Burmese Leader, Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi, world famous Burmese human rights leader, was released from house arrest. International politicians and political groups are asking "What now?" I want to know first "How is her health?"

In September 1988 I was working 2 hours outside of Bangkok, Thailand, as a teacher's manual writer for the Experiment in International Living, a sister organization to Save the Children. My Burmese neighbor, Anne Marie Tresham, was working with a different refugee organization.

Every day since August the Thai English newspapers reported events in Burma including marches in the streets of Rangoon. I had been to Burma in 1987 and kept asking myself "How can people take it??" Half a year later, I received my answer. The pro Democracy marches began.

Anne Marie said "We have to do something, will you help?" We launched a fundraiser. Anne Marie knew of Aye Aye Thant, Bangkok resident and daughter of U Thant, former UN Secretary General who had a way of getting medical supplies into Burma. Save the Children generously gave us their office building to host a fair on September 10, 1988.

We raised the Thai baht equivalent of US $1,000 and ran off to Bangkok to present the check to Aye Aye Thant. Aye Aye Thant had arranged for a photographer from The Nation, one of Bangkok's English dailies, to be there. This was a great honor. It was September 11th.

On September 18th the National League for Democracy was formed. Aung Sang Sui Kyi was the General Secretary.

Anne Marie has lived in Perth, Australia for many years. I moved back to the U.S. in 1990. We have kept in touch. She emails her friends Burma updates.

When I first heard that Aung Sang Sui Kyi was to be released, I didn't want to get my hopes up. How moved I feel now.

For an excellent biography about Aung Sang Sui Kyi see
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/index.php/burma/about-burma/about-burma/a-biography-of-aung-san-suu-kyi

I donate to the US Campaign for Burma and feel in my small way, I helped to secure Aung San Suu Kyi's release.

More about my Burma trip in my upcoming book.

Who Learns From Whom?

NPR, National Public Radio had a fun report this morning about Dabbawallas in Mumbai who deliver home cooked meals to family members who commute to work. The Dabbawallas are extremely efficient and even though they do not read, they mark the different meals with colors and symbols so they know where to deliver what.

The Dabbawalls do not get paid much. They do not use computers. Forbes magazine
http://billionaires.forbes.com/article/00Hu7HFaHc71N
gave them a Six Sigma for their efficiency and correctness. The Six Sigma was established by the International Quality Federation in 1986. Motorola and GE are among the recipients of the Six Sigma.

Paul S. Goodman made a documentary about the Dabbawallas http://www.indianmba.com/faculty_column/fc592/fc592.html

I am especially tickled by this report because I realized very early on in my developing world travels that there is so much to be gained from people who supposedly should be learning from industrialized nations.

My First 2 Weeks in Bogota - Hebrew

אוגוסט יליד 10, 1912

נורמן לוינסון עשה עבודה סבירות, מכניקת הקוונטים, תכנות מורכב, בתורת המספרים האנליטית. בשנת 1967 הוא הפך להיות מתמטיקאי fourtieth נבחר לאקדמיה הלאומית למדעים, ובשנת 1971 התמנה לפרופסור במכון MIT. כמו כן בשנת 1971 הוא זכה בפרס Chauvenet של האגודה המתמטית של אמריקה. העיתון ועל כך הוא קיבל את הפרס היה בתורת המספרים האנליטית, ושימש מבשר את המסמכים כתב על השערת רימן. לוינסון מאוד מתקדמים תיאוריה זו היה על סף הישג אולי הגדול ביותר שלו במתמטיקה בזמן מותו.)ב 10 אוגוסט 1912 נורמן לוינסון, פרופסור ב-MIT, חתן בהצטיינות רבות במקצועו נולד בבוסטון.

