Messages From Myanmar #15 - Summer Check-In
19 July 2016
Hello there, Rodger French here.
[Historical Sidebar - Today
marks the 69th anniversary of the assassinations of General Aung San
(father of Aung San Suu Kyi) and eight others on what has become known as “Martyrs’
Day.”]
It’s monsoon time in Yangon, and rain showers, often heavy and
accompanied by high winds, have settled in. We are coping with intermittent
power outages, flooded streets, and the incessant emptying of dehumidifiers,
but despite any inconveniences, the rain is still a great relief after the
brutal heat of the dry season. In September, of course, the heavy rains will
pass and the drier “winter” weather will return.
Our lives are not exactly shimmering with reflected State Department
glamour at the moment. Anne is forging ahead with the new American Center
building project and I’m working with the folks in Diplomatic Security, so
recent tourist activities have been, not surprisingly, nonexistent. And
accounts of our present expat lifestyle do not, alas, make for
scintillating reading; hence the infrequency of communication on my part.
Apologies to anyone who noticed.
Things are picking up soon, however, as we are going to take our
annual R&R (Rest & Relaxation) in August and travel to Australia for an
epic and expensive three-week vacation. We’ll be journeying by train (“The
Ghan”) from Darwin to Adelaide, then on to Sydney and Tasmania. This is almost
certainly my one-and-only shot at this particular continent, so it’s time to,
in the words of a very wise man, “Spend the money.” (Full disclosure: The Feds
pick up the cost of round trip airfares. Economy, naturally.)
In musical news, I have scored an actual gig in late September;
performing, in concert with the wonderful Spanish violinist Sebastian See-Schierenberg
and the Orchestra for Myanmar, several tangos by Astor Piazzolla, as well as an
accordion tango solo. (One of the Piazzolla compositions, “Oblivion,” will be
among four new tango recordings I have planned for next January.)
A.J. and I are also expecting guests later this year, with one already
confirmed and several making vague threats, so that’s something to look forward
to. Additionally, there’s the eternal “must see” list, with Angkor Wat, Hanoi,
and possibly Kyoto lingering near the top. And of course, we will soon be
bidding on our next (and last!) posting; so, lots of news will be coming your
way later in 2016.
But for now, it’s just the daily routine and the rain. Although, for
local color, we do have hundreds of street dogs raising hell in the middle of
the night. That’s pretty cool.
Onward.
Rodger