Back to Yangon

Hello All,

I will finally return to Yangon this Saturday, Oct. 20. My neighbor in Yangon, Daphne (a German ethnomusicologist) went back about 4 days ago and says things are okay. Tense but okay. My best tutor has also emailed me to ask where I am so that means I will be able to start lessons with her again. So...it is time.

I've enjoyed the conveniences here in Bangkok, especially the wireless internet, as I slog through my dissertation fellowship applications. I don't know how I could have applied for anything in Yangon with the internet just recently re-opened. I am fine if a bit sleep-deprived from trying to write something compelling. The kitty that I'm taking care of doesn't help because she likes to scratch me while I sleep to make me place my arm just so in order to provide her with a good pillow. Ah...cats...they train humans so well...

I will email again before I leave on Saturday and will keep you posted from Yangon as well.

Hope you are all well,
jayde

about Burma

Hi All,

Here are some good articles about Burma. Also, I made a mistake in one of my previous emails that Lee turned into a post. It should be "Voice of America" not "Voice of Asia".

http://students.washington.edu/jayder/burma_articles/

This is Jayde reporting from Bangkok.

A good link...

Its Lee again...since I'm taking over this blog for the moment, I thought I'd post a link to a good story about Myanmar's military that was in the NY Times today - at least from my very limited perspective, this article tells a good story about the role of the

www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/world/asia/07junta.html?ex=1349409600&en=799cba9d9169cdd0&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Jayde is okay, and back on the blog, sort of.

Hi, its Lee - Jayde's husband - posting to Jayde's blog since I can't convince her to do it herself. She is in Bangkok, safe and sound. Here's an email from her with an update (sorry that the 9 months in between postings will still, for now, remain mysterious!)

Hello Everyone,

Given the recent events in Yangon and Myanmar as a whole, I thought I should email to say that I am okay. I am actually in Bangkok for yet another visa run and to write up fellowship applications. (It is nearly impossible to fill in online forms in Yangon. The connection is painfully slow and often drops.)

I am surprised by how quickly things escalated in Burma. Last week, it still seemed like a relatively small disturbance with few lay people showing up on the marches. The brief visit to Aung San Suu Kyi's house must have inspired people. I was fairly certain that this protest would remain small like the many little demonstrations that has taken place this year but now, it looks like the masses are taking to the streets.

I had a ticket to fly back 9-30-07 but learned that an American friend was not able to enter the country. His plane got as close as the air space above Yangon Int'l Airport but was not allowed to land. I don't know if there was someone in particular on his flight that the government wanted to keep out or if they are just blocking all entries. We shall see. So for now I'm staying put, house-sitting and cat-sitting for friends of a friend, finishing my fellowship applications, and waiting to see what happens.

If you want more news about events in Burma, try http:// www.irrawaddy.org/ . They provide lots of information if written in an inflammatory tone. You can also try Voice of Asia and Radio Free Asia.

I'll keep you all posted. The only complaint right now is that writing my dissertation fellowship proposal is HARD!!! Otherwise, I'm good.

from Bangkok,

Jayde