A tradition of south East Asian countries - Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos is the 'water festival' It takes place in April and has been celebrated for hundreds of years to cleanse the old year and to welcome in the new year. It also coincides with very high temperatures (this week has been 102/38) and so people enjoy getting wet as they dry out quickly. In Myanmar, the festival is known as Thingyian. I got an early opportunity of taking part in Yangon - ...

Today I say goodbye to my colleagues at the coordination unit of the Women's Organizations Network of Myanmar (WON). I've been with them since the first week of December and we have enjoyed some good times together. Set up in 2008 to share information, resources and fundraising effort after the catastrophic Cyclone Nargis, WON has grown from its original 9 members to 38 today. It is a very 'inclusive' movement as it embraces all faiths, as well as containing th...

It is so interesting to be here at this stage in Myanmar's history and to get to know the inspirational people who will take this country forward from its grim past. Today, over 2,000 people attended a special ceremony for the handing back of the Technical institute of Engineering from the authorities at Insein in the north of the city. It was seized by the military in 1997 and used as a prison for monks arrested in the uprisings of that year. Some died within t...

One of the unique features of life here in Myanmar is the use of thanaka on the face. It is a yellowy white paste which is applied mainly to cheek areas. While it is normally associated with women, there are many men and children who use it too. It is made from the bark of the thanaka tree, which is grown in Magway, Sagaing, Mandalay divisions and Shan state. It is a natural product which is excellent for cooling the skin and serving as a sunblock. This week's...

I have grown to love my community where I have been living for the past eight months. They are warm hearted and friendly people and I want to celebrate my impending departure with them. With the help of my local Myanmar friends, we agree a sum of money to buy all the ingredients to cook mohinga for everyone on the street. They refer to this an an act of donation. They also make a banner and put up balloons plus lay out tables in the street. It is a great atm...