tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45554890079906039182024-03-12T16:18:20.862-07:00Wishful TravelerAn Intercultural Studies major dreaming of traveling the world, yet in the meantime visiting different places through literature, technology, and other means...Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-77385166931155730052010-04-05T23:19:00.000-07:002010-04-05T23:19:46.226-07:00Tourist Spots in the PhilippinesOf the eleven Southeast Asian nations, I've only been to one. And that is the country I live in—the Philippines. Although I've lived here all my life, I have not yet roamed every part of this country. I've been to places like Laguna, Baguio, Bicol. Now and then, I get to go to other provinces. Basically, though, I've lived in Manila all my life—Manila with its jeepneys and tricyles, people and buildings.<br />
<br />
When I was in high school, my Social Study books often advised us to visit the Philippines' most well known tourist spots. Out of all those, I've only been to two: Mayon Volcano (in Bicol) and Taal Lake (in Tagaytay).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S7rP6anxBjI/AAAAAAAAJr0/4rNYzPdEtNM/s1600/mayon-volcano4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S7rP6anxBjI/AAAAAAAAJr0/4rNYzPdEtNM/s400/mayon-volcano4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Mayon Volcano</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Photo from: </span><a href="http://travelandtourwithpari.wordpress.com/2009/01/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Travel and Tour with Pari</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S7rQPRtYVMI/AAAAAAAAJr8/5Q3LtW3HRYU/s1600/banaue-rice-terraces-715556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S7rQPRtYVMI/AAAAAAAAJr8/5Q3LtW3HRYU/s400/banaue-rice-terraces-715556.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Banaue Rice Terraces</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Picture from: </span><a href="http://culturalpropertylaw.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/sustainable-energy-donated-to-banaue-rice-terraces/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Cultural Property Law</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S7rQYGxRpFI/AAAAAAAAJsc/wApAbp8ge4E/s1600/ww-P~chocolate~hills~q.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S7rQYGxRpFI/AAAAAAAAJsc/wApAbp8ge4E/s400/ww-P~chocolate~hills~q.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Chocolate Hills of Bohol</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Picture from: </span><a href="http://johnduffysplaces.blogspot.com/2009/07/chocolate-hills.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">John Duffy's Places</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S7rQXQxqQ4I/AAAAAAAAJsU/k8wAcOgiNog/s1600/6a00cdf3abeba2cb8f00d09e5e8831be2b-500pi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S7rQXQxqQ4I/AAAAAAAAJsU/k8wAcOgiNog/s400/6a00cdf3abeba2cb8f00d09e5e8831be2b-500pi.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Taal Volcano</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Picture from: </span><a href="http://budget.groups.vox.com/library/post/6a00cdf3abeba2cb8f00d41428570c6a47.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Vox Budget Travelers</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S7rQWMRxJcI/AAAAAAAAJsE/b4vBpOpKkFg/s1600/Hundred_Islands.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S7rQWMRxJcI/AAAAAAAAJsE/b4vBpOpKkFg/s400/Hundred_Islands.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hundred Islands</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Picture from: </span><a href="http://philippines.gemzies.com/show/entry_16582/more_0/Philippine_Tarsier.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Gemzies Philippines</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-69802895038654715172010-03-05T22:08:00.000-08:002010-03-05T22:09:16.787-08:00"Death of a Nation" (East Timor)<center><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OhaBSPGBXco&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OhaBSPGBXco&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></center><br />
<br />
<blockquote>On December 7, 1975 Indonesia secretly - but with the complicity of the Western powers including the US, the UK, and Australia - invaded the small nation of East Timor. Two Australian television crews attempting to document the invasion were murdered.<br />
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In 1993, with the Indonesian army still occupying the country, John Pilger and his crew including director David Munro, slipped into East Timor and made this film. In the intervening 18 years, an estimated 200,000 East Timorese - 1/3 of the population - had been slaughtered by the Indonesian military. The C.I.A. has described it as one of the worst mass-murders of the 20th century.<br />
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Pilger tells the story using clandestine footage of the countryside, internment camps and even Fretlin guerillas, as well as interviews with Timorese exiles, including Jose Ramos Horta and Jose Gusmao, and Australian, British, and Indonesian diplomats.<br />
<br />
Nixon had called Indonesia the "greatest prize in southeast Asia" because of its oil reserves and other natural resources. Even though Indonesia had no historic or legal claim to East Timor, it was convenient for diplomats to declare that East Timor, just gaining its independence from Portugal, would not be a viable state.<br />
<br />
