Lessons

Strange, how not knowing the language became not a problem, 

how we'd chatter away at each other with smiling eyes 

and fluttering hands and come to understand.

Still, though, there were lessons that helped.

They were very insistent, for instance, that I learn to count, 

prompting me at every turn to practice, writing it all out in the dirt.

(Which was helpful, I might add, come market day; 

see post to follow...)

[Dit, Nit, Dong, Lit, Na, Cha, Kohl, Shit (yes, shit), Gong, D'say]

[I could go on...you'd be so impressed.]

Then, there were some phrases crucial to our life together:

And--though my pronunciation still needs some work

{Burmese is challenging!}--I am happy to report that--because they laughed at my very very short term memory and didn't let me get away with murdering their language--I became as fluent in these phrases as one could hope for.

And, I even taught them a few things of my own:

[apologies for the sideways camera...

there are lessons I have yet to learn.]

Perhaps when Eenie Meenie Miney Mo becomes the Myanmar national anthem, I will consider my purpose on earth complete...