Village People - Life in Rural Myanmar

Delays in posting articles has led to me just skipping some and also not writing others. I think I'm going to abandon trying to maintain any sort of continuity or chronological order. Although we seemingly go through life chronologically, it's largely not how we experience it, as we spend so much time reflecting, and planning, and so little time in the present moment. We jump through time and space like a trigger-happy channel surfer who goes from watching a live news broadcast, to a futuristic sci-fi movie, to the history channel.

Especially for my life at the moment, "living" abroad, but with no place to call home, drifting about aim-fully and only touching down long enough to catch my breath and regain my composure before heading back out into the world, refining my sense of purpose, it just doesn't make sense to be chronological. That being said, as I experience new things, I will probably write about them first, but don't be surprised to see old reflections thrown into the mix.

So before I head out today to another monastery for a week, I wanted to share with you at least some photos from the 4 days I spent in a small rural village, high in the mountains of Myanmar, where the people are living a life largely how they have been for centuries.

What interests me is how should we feel about the inevitable changes these people face, and what do we stand to learn from their way of life?

As much as we want to help these people with things like education, health-care, and having a clean water source, we also want to preserve their culture, something we can use as a model of a people that live a simpler life. But how to do? This is no easy task. I think the one thing is that we can be aware, and we can reserve a special place in our hearts for those peoples of the world that are still living off the land, disconnected from the progress of modern civilization, and living in such a way that in their hearts and homes, they are thriving, happy, and living peacefully.

I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to spend some time in this village, with these people, and I hope to not forget that in the midst of this crazy world, there exists a place within the hearts of all of us that remembers what it's like to live a simple life.

WANT SOME?

Not uncommon to see the young caring for
the extremely young.

At the watering hole. Seemed to be a job they
gave their children. Yes, that's drinking water...

Overlooking the village I stayed in for 3 nights. 

Not exactly camera-shy.

My guide carrying my pack for me in flipflops on
the 3 hour hike back to civilization. A day rate is less than $3,
and I paid this guy $6, so I didn't feel too bad...

Sunrise over valley on the other side of the ridge from
where I was staying.