Here we are…in the mountains of Myanmar, and it is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen. I knew as soon as we crossed the border from Thailand that this month/country was going to look completely different than anything we had experienced so far on the race….I was right!
To start everything off we had brand new teams. On top of that we had a much longer travel day to get to Hakha than we expected. The bus we ended up on had live chickens on top of our bags, who knows what packed into boxes at our feet and on top of the bus, and seats for two people that were only big enough for one or two small children. And that was just the bus….
Ever since we arrived here it has been one thing or another. Whether that be teaching when were supposed to be off or moving rooms for sleeping or throwing up in the squatty because there has been something going through the team. Were all okay, but it has been one thing right after the other this month. And its only been 7 days in country so far!
But enough about how its been here, lets talk about what “here” looks like. I cannot begin to explain how amazing it has been here in Myanmar. We’re literally on the side of a mountain. This city is beautiful. With breath taking sunrises and sunsets. The weather is “cold” everyone here is wearing hats and thick winter coats, and this feels like early spring weather back home.
Sure its cold to us, but thats because some of us are from Florida…Other than that the weather isn’t too bad. The cold keeps the bugs away and I love it! Haha, the city in which we are living this month, is sitting at around 6,000 feet of elevation. The air is a little thin and makes me feel out of shape when we play volleyball or soccer with the teachers and students at the school, but hey, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
This month we’re teaching at the local Christian school from grades 1-8 and each of us has our own class to teach and each day the class could change. No joke, the Principal told us that we could teach whatever we want to teach, so we play hangman and tell bible stories, listen to music and have the kids write stories in English. This is an amazing month and the kids make it even better! Im no English teacher by any stretch of the imagination but I do what I can, teach what I know and make the students speak English and behave…that much I can do.
All this and we’ve only been here for a week! Im excited to see what will come of the rest of this month, and then after that, the rest of the race.
God Bless from Myanmar!
Love y’all!
