Thread: Cribs: Teak Door Edition

It's kinda creepy that you felt the need to point out you were making creepy comments.

Originally Posted by YourDaddy

Just got back from lounging at Conrad. Wife's a bitch. . .

So you're still with her...I didn't think it would last.

Originally Posted by SKkin

Originally Posted by YourDaddy

Just got back from lounging at Conrad. Wife's a bitch. . .

So you're still with her...I didn't think it would last.

4 years and counting....

Sometimes you gotta swallow ur pride. Luckily I don't have any.

If there's fuck all to do in Myanmar you might as well splash for a nice place so at least you would be slightly comfortable.

Originally Posted by armstrong

If there's fuck all to do in Myanmar you might as well splash for a nice place so at least you would be slightly comfortable.

I am under the impression that there aren't any.

@nemo - heh. I don't take pix of other women while we're all in the ladies room. I have more urgent things to do, like answering the call of nature. Besides, that night I left my phone in my room as I was worried that it would get wet - it was Songkran/Thingyan and ppl were throwing water all around. As for the squat toilet, it was an ordinary squattie. I'd point you to its relatives in my Myanmar thread, but alas the pix are gone, thnx to the new Fotofacket rules.

Originally Posted by armstrong

If there's fuck all to do in Myanmar you might as well splash for a nice place so at least you would be slightly comfortable.

Good point and that was the plan, but Myanmar is not like Thailand, you can't just rent anywhere you like. In Mandalay the police need to OK it in their township- the school has a connection with the apartment block so hence all the teachers have to live here. Locals have to report to the police if they stay overnight at a friends house in a different city district.

Originally Posted by Mandaloopy

Originally Posted by armstrong

If there's fuck all to do in Myanmar you might as well splash for a nice place so at least you would be slightly comfortable.

Good point and that was the plan, but Myanmar is not like Thailand, you can't just rent anywhere you like. In Mandalay the police need to OK it in their township- the school has a connection with the apartment block so hence all the teachers have to live here. Locals have to report to the police if they stay overnight at a friends house in a different city district.

I can see how it would bother some, I've lived in worse digs in Honduaras- no running water or electric save for a small generator. Actually ended up enjoying that experience a heck of a lot- interned for Save the Children teaching in the Lenca highlands.

Biggest issue for me in Myanmar when it comes to accommodation is having to share with others. As Simon has said, heavy drug use and heavy drinking is pretty common in the expat community. Makes for a stressful living situation.

That said, I hate giving up and there is little chance of me breaking a contract.

1. I actually like the job- it might surprise Slick, but I do actually enjoy seeing my students make progress and grow.

2. I hate giving up on something I've started.

3. For every year worked here you are in an financial position to take a year out.

Originally Posted by Mandaloopy

Locals have to report to the police if they stay overnight at a friends house in a different city district.

I knew it was a police/military state, but still now? WTF.

Originally Posted by Maanaam

I knew it was a police/military state, but still now? WTF.

I know,seem a little odd?! One of my friends here met and married her husband here, a local Myanmar man. He moved into her place on the other side of town and within days the police were giving him serious grief for not registering. Basically every household needs a stamped official list of who is living there.

Originally Posted by Mandaloopy

For every year worked here you are in an financial position to take a year out.

Look, I know there's more to life than money but, seriously?

Let's say you indeed saved over 2,500usd per month for each and every month.

Let's say you tried hard and saved 3,000 x 12 = 36,000.

And (just for argument sake) you'd had it earning a modest 7% = 2,520

= 38,520

Why would you take a year off and burn through a chunk of that?

So you could wind up back in the same place?

I don't understand kids these days.

I'll have finished 2 contracts- 1 year off then onto somewhere a little more developed appeals at the moment. That said, I am be coerced by a friend to join her in Angola at what I think may be the only international school there. Looked at some reviews, scary place.

80,000USD a year tho, not bad for a teaching gig...

Some amazing insights into life in Mandalay. Thanks for that. Think it might be off my travel destination list for a while yet.

It's been raining a lot here for the last few days, just like last year. A pic from a year ago when I borrowed a friends SLR- still need to get around to buying one, so much better than what my phone can do

And in honor of PB's tizzy, here's pics of Inle. I'm hardly Mandalay's biggest fan but I love Shan State

Originally Posted by Mandaloopy

80,000USD a year tho, not bad for a teaching gig...

Have to pay me more than that to kick it in Angola for a year. Compound living and armed escorts when I was there. Kidnappings were rife. Road blockades. Have to keep new, crisp, $100 notes on hand for bribes. Maybe they are nicer to teachers, but i fucking doubt it.

Originally Posted by Mandaloopy

I actually like the job- it might surprise Slick, but I do actually enjoy seeing my students make progress and grow.

Not doubting it, but Im saying it's not gonna be the motivating factor. It's rare for people to be actually selfless & charatible enough to lower their standard of living/finances just to help others. Do people do it? Sure. Is it the norm? Fuck no.

Originally Posted by Slick

Have to pay me more than that to kick it in Angola for a year. Compound living and armed escorts when I was there. Kidnappings were rife. Road blockades. Have to keep new, crisp, $100 notes on hand for bribes. Maybe they are nicer to teachers, but i fucking doubt it.

From a first hand account from my friend your words seem correct. Not sure I would be able to compromise on my freedom now I have slept on the idea. The school is also apparently governed like the country. Bit of a red flag that!

The school is also apparently governed like the country

So that could be (take your pick):

1 - Firm and friendly, the benevolent uncle sort of governing
2 - Complete bunch of dicks, no fcuking clue (bit like the government of a country not so far from Myanmar)
3 - More corrupt than a very corrupt place - $$$ is all u need to get to the top and fuck everyone else

Originally Posted by Mandaloopy

From a first hand account from my friend your words seem correct. Not sure I would be able to compromise on my freedom now I have slept on the idea. The school is also apparently governed like the country. Bit of a red flag that!

On the flip side it's a trip, so as long as they pay, on time, then might be cool.

Key part being getting paid. On time. Every time.

So many war stories in my field where employers routinely pay a month or 2 behind so when you fuck off they save money.

Mentioned before that Mandalay Hill is nice in the evening, massive storm earlier so it was still a little cloudy for a decent sundown.

Have you attempted to learn the local lingo, Mandaloopy?

Originally Posted by Neverna

Have you attempted to learn the local lingo, Mandaloopy?

Getting there, I take lessons twice a week and am able to read, write and speak enough of it to get by. I find the tone to be a lot more subtle than Thai and it is often the case of the second language getting in the way of my efforts to learn a third. The kids I teach are close as can be to being fulling bilingual in English/Myanmar at 7. Wish I had a bilingual education growing up 555

Apparently this time last year I was hiking in what is allegedly the geographical center of Myanmar. Easy climb to start before getting quite tough.