בחודש פברואר 1983 ראיינתי עם Les לנדרס, המנהל האמריקני של קולחיו נואבה גרנדה, בית הספר האמריקאי הבינלאומי של בוגוטה, קולומביה. Les הגיע לבוסטון בערים אחרות מספר על הראיון. דיברנו על איך אני ילמד 7 במתמטיקה בכיתה. אני לא לגמרי מבין בזמן כי הראיון הזה יביא אירועים ששינה את חיי.בחודש מאי, קיבלתי הצעת עבודה. בחודש אוגוסט הלכתי לשם. היה לי להפסיד חתונה של בן דוד שלי, כי כל המורים החדשים נדרשו להשתתף אוריינטציה הרך שבו למדנו על התרבות של קולומביה, חיפש מקום לגור ולהקים את חשבונות הבנק. מרתה, אחת המורות הקולומביאני התנדב לקחת אותנו סביב לתרגם את מה שהיינו צריכים. היא לימדה אותי "deverda?" (באמת?) וכן לימדתי האבן שלה. deverda מדקלם שלי אליה אותה מדקלמת אבן אלי הפך לבדיחה בינינו. שאלתי חבר שלי, גרוזיה, שהיו שם במשך שנה, "מה יהיה מתנה מתאימה לקבוצה שלנו לקנות מרתה? ג 'ורג' אמר, "הזמן את מרתה לארוחת ערב. היא תאהב את הקבוצה שלך מבלה את הזמן שלך איתה יותר להציג. הדגש על הזמן ביחד הפתיע אותי והיה רק אחד לקחים רבים למדתי במהלך שהותי 3 לשנה

Mis primeras 2 semanas en Bogotá

(Nació el 10 de agosto de 1912Norman Levinson ha funcionado en la probabilidad, la mecánica cuántica, una programación compleja, y la teoría analítica de números. En 1967 se convirtió en el matemático fourtieth para ser elegido a la Academia Nacional de Ciencias, y en 1971 fue nombrado profesor de Instituto en el MIT. También en 1971 fue galardonado con el Premio Chauvenet de la Asociación Matemática de América. El documento por el cual recibió este premio fue en la teoría de números analítica y sirve como un precursor de los papeles que escribió en la hipótesis de Riemann. Levinson hecho avanzar esta teoría y estaba a punto de quizá su mayor logro en matemáticas en el momento de su muerte.)El 10 de agosto 1912 Norman Levinson, profesor del MIT, quien recibió muchos honores en su profesión, nació en Boston.En febrero de 1983 me entrevisté con Larry Siegel, American Director del Colegio Nueva Granada, la American International School de Bogotá, Colombia. Larry llegó a Boston y algunas ciudades de otros para la entrevista. Hablamos de cómo iba a enseñar matemática séptimo grado. Yo no era consciente en el momento en que esta entrevista iba a dar lugar a acontecimientos que cambiaron mi vida.

En mayo, recibí la oferta de trabajo. En agosto me fui allí. Tuve que pierda la boda de mi primo, porque todos los nuevos maestros fueron obligados a participar en la orientación pre-escolar donde aprendimos sobre la cultura colombiana, buscó un lugar para vivir y crear cuentas bancarias. Martha, una de las docentes de Colombia se ofreció a llevarnos todo y traducir todo lo que necesitábamos. Ella me enseñó "deverda?" (En realidad?) Y le enseñé piedra. Mi deverda recitando a ella ya su recitación de piedra que me convirtió en una broma entre nosotros. Le pregunté a mi amiga, Georgia, que había estado allí durante un año ", ¿Cuál sería un regalo adecuado para nuestro grupo para comprar Marta? Georgia dijo: "Invitar a Martha a cenar. Ella va a gustar su grupo pasando su tiempo con ella más de un regalo. Este énfasis en el tiempo juntos me sorprendió y se convirtió en una de las muchas lecciones que aprendí durante mi estancia de 3 años.