However the lie was given to this argument when Australia and Indonesia signed the Timor Gap Oil Treaty and carved up the huge oil and gas reserves in the seabed off East Timor.<br />
<br />
None of the politicians from that period - President Ford, Henry Kissinger, Daniel Moynihan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Gough Whitlam - has clean hands. The Indonesian military used US and British planes to bombard the island, while the defense ministers proclaimed ignorance.<br />
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As Pilger gets an Austrlian diplomat to admit, East Timor was considered "expendable."<br />
<br />
But no one watching the massacre in the Dili cemetery can excuse the geopolitical machinations that led to this genocide.<br />
- <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/DeEnlightener">DeEnlightener</a></blockquote>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-70310953896364624252010-02-28T07:50:00.000-08:002010-02-28T07:52:12.048-08:00The Merlion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S4qQqt-DaWI/AAAAAAAAJq4/6v2UkavpGFk/s1600-h/WideAngleMerlion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S4qQqt-DaWI/AAAAAAAAJq4/6v2UkavpGFk/s400/WideAngleMerlion.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Picture from </span><a href="http://www.richard-seaman.com/Wallpaper/Travel/Asia/Islands/index.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The Flying Kiwi</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>They say you haven't really been to Singapore if you haven't gone to Merlion Park. It's the home of the famous <i>Merlion</i>, the "lion head with a fish body resting on a crest of waves," after which the park is named.<br />
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The <i>Merlion</i> was designed by Mr. Fraser Bunner, a curator of the Van Kleef Aquarium, as an emblem for the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board. The lion head represents the lion that Prince Sang Nila Utama spotted when he rediscovered Singapore. The fish represents the ancient city of Temasek (which means "sea" in Javanese), which was what the island was known as before the Prince named it "Singapura" ("singa" means "lion" and "pura" means "city"—in Sanskrit).<br />
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The <i>Merlion</i> stands 8.6 meters tall and weighs 70 tonnes, built by Mr. Lim Nang Seng, who also built a smaller Merlion statue (its cub). It is made of cement fondue, the skin of porcelain plates, and red teacups (for its eyes).<br />
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Originally, the <i>Merlion</i> and its cub was located at the mouth of the Singapore River. In the year 2002, they were moved to where they stand now, at Merlion Park, adjacent to One Fullerton Park.<br />
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<u>Resources</u><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Uniquely Singapore - <a href="http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/home/about_singapore/the_merlion.html">http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/home/about_singapore/the_merlion.html</a></div>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-42569958886137606702010-02-22T00:16:00.000-08:002010-02-23T06:32:17.584-08:00Did You Know? (Random Facts About Brunei)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S4I9Ai9iIYI/AAAAAAAAJqY/xrxpLn7VLzQ/s1600-h/large_flag_of_brunei.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S4I9Ai9iIYI/AAAAAAAAJqY/xrxpLn7VLzQ/s400/large_flag_of_brunei.gif" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Image from </span><a href="http://www.appliedlanguage.com/flags_of_the_world/flag_of_brunei.shtml"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Applied Language Solutions</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div></span><br />
<div><br />
Brunei's official name is <i>Negara Brunei Darussalam</i> (meaning "Abode of Peace").<br />
<div>The capital of Brunei is <i>Bandar Seri Begawan.</i></div><div><i><br />
</i>Brunei, a monarchy, and has been ruled by the same family for over six centuries.</div><div><br />
Brunei is an Islamic state, and the Sultan is the head of the Islamic population. There are also Buddhists, Confucianists, Daoists, and Christian minorities.</div><div><br />
Malay is the official language, but English is widely used. Chinese dialects are spoken as well.<br />
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Etiquette in Brunei is very conservative? (That means no "loud" or "showy" clothes, no public display of affection, etc.)</div><div>Businessmen in Brunei are called "Haji" or "Dato" while businesswomen are called "Hajah" or "Datin."</div><div>When visiting a house in Brunei, it is polite to remove your shoes before entering the house.</div><div>People do not point with their index fingers, but with their thumbs. People do not beckon with their fingers either, but rather with their whole hand, making sure that the palm is facing downwards.<br />
The right fist should never be smacked into the left palm.<br />
Bruneians shake hands lightly and bring their hands to their chest.</div><div><div><br />
</div><div><u><br />
