While in Myanmar, voyagers recently visited Thanlyin, a village located outside of Yangon. This IMPACT opportunity field program allowed for greater interpersonal interaction with local Burmese people while exploring the market and homes of the village. Voyagers also visited Su Htoo Pan Monastic School and Orphanage where they played with the children, served them lunch, and held a donation ceremony.
Voyagers were able to compare and contrast daily life in this typical Burmese village to their lives at home. Marisa Lanker from Ohio State University observed, “On paper, Thanlyin daily life was not so different from daily life back home. One washes their clothes, bathes, eats meals, and spends time with family. However, the way one goes about these activities contrasted greatly. The U.S. has washing machines and driers, bathtubs and showers, left-over delivery pizza stored in the fridge, and abundant space to spread out from each other. In Thanlyin, clothes are hand-washed and whipped dry, showering involves pouring buckets over a semi-clothed body, home-cooked curry left-overs sit in covered pots until next mealtime, and adult children live a room away from their parents, if that far.”