Nepal Cremation - Extended Family Member's Death

Last night I was reviewing a section from my upcoming book, 40 Countries By Myself and today I received sad news sooner than I imagined. The section was an experience I had in Kathmandu watching a man on the other side of the river cremate his father. I was in Nepal (see www.lonelyplanet.com) an adventurer's travel guidebook website) during a time in my life in which some of my grandparents were still alive and my parents were healthy. I felt sad for the man and for his father but it wasn’t until I lost my uncle and my grandmother 7 years later that I revisited that grisly scene in my mind.

Today I received a call from my mother. She sounded exceptionally on edge and said, “I have bad news”. At first I thought it was my father or one of my aunts or uncle. “Slava Fintel died. We just received the news. I feel so numb.” I wasn’t sure what to say. Judaism has a 5,000 year tradition of dealing with death. I am more knowledgeable about the mourning customs than most Jews but I have practiced Buddhism for a long time. “Some believe that there is an after life. I know you do not believe it”, I began.

I told my mom of the fictional movie “Charlie St. Cloud” (www.imdb.com/title/tt1438254) that I saw recently. This is about a teenage boy who was getting ready to go to college. There was so much promise in his life at that time. Then he got into a car accident while driving and his 9 year old brother was killed. For the next 5 years Charlie lived and worked in the cemetery where his brother had been buried. He played catch with his brother every day at sunset.

After the movie was over there were 2 of us still sitting in the theatre. I asked the woman leaving the theatre with me, “What did you think?” Her voice was strong yet gentle. Her eyes were kind. Sometimes when I exit the theatre I ask people the same question and they try to get away from me. The woman replied, “When Charlie let go of his brother, his brother was able to move on to the next place.” What if this woman was right? What if our thoughts influence our departed friends’ and relatives’ After Death journey? I realized that Charlie’s intention was positive but he had held his brother back.

Charlie’s reaction also made me think of the 3 years I spent in Thailand (http://www.amazon.com/Insight-Guide-Thailand-Guides/dp/1585732990). Funerals were not somber as I had always seen in the West. Those still alive were to make merit for the departed soul. Buddhists believe in birth and rebirth. I did not share any of this to convert my mom to Buddhism. I knew she was well versed in the Jewish death customs (http://www.amazon.com/Meanings-Death-Rabbinic-Judaism/dp/0415211840/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283751596&sr=1-1#reader_0415211840) and I wanted to offer a different view. I was saying these things to comfort myself as much as her.

About 3 minutes after I hung up the phone I realized I was folding kitchen towels. My white towels with green and purple grapes and cups of red and white wine. I didn’t know how to comfort myself so I did what I often do to find some peace, I walked to the book store. I went to the Self Improvement section and sure enough, there was one shelf about Death. I noticed A Year to Live How to Live This Year as if it Were Your Last by Stephen Levine ( http://www.personaltransformation.com/Levine.html) I had read this book about 14 years ago and since then had often asked myself What would I do and think in this moment if I knew that this was my last year? On Grief and Grieving by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler (http://www.amazon.com/Grief-Grieving-Finding-Meaning-Through/dp/0743266285) is as much a celebration of life as a comforting guide about death.

Five days ago my parents, Slava, and her husband, Mark and a few other couples got together for lunch. I had considered going but did not do so. When my mother told me the news today, it took less than a split second to realize that I had forfeitted my last opportunity to say goodbye to Slava. In addition to the understandable emotions of grief, denial and sadness, I felt so angry at myself.

Slava had been one of my parents’ closest friends. When I was growing up, Slava and Mark got together with my parents and other Chicago couples who had studied together in Germany after World War II. I remember spending every Labor Day and many other days with the Fintels and their kids. Although I did not know the details of Slava’s World War II experiences until I googled her tonight, I was aware that her story was a lot like that of my parents. I learned from the writings of Samuel Kassow, Holocaust scholar (http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ASamuel%20D.%20Kassow&field-author=Samuel%20D.%20Kassow&page=1), that Slava had been shot and crawled 15 miles back to a hiding place.

