Is Burma really the shit hole that most media would have us believe? This is probably a question that most people wouldn't bother to ask; they would just assume it to be so. Like all countries, Burma has unfortunately come to be defined by only a few of its darker characteristics. Anyone who reads or watches the news knows about the impoverishment and oppression in Burma, but obviously there is more to the country than that. Just as the people of Burma are victims of a cruel, and sadly stupid military regime, they are also the victims of international oversimplification.
But this blog is about another side of Burma. These words are going to bring attention to the things the media ignores, like the vibrant bursts of the Burmese landscape, the pooled and saturated Buddhist culture, the colorful history of warlords, monks and imperialists (Burmese, British, and others). Most of all, this is going to be about the smiles a traveler finds on the streets of Yangon, Kalaw, and Mandalay, and where they come from.
It is easy to call Burma an unfortunate country right now, but the Burmese should not be pitied. It my short time in Burma, I found them to be some of the most thoughtful, determined and beautiful people I have ever met. This blog is about them.
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