Travels to Myanmar

My travels to Myanmar were nothing if not eye-opening and powerful. From traveling town-to-town soaking in the beautiful art and culture, to meeting the most kind and caring people, the country made a monumental impact on me. I gained endless inspiration, an insight into the Myanmar way of living, and even sourced a few pieces for AKD’s next pop-up shop.

Myanmar Culture + Lifestyle

Here are a few snippets of the culture that I found fascinating.

• Myanmar is a third world country, yet they have many natural resources such as fossil fuels, precious gems, jade, and more.  It makes you wonder why a country so rich in resources is still one of Asia’s poorest countries. Let’s just say the government is “complicated” to put it generously.

• The general public does not have bank accounts, instead they save their money at home. When they have a lot of cash, they purchase jewels or gold and keep it in a safe. When they need money, they sell their jewels in exchange for cash.

• If the cash bills are not crisp, free of bends and folds, and looking brand new, it will lose its value. Everyone carries their cash in long billfolds.

• Many of the cities I visited were still only using horse and carriages 25 years ago.

• The women of Myanmar only wear ground bark from a Thanaka tree as makeup.  It provides them with UV protection, and its high concentration of antioxidants helps to rejuvenate the skin.  Even men wear it from time to time.

• Only 11% of the children graduate high school.

• At the markets, it was 99% women selling the produce and when roads were being built, 80% of the crew was women. This country is certainly full of some strong females.

City by City Travels + Pop-Up Shop Teases

Below is a snapshot of my journey, taking in the different cities, connecting with locals, enjoying beautiful accommodations (I loved all the hotels I stayed in), and gathering special pieces for the next pop-up.

• Yangon: Formerly known as Rangoon, Yangon is the largest city in Myanmar with approximately five million people. It is home to the Shwedegon Pagoda, the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar, and is covered in solid gold, thousands of diamonds and other precious stones, and a 72-carat diamond crowning the top. It is spectacular.

  We spent an entire afternoon visiting Yangon’s wonderful art scene. From the New Treasure Gallery (where we saw work created by Min Wai Aung, who is considered Yangon’s greatest living artist) to the Golden Valley Art Gallery, we took in so many breathtaking works.

  While traveling through Pomelo, a fair trade shop in Yangon, we were able to browse stunning handcrafted items and I discovered an amazing local artisan there. I purchased several of his pieces, including art and jewelry among several other unique objects. (Spoiler alert: I have a whole container of special items coming soon for the next pop-up.)

• Bagan: This is an ancient city and UNESCO World Heritage site. I took the most spectacular hot air balloon ride (which you may have seen on AKD’s Instagram stories) and it was one of the most awe-inspiring moments of my life. Floating over thousands of ancient pagodas and stupas at sunrise was utterly breathtaking and incredibly memorable.

  While traveling through several local craft villages in Bagan, I sourced a couple of handbags made from the traditional lotus flower and jade rings. They are gorgeous and such a statement!

• Kalaw: I spent two nights in this small city at a yoga/meditation retreat. One afternoon, after a morning hike and lunch at a wonderful family’s home in Napalese Village, we were taken to an elephant camp of retired government elephants to feed and bathe them. Dreamy.

  I also went to Jim’s Sprouting Seed café and bought them out of every bar of soap and lip balm they had. They were individually handcrafted by the girls who worked there — you need one of these beauty products in your life.

• Inle Lake: This is an amazing place and a must-see for anyone who visits Myanmar. The homes here are on stilts in the water, their form of transportation is boats and they even have floating gardens that they tend to for their produce. I have never seen anything like it.

  In addition to being culturally fascinating, the area is also known for its textiles, traditional silversmithing and other artisans. I discovered and brought back some amazing jewelry, handbags, and wooden cutting boards made from recycled teak.

Jim Connor + Whispering Seed

While Myanmar was such a powerful experience overall, one single person made the most significant impact on me: Jim Connor.

Meeting Jim was a serendipitous moment. Jim studied in the US, and after earning his degree, he helped run (and even start-up) schools in the Waldorf and Montessori teachings across the country. He ended up moving to India to practice yoga and work with the schools, but eventually found himself helping at a Thai/Myanmar border refugee camp. During his time at the camp, Jim found 25 children that had no family and decided to establish an orphanage for them. He made it his mission to find family members for these children so they could be placed with their relatives back in Myanmar. He was successful with all but four of the children, who he then adopted as his own. So inspiring.

Jim also started an amazing organization, Whispering Seed, a charitable organization that bridges the traditions of sustainability and holistic education through innovative programs, trainings and design. I encourage you to go read more here.

I hope Jim’s story will inspire you enough to make your own donation towards his organization because there is no one quite like Jim Connor.

Myanmar truly made an impact on me in so many ways— I cannot recommend visiting the country enough.

Be sure to mark your calendars for AKD’s next pop-up on April 23, so you can also take home the spirit of the Myanmar culture with one of the extraordinary pieces and products that will be available. I’m sure you’ll cherish them just as much as I do.