How do we say goodbye to those in our lives who were larger than life? The possibility that Slava is now in a world which is difficult for us to visualize, a much better place, gives me a lot of comfort. I will do my best to make merit.

From Insight to Write

3 Cups of Tea co-author Greg Mortenson see (www.3cupsoftea.com )was on Face the Nation (see www.cbsnews.com/sections/.../main3460.shtml) today. I have listened to that program on a.m. radio (www.wbbm.cbslocal.com) many times but this was the first time I heard a travel writer interviewed. Mortenson climbed mountains in Pakistan and he spent a considerable amount of time in Afghanistan. He learned about the culture and values of the region and later built schools there.

With more limited resources and I'm sure less physical rigor than Mortenson, I traveled in 40 countries to enjoy myself and also to reach out to the people of each host country. Imagine how much better the world would be if international policy makers regularly consulted with us travel writers when solving problems.

Let’s learn about the country’s culture
Rather than act like vultures
This well traveled Helene
Worked on learning languages like a machine
Of honoring the ways of others I like to write
It sure gave me insight

August Reminds me of Burma

In August,1988 history was made in Burma, now called Myanmar (although Jim Carrey still calls it Burma). see http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/myanmar-burma/myanmar-burma-travel-guide-10?lpaffil=lpdest-shoppod. I was living Burma’s next door neighbor country, Thailand see www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand.There had been a dictatorship in Burma for 26 years. Most of the world was not allowed to get in. No one was allowed access to a computer except for the government. The travel agents produced lists of people traveling on flights with stencils. Stencils! A paper with purple carbon on the back that could be placed into a roll on a special machine and purple ink copies were made. I had used stencils during the ‘70’s for my teaching materials. I got a sick feeling in my stomach when I saw those travel stencils during my December, 1987 brief trip. “How else did the government control everyone?” I wondered silently.

I was running the Elementary School Computer Lab for International School Bangkok (www.isb.ac.th). This job started in September, 1986. I did not know one Westerner living in Bangkok who did not love it. It was only an hour’s flight to Singapore, two and a half hours to Nepal or Hong Kong and 4 hours to Indonesia. None of my colleagues had traveled to Burma but I found a few travelers at the Foreign Correspondent’s Club of Thailand (www.fccthai.com), a club for news people covering Southeast Asia, and in other places.“You can purchase whiskey and cigarettes in the Bangkok airport and sell both in Burma”, experienced travelers advised me.

I did not realize until I spent a few days in Rangoon just how thriving was Burma’s black market economy.

I am not surprised that the European Union issued a warning on August 14, 2010 to Burma that it had better have fair elections this coming November.

Note- More to follow in an upcoming blog posting. The author speaks Spanish and Hebrew and can converse in French, Portuguese and Thai. She can count to 10 in Russian and Arabic and is currently working on Mandarin.

My Generous Colombian Colleague

On August 10, 1912 Norman Levinson, MIT professor, recipient of many honors in his profession was born in Boston.

In February, 1983 I interviewed with Larry Siegel , American Director of Colegio Nueva Granada, the American International School of Bogotá, Colombia. Larry came to Boston and a few other cities for the interview. We talked about how I would teach 7th grade mathematics. I didn’t fully realize at the time that this interview would lead to events that changed my life.
In May, I received the job offer. In August I went there. I had to miss my cousin’s wedding because all the new teachers were required to participate in the pre-school Orientation where we learned about Colombian culture, looked for a place to live and set up bank accounts. Martha, one of the Colombian teachers volunteered to take us around and translate whatever we needed. She taught me “deverda?” (really?) and I taught her "stone". We each had difficulty remembering that particular word in the other's language. My reciting deverda to her and her chiming stone to me became a joke between us. I asked my friend, Georgia, who had been there for a year, “What would be an appropriate gift for our group to buy Martha?" Georgia replied, “Invite Martha out to dinner. She will like your group spending your time with her more than a present." This emphasis on time together surprised me and became just one of the many lessons I learned during my 3 year stay.