The Warmth of Humanity in Inle Lake, Myanmar

My journey through Myanmar was a memorable one, not simply due to the abundance of culturally rich historical sites, but due to the warm spirit and hospitality of the Burmese people. In particular, one family I met in the Inle Lake area.

My last day in Myanmar was inspiring and I will be forever grateful for such a day. I spent my last day in Myanmar around the Inle Lake area; having spent a number of days cruising around the lake and hiking, I decided to spend my last day relaxing and riding my bike around the surrounding areas.

For just a $1, I rented a bike from my hotel and set off in the late morning. I had no idea where I was headed. Equipped with just a map, my phone, and a portable speaker, I took off into the streets as I listened to the smooth sounds of John Coltrane. My first stop came an hour later at a local temple where I sat and watched the monks perform their daily duties.

The Hospitality of Burmese People

After 40 minutes or so, I continued forward. I rode for about an hour until I noticed a rather nice lake surrounded by a few homes. The area was completely silent with the exception of a few pigs and chickens roaming the area. Amazed by the beauty of this particular lake, I parked my bike and took a seat to admire the tranquil and scenic atmosphere. A few minutes passed by and the clouds began to turn a violent dark gray, and within seconds it began to intensely pour. Stuck in the rain without any umbrella or coat, I quickly rushed to seek shelter under a tree until the rain stopped. As I attempted to maneuver through the rain, I heard a voice shout at me in an unfamiliar language. I turned and saw a young man who appeared around 15 signaling for me to come inside of his home.

Without hesitation, I rushed towards the boy and entered his home where I was met by his mother and sister. The mother gave me a towel to dry off and I took a seat on the bamboo floor. I soon realized that none of the family members spoke a single word of English. I attempted to introduce myself in the simplest way possible. Later, I learned their names, names which I can hardly recall except for “La la mu.” Next, I attempted to find out their age. I used my iPhone calculator to input my age and pointed back to myself. Their faces lit up as they understood what I meant. Each of them took my phone to type in their age and I confirmed that the boy was 15 and his sister, 17. After a few minutes, their mother came out and brought me some hot tea and cookies.

I went on my iPhone and showed them a world map, I pointed to the U.S. and back at myself. The brother replied “Aaaaah America.” Without a means to verbally communicate, I figured I’d just show them photos of my world trips. They seemed to be particularly interested in my Myanmar photos, especially the big cities, Yangon and Mandalay. The mother came back with a photo album of her own and walked me through each photo explaining its significance. I smiled and nodded in agreement as if I understood. She brought additional refreshments and we continued our conversation, or rather, our show and tell session.

An hour passed and the sky cleared up. I thanked them for their hospitality before departing. The mother then presented me with a gift of thanakha, a yellowish-white cosmetic paste made from ground bark. I shook her hand and bowed as I exited. I retrieved my bicycle and the three sat by the entrance of their home smiling as I faded away. As I began the long journey back to my hotel, I sat on my bike trying to make sense of such kindness. Although I could not verbally communicate with the family, their warm spirit, hospitality, and general kindness deeply resonated with me. It was a reminder of the real warmth and spirit of humanity.