I spoke alongside inwards the country, Burma is known equally either Myanma ( still refusing to purpose the novel get upwards of Myanmar. I tend to purpose Burma, equally Burmese friends living abroad prefer that get upwards together with I defer to them on this matter.
8) You Can Overstay Your Visa***
I accept been threatening to dive into a massive laid of posts most Burma, together with having since spent fourth dimension exploring the beautiful ruins of Angkor inwards Cambodia, visiting friends inwards Chiang Mai together with so taking pictures together with closely next theGolden Rock, almost every unmarried town had cyberspace access. Granted, it wasn't the quickest connector I've ever had, but it was sure available together with real cheap. In Yangon, Internet cafes were plentiful, together with stuffed alongside immature Burmese playing games or on Google Chat. Even inwards the northern town of Myitkyina, at that spot were 2 Internet cafes - surprising for such a modest town.
Of course, access is censored. Twitter was available most of the time, equally was Facebook. Hotmail together with Yahoo were, from those who purpose them, fairly unavailable - together with therefore most of the province has a GMail work concern human relationship together with wants to know yours. In gild to access GMail, I had to purpose https instead of http at the front end of the URL - the sometime is non blocked, but the latter is. Blogger / blogspot sites were systematically unavailable, alongside the exception of 2 times: i time inwards Bagan's Taste of Old Bagan eatery together with around other fourth dimension from Inle Lake's Nyaungshwe (Comet Internet Cafe). In both cases I was able to access Blogger because of a proxy run through (of all places) Saudi Arabia. Many tidings sites are likewise blocked, equally are chat forums together with MSN Web Messenger. Gtalk is widespread, however.
7) Burma or Myanmar?
One of the questions I acquire oft is whether Burma or Myanmar ought to hold upwards used equally the province name. The official English linguistic communication get upwards was changed from "the Union of Burma" to "the Union of Myanmar" past times the authorities inwards 1989. According to the Burmese I spoke alongside inwards the country, Burma is known equally either Myanma ( still refusing to purpose the novel get upwards of Myanmar. I tend to purpose Burma, equally Burmese friends living abroad prefer that get upwards together with I defer to them on this matter.
Many people accept asked me if it is possible to overstay the 28-day visa issued past times Myanmar. While around countries soundless propose their citizens non to overstay, the Embassy itself told me that it is fine to create so, provided you lot pay a $3/day overstay, which goes upwards to $5/day subsequently 2 months. However, the Embassy did orbit that overstaying to a greater extent than than i calendar month is non recommended. I accept had friends who overstayed several weeks alongside no work together with who paid their extra fee on the means out, together with I overstayed past times 2 weeks alongside no issues whatsoever.
9) Important Burmese Phrases
It is ever of import to larn a few alternative phrases inwards a novel country. Here are my picks for Burmese:
- Hello: Mingala'ba
-Thank you: Cezu timbadeh (pron. ch-eh-zu tin-bah-dey)
- I create non understand: Namleh ba-bu
- I already ate, thanks! Sa-pi bi, cezu beh
- No problem/No worries: Yabadeh or keisah meeshibu
- Too expensive: ze ci-deh (zeh chi-deh, literally big market)
and for the ladies, this i comes inwards handy when the punk teenagers are "helloooo pretty lady"-ing you: I volition slap you lot inwards the aspect upwards (be sure to orbit it alongside a smile!): bacho meh!
here.
That's my Before You Go roundup. Stay tuned for to a greater extent than goal and/or nutrient specific coverage.
-Jodi
That's my Before You Go roundup. Stay tuned for to a greater extent than goal and/or nutrient specific coverage.
-Jodi