Mandalay is a city that is I am guessing not used to white people. They see us and do a double take, they stare and if we get caught staring at each other we both smile and laugh. They are a culture of people who are friendly and hospitable. So much so that at one grocery store there is someone in each aisle just to make sure you can find what you need.
At the place we stay at we are often woken up by the sound of cats (hopefully) running across the tin roofs above our heads. We head down for a gigantic breakfast for 2,000 Kyat. ($1.49 USD). To start they give you watermelon, juice, coffee (or tea), and water. Then they give you 2 eggs cooked your favorite way along with 2 slices of toast. And everyday the rest of the sides change. So sometimes you get somasas or this hushpuppy type donut and other times you get some kind of rice or noodle. This will probably be the first time in my life that my breakfast is the biggest meal. During the week I split it with my teammate Annalea.
Sometimes we like to experience the culture a little and try their “makeup”. It is very common to see women and men with this yellow paste on their faces. It is the equivalent of our acne masks, but it is left on all day and seen as a beautiful thing like foundation that never gets rubbed in.
We head out for ministry via the back of a truck with no seats or seat belts. Here they call it a bus. Then we ride down the streets waving and smiling at everyone as if we were on a parade because it really is hard to miss us and people can’t help but be entertained by us white folk. During the drives I see all the different fashion. Women AND men are mostly wearing skirts (called a Longyi) and it is also pretty common for the women to be wearing colorful pajama bottoms. Jeans and shorts are not very common, but do occasionally make an appearance. (This culture believes in covering shoulders and knees especially women). And because it is “winter” (low of 60) here, many people will be seen in a jacket and beanie. (Meanwhile I walk around in sandles and a short sleeve shirt loving every cool breeze.)
We arive to the worship center/church building (that might be someone’s home) getting compliments on how beautiful we look now that we have yellow clay makeup. And excitement that we do what they do. We then get to teach for roughly 3 hours how to greet and have conversations in English. We throw in songs and games even though its for adults, because who doesn’t love a little entertainment every now and then?
Afterwards we head home (to our hostel) to sometimes be greeted with orange juice by our friends there. Today it was fresh bananas! We love our friends at Yoe Yoe Lay Guest house and try to have friendly small talk any chance we get. We even get greeted by a bunch of animal friends. Lucky the dog, Titan the cat, and the numerous stray cows that roam the city.
We then order lunch from one of 2 places. One is asian food and the other western. Western is usually out of budget but if we need a little comfort and skimp on breakfast its doable. (We ordered from a pizza place so far everyday and the staff at the hostel ended up buying us some traditional food reatured below called “Mopeaydelay” (or something like that ANDITWASGREAAAT)) Then we have the rest of the afternoon to relax and regroup and adjust the lesson before our “bus” arives at 5:30 to bring us to the pastors house to teach again for 3 hours. We usually give a more in depth lesson because of their skill being higher than the morning class. Sometimes we even slide in the Gospel and put the English aside. We then finish the night with KB and Lecrae’s Church Clap dance.
OKAYBYEIAMBEINGRUSHEDTOFINISH