</u></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Resources</span></u></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Brunei Facts - </span><a href="http://www.tgmag.ca/ap/country/apbru.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">http://www.tgmag.ca/ap/country/apbru.html</span></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Culture of Brunei Darussalam - </span><a href="http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Brunei-Darussalam.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Brunei-Darussalam.html</span></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">World Info Zone - </span><a href="http://worldinfozone.com/facts.php?country=Brunei"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">http://worldinfozone.com/facts.php?country=Brunei</span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">World Travel Guide - </span><a href="http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/43/general_information/South-East-Asia/Brunei.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/43/general_information/South-East-Asia/Brunei.html</span></a></div></div><div><br />
</div></div></div>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-48922648265526677962010-02-10T09:11:00.000-08:002010-02-10T09:12:37.429-08:00Borobodur Temple in Indonesia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S3Ljw8uS8ZI/AAAAAAAAJqQ/EGaoU25dYkM/s1600-h/BorobudurHaut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S3Ljw8uS8ZI/AAAAAAAAJqQ/EGaoU25dYkM/s320/BorobudurHaut.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Picture: </span><a href="http://discover-indo.tierranet.com/borobod.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Discover Indonesia - Temples of Java</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div><br />
In the garden of Java, near Yogyakarta, stands Borobodur, the largest temple in the world, and the oldest in Southeast Asia. 11 centuries ago (775 A.D.), anonymous artists decided to begin building it. They knew, though, that they would not finish, but they hoped that, along the way, some people (other artists) would pick up the work they left behind. It was finished in 856, but abandoned soon after, as a political revolt swept through the land.<br />
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By the 10th century, less and less people were visiting the Borobodur temple, as it was in the midst of jungle. Vegetation blocked the paths and the numerous volcanoes that surrounded the temple covered it in ash.<br />
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It was in 1814 when a British colonel first discovered the temple. It took about a hundred years for Borobodur to be uncovered and completely restored. In 1990, a team was appointed to maintain and preserve Borobodur.<br />
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Today, Borobodur stands tall and proud and majestic in the midst of valleys, volcanoes, hills, mountains, and rivers...<br />
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<blockquote>"Some moments in life make one feel as if there were no longer any distance between Heaven and Earth, and in the creative blending into the whole, the sense of life is being revealed.<br />
Such an emotion is experienced when one ascends the stairs of Borobudur, Buddhist marvel of stone, in a full tropical moon-night."</blockquote><br />
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<u>References</u> - <a href="http://discover-indo.tierranet.com/temples01.htm">Discover Indonesia: Temples of Java</a>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-76621590097065787882010-02-06T08:24:00.000-08:002010-02-10T05:39:17.618-08:00WISH: To Visit a Dayak Longhouse in Sarawak, Malaysia<div><br />
</div><div>Imagine...you're traveling across one of the countries in Southeast Asia, rowing through the still waters of a river, when, along the banks, you spot a house on stilts—or so, it seems like one, except that it is incredibly long—and out of curiosity, you decide to investigate who might be living there.<br />
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You are warmly welcomed by a very hospitable people. They even have their young men and women perform a traditional dance (usually the <i>Ngajat</i>) and sound their traditional gongs to welcome you. They offer you <i>tuak</i> (local rice wine) invite you to stay for the night, but not before you eat a wonderful dinner of their local delicacies.<br />
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Such is the way of the <i>Dayak</i>, in Sarawak, Malaysia. The Dayak are an ethnic tribe who live either on Land (<i>Bidayuh</i>) or at Sea (<i>Iban</i>). In the last century, the length of their houses was 110 meters (360 feet) long, but today, they range from 10-70 meters.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S22VnEfWLSI/AAAAAAAAJqA/WSBHDJqywVY/s1600-h/T059074A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S22VnEfWLSI/AAAAAAAAJqA/WSBHDJqywVY/s320/T059074A.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Image from </span><a href="http://lawatilahmalaysia.blogspot.com/2009/04/sarawak-land-of-hornbills.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Lawatilah Malaysia</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S22V54oAK3I/AAAAAAAAJqI/mb7XUuQ7tno/s1600-h/orang-ulu_longhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S22V54oAK3I/AAAAAAAAJqI/mb7XUuQ7tno/s320/orang-ulu_longhouse.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Image from </span><a href="http://www.ling.udel.edu/pcole/fieldmethods/FM05/syllabus.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Linguistic Field Methods</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div><br />
At the center of each longhouse is a public area for social life and rituals. Also at the center of the house here is a main post which is the first thing to be erected when the longhouse is built. This main post symbolizes the ancestor who founded the house. It is sacred and is seen as a link between the underworld and the upper world. This is why longhouses have decorations of rhinoceros birds and water snakes. The rhinoceros birds symbolize the good spirits of the upper world, while the water snakes are associated with the spirits of the underworld.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">***</div><br />
