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'Clean Yangon Green Yangon' Street Clean-Up Sep 29, 2018

'Clean Yangon Green Yangon' Street Clean-Up

Facebook Page : Clean Yangon Green Yangon
Date : Saturday, Sep 29 2018, 08:00am - 09:00am
Location: in front of Craft Cafe, Yangon, Myanmar

Street Clean Up
I saw an event in Yangon about cleaning-up the streets. This is a good way to immerse myself into the culture, meet people and do something for the community. I help clean-up coastal areas, why not streets? Of course I signed-up!

A Japanese Initiative
This is a monthly event on it 16th clean-up drive. It is organized by a Japanese and most of the participants (except me and a few locals) were Japanese students. I was grouped with 2 other Japanese guys - we were a crew as we got into conversation while picking-up trash. One is here learning to speak Burmese and the other one is here to study Myanmar culture and history. They added that not much is known about Myanmar and they wanted to know more.

Cleaning Up
We were given gloves, tongs and a plastic sack. I noticed that Yangon's streets are actually clean to begin with. Sure, we picked-up garbage but they were not exactly the typical garbage you see in other capitals of Asia. Mostly, we picked-up cigarette butts and small litter.

'Clean Yangon Green Yangon' Street Clean-Up
the clean-up drive was successful with all the trash collected

Ending Thoughts
Cleaning-up is a noble cause that helps the environment. As an environmentalist, I try to get involved. But like all clean-ups I've attended, there is this conundrum knowing that the people who throw their trash will continue to do so...and we do the clean-up again. The cycle repeats itself. Sure, a clean-up drive increases awareness about trash management, but it only influences those who are already converted. The people who throw their trash are unaffected. Again, I have to say that the best approach to a clean-up drive is through proper education of those who need to be aware. But this requires a strong political will. Will authorities 'shame' litterbugs by making them do a full day clean-up themselves when caught? Again, it takes more than dedicated idealists like the ones who participated in this clean-up to make it happen. It's a community effort.

I applaud these Japanese who chose to immerse themselves into cultural and social interaction by cleaning up the streets. There are many ways to build community - language meet-up in a bar or cafe (nothing wrong with that) or pick-up garbage and talk along.

As a lone traveler, I get this privilege to join any community project that resonates with me. I get to be productive, meet people and also be useful. There are many other activities in Yangon and with my remaining time, I hope to get involved in those whose cause come closest to mine.

--- TheLoneRider
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my crew
cleaning-up the street market
mother-daughter pair?
getting acquainted with everyone
a few sacks of garbage were collected
lunch at a nearby Shan resto

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Biohacker Meetup at 'Living with The Spirit' community

Biohacker Meetup at 'Living with The Spirit'

(May 22, 2022) The monthly meetup of the Biohackers Thailand was held 25 kms northeast of Old City in Doi Saket at this rustic farmland, 'Living with The Spirit'. Our gracious hosts, Sara, Simba and Mark prepared a lavish spread of delectable vegan dishes, icebath, and a dip in their dug-out pond. They gave us a tour of their farm and conducted a spiritual swordfight workshop followed by an exchange of ideas and protocols at their alfresco gazebo hut.....more »»

YANGON
  1. 14 Days in Yangon Sept 24 - Oct 8, 2018
  2. Chillin' at The Social House - Kitchen & Tap Oct 4-7, 2018
  3. Abs-Yoga with BeautyLand Hotel II Staff Oct 3-7, 2018
  4. CouchSurfing in Yangon Oct 6, 2018
  5. Vipassana in the Tradition of Sayagi U Ba Khin as Taught by U Ko Lay Oct 6, 2018
  6. Sunrise Yoga with Jerome at Yangon Yoga House Oct 5, 2018
  7. Stumbling Upon the Shwedagon Pagoda Oct 2, 2018
  8. Movie Review: The Divine Order (2017) Sep 29, 2018
  9. 'Clean Yangon Green Yangon' Street Clean-Up Sep 29, 2018
  10. Movie Review: A Serious Game (2016) Sep 28, 2018
  11. Movie Review: Amy (2015) Sep 28, 2018
  12. Movie Review: In The Fade (2017) Sep 27, 2018
  13. Movie Review: Perfect Strangers (2016) Sep 27, 2018
  14. Movie Review: Little Wing (2016) Sep 26, 2018
  15. Mundo Lingo Yangon at 50th Street Cafe Sep 25, 2018
  16. A First Timer in Yangon, Myanmar Sep 24, 2018


Google Map

Yangon (city), Myanmar

important places in Ho Chi Minh City IMPORTANT PLACES
Yangon International Airport Yangon International Airport

hotels in Yangon HOTEL
  • Beautyland Hotel II Beautyland Hotel II - central location, backpacker friendly, affordable, breakfast & laundry included
restaurants in Yangon RESTAURANT condos in Yangon CONDO RENTAL-SALE

USEFUL INFORMATION

How to Get to Downtown Yangon from the Yangon International Airport (RGN)
  1. take the shuttle bus from Airport to Downtown Yangon, it costs MMK 500. It passes through the main artery of Yangon.
Yangon Travel Tips
  1. useful site: Wiki Travel Yangon

USEFUL INFORMATION

(as of Jan 2020)
Myanmar FYI / Travel Tips
  1. accommodation - not all destinations in Myanmar can accommodate foreign travelers. Walk-in hotel guests could be refused. Better make an online booking, or make sure the hotel you wish to stay, at is listed in the online booking sites (Agoda, Booking.com, etc.)
  2. local time - adjust time 30 mins behind from Thailand (if arriving from Thailand)
  3. Burmese people - Burmese people are new to what's happening to Myanmar - being opened-up to the rest of the world. They remain friendly, helpful and curious. Tourism being new, the culture is not yet corrupted by it.
General Travel Tips
  1. arrive early - in case there is a snag (visa snag, documentation snag, transport ticket snag, etc.), you will have ample time to troubleshoot the problem if you arrive early (to the airport, to the bus terminal, etc.)
  2. put detailed itinerary on the Calendar apps of your smart-phone according to timelines - this is where you do all your thinking and planning. Once written down, you don't have to think anymore while you are on the journey...you just follow the steps. This frees your mind for something else that might happen while you are already en route
  3. avoiding scams - as a general rule, I ignore the touts or anyone I don't know who call out to me. The calling comes in many forms - "Hi! Where are you from?", "Excuse me! Excuse me!", "Where are you going?". I don't look them in the eye and I remain non-verbal with them. If you reply to them, you just gave them an 'in' to hound you. In order not to look rude, I smile and wave the 'not interested' hand to them, without looking at them.
  4. power bank - hand-carry your power bank. Do not check it in. You can be called in when you are already inside the plane to go all the way to the loading dock so you can personally remove the power bank...and chances are, you'll have to surrender it to them. And you might delay the plane departure!
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