Bon voyage!

In less than 12 hours I will be boarding what will be the longest flight I’ve ever been on (13.5 hours) taking me from LA to Seoul, followed by another flight to Chiang Mai, Thailand. I’m both excited and incredibly nervous! The exposure I’ve had to Thailand was previously limited to movies such as The Beach and Brokedown Palace, which has haunted me since the first time I watched in five years ago…my obsessive Internet searches may not be soothing my nerves either. Yet I can’t help but have this warm feeling about my upcoming adventure. Everyone I have talked to who has traveled there gushes about the beautiful beaches, great food and friendly people. As I peruse the web I keep coming across the overwhelming presence of ex-pat blogs and travel websites talking about Thailand, the “land of smiles.”

In quick summary, I’ll be spending the next year of my life living in Chiang Mai, immersing myself in local Thai culture and the Burmese women’s rights movement that exists in Thailand. I am excited to meet this group of very passionate and brave women who have come together to promote women’s rights, human rights and political empowerment for Burmese women and families living both inside and outside of Burma. I’m going as a volunteer for a great organization based out of New York, American Jewish World Services, which is committed to promoting social justice and human rights throughout the developing world.

Burma, which has been ruled by a military junta since 1962, is recognized internationally as Myanmar (the military changed the country’s name in 1989). The past five decades have marked a debilitating rise in poverty and lack of civic and political rights, as the military has continued to implement extreme socialist policy and forced labor upon its citizens. As a result, Burma (as I will refer to it), has produced millions of refugees and migrant workers, many of whom end up in Thailand in hopes of making a better life for themselves and their families.

I’m nervous to go into this experience. Until recently, I am ashamed to say, I rarely thought about the plight of Burmese nationals. Many of the women I will be working with have seen and lived through atrocities that I cannot begin to identify with or explain. But I am inspired by their dedication to educating people about the importance of women’s rights and political activism.

I’m writing this blog with the intention of sharing stories and photos from my time abroad. In addition to that, I hope to share what I learn about the situation in Burma and women’s rights as well. I will miss everyone so much!