I kinda think it would be fun to live in a Longhouse (provided, your neighbors are people you like :P). I hope I can visit one some day, as in <i>really</i> visit one, not just through pictures and stories. :D<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">***</div><br />
More pictures <b><a href="http://www.galenfrysinger.com/iban_longhouse.htm">here</a></b>. And <b><a href="http://www.google.com.ph/imglanding?q=Sarawak%20Longhouse&imgurl=http://images.encarta.msn.com/xrefmedia/sharemed/targets/images/pho/t059/T059074A.jpg&imgrefurl=http://lawatilahmalaysia.blogspot.com/2009/04/sarawak-land-of-hornbills.html&h=340&w=514&sz=28&tbnid=jmjvDyWRmqvfXM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=131&prev=/images%3Fq%3DSarawak%2BLonghouse&usg=__iqqOt6rJsutZqbB5MzU6T9gtmDs=&ei=y41tS7G2F4yOkQXzpqnUBw&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image&ved=0CAcQ9QEwAA&start=0#tbnid=z8fLg5ncBbWZLM&start=3">here</a></b>.<br />
Much more detailed information on longhouses <b><a href="http://epress.anu.edu.au/austronesians/inside/mobile_devices/ch03.html">here</a></b>.<br />
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<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Resources</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">:</span><br />
<ul><li><a href="http://artasia.www2.50megs.com/Indonesia/houses.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Artasia - Traditional Houses</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.galenfrysinger.com/iban_longhouse.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ibang Longhouse</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.malaysiasite.nl/longhouseng.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Malaysia Site - Longhouses</span></a></li>
</ul><div><br />
</div></div>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-4908399780105361752010-02-04T07:30:00.000-08:002010-02-10T05:38:45.029-08:00The "Yang di-Pertuan Agong" and the "Yang di-Pertuan Negeri" of MalaysiaMalaysia is a country which practices Parliamentary Democracy with Constitutional Monarchy. Quite a mouthful, isn't it?<br />
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In Malaysia, there is a king (or a raja, a sultan) and a prime minister. The <b><u>Yang di-Pertuan Agong</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">—sometimes called the <b><u>Yang di-Pertuan Besar</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">—</span></b>(or the king) is the "paramount ruler" and the head of state at the state level. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong does not inherit his role. Rather, he is elected from nine hereditary state rulers for a five-year term. The prime minister, called the </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><u>Yang di-Pertuan Negeri</u>,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> appointed by the paramount ruler, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">is the head of state where there are no rulers. The government leaders are the Chief Ministers: </span><u>Menteri Besar</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> and </span><u>Ketua Menteri</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></b><br />
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Who leads the people of Malaysia? According to a <a href="http://www.malaysianmonarchy.org.my/portal_bi/rk1/rk1.htm">website</a>, "whatever action is taken by an authority is executed in the name of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who acts on the advice of the Government." The king, however, has no substantive power. According to another <a href="http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/762dc/">website</a>, he is a symbol of the sovereignty of Malaysia, and serves the formal/ceremonial role.<br />
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Malaysia's current king is Mizan Zainal Abidin.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S2rnrdj1tkI/AAAAAAAAJp4/_pVblWrhFkk/s1600-h/Yang_di-pertuan_agong_ke-13.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S2rnrdj1tkI/AAAAAAAAJp4/_pVblWrhFkk/s400/Yang_di-pertuan_agong_ke-13.PNG" width="285" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Picture from </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yang_di-Pertuan_Agong"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Wikipedia</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div><br />
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The current prime minister is Najib Tun Razak.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S2rnp0fWWFI/AAAAAAAAJpw/dfYgfTUMHAc/s1600-h/497px-Dato_Sri_Mohd_Najib_Tun_Razak.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S2rnp0fWWFI/AAAAAAAAJpw/dfYgfTUMHAc/s320/497px-Dato_Sri_Mohd_Najib_Tun_Razak.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Picture from </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Malaysia"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Wikipedia</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div>Resources:<br />
<ul><li><a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/359754/Malaysia/52543/Government-and-society#ref1007554">Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></li>
<li><a href="http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/762dc/">Virtual Tourist</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.malaysianmonarchy.org.my/portal_bi/rk1/rk1.htm">Yang di-Pertuan Agong</a></li>
</ul>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-88937673303938784942010-01-27T19:11:00.000-08:002010-01-27T19:11:05.704-08:00Movie: Anna and the King<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S2EAAOSkPyI/AAAAAAAAJpg/B1Gir3ugaGI/s1600-h/3168f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S2EAAOSkPyI/AAAAAAAAJpg/B1Gir3ugaGI/s320/3168f.jpg" /></a><br />
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Our class watched <em>Anna and the King</em> (1999) for one of our sessions about Thailand.<br />
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Anna Leonowens is an Englishwoman who travels to Siam to teach the eldest son of Mongkut, King of Siam. At first, she insists on having her way. She doesn't follow the customs and etiquette of Siam, but as she spends more time with the children, she begins to see Siam has its own way of doing things.<br />
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Throughout the film, we see glimpses of Thailand's rich culture, along with its etiquette and customs, the expecations and roles of men and women, rich and poor, slaves and freefolk. Women are not allowed to stand in the presence of men, which is why, during their first meeting, the Prime Minister of Siam addresses Anna as "Sir." When the king comes into view, everyone must bow, as they have the belief that "no head must be higher than the king's."<br />
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When the king finds out that one of his concubines, Tuptim, is in love with another man and has run away to the Buddhist temple to be with him, he orders the execution of both Tuptim and her lover.<br />
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At first, Anna does not understand. She fights for justice, even going against the king's orders sometimes. But as her stay lengthens, she begins to see and understand.Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-74169760240725313752010-01-18T06:48:00.000-08:002010-01-18T06:50:33.454-08:00UPG: The Pear of Cambodia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S1R1FrHDnnI/AAAAAAAAJpY/zNqq2EyoaNc/s1600-h/Pear+on+the+map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S1R1FrHDnnI/AAAAAAAAJpY/zNqq2EyoaNc/s320/Pear+on+the+map.gif" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Image from <a href="http://www.joshuaproject.net/">JoshuaProject</a>) </span><br />
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Six small groups in Cambodia are linguistically related. These are the Chong, the Por (Peur, Pear), the Samre, the Saoch, the Somary, and the Suoy (Suy).<br />
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This post is about the Por, which we will refer to as the "Pear." This people group live small, isolated villages near big forests. Their houses are short-stilted, one-room houses with roofs made from leaves, bamboo, and sometimes, wood.<br />
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The Pear farm rice. They plant their fields some distance from the forest and move them after every couple of years or so. The Pear also grow bananas and a few other vegetables. They sometimes gather products from the forest, such as resin, charcoal, and firewood. The Pear depend on the monsoon rains for their crops. They are a very sturdy folk, even when it requires facing food shortage during drought or flood.<br />
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Khmer is the national language, and most Pear dress in a similar custom to the rural Khmers, which is western style.<br />
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The Pear are animistic. They believe in powerful spirits that can harm them, to which they offer sacrifices to appease them. They are very superstitious and live in great fear of the spirits. Those who live next to the Cardamom forest have specific rules how to collect the cardamom.<br />
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They are also extremely poor. The Khmer majority looks down upon them. They don't have much education and health facilities.<br />
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<b>Prayer Requests:</b><br />
<ul><li>The Pear are one of the least reached people in Cambodia. Pray that someone will go to them and take to them the good news of salvation.</li>
<li>Pray that the Bible will be translated into their language/dialect.</li>
<li>So far, there is only one known church, and for the past 2 years, there has been no active church planting. Pray that missionaries will be able to establish churches in this area.</li>
</ul><br />
<u>Resources</u>:<br />
<a href="http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=107961&rog3=CB">http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=107961&rog3=CB</a>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-10446742521923952682010-01-18T05:48:00.000-08:002010-01-18T05:51:38.829-08:00UPG: The Stieng of Cambodia<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S1RmdTUoGzI/AAAAAAAAJpQ/o-h-l_fGG7g/s1600-h/Stieng.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/S1RmdTUoGzI/AAAAAAAAJpQ/o-h-l_fGG7g/s320/Stieng.jpg" /></a>The Stieng are a people group of Cambodia. There populations is approximately 6,000, although there are nearly 50,000 Stieng living in Vietnam. They are located on the Vietnamese border between Memut, Snoul, and Kao Sema.<br />
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Most of the Stieng live near Snoul, Kratie in Cambodia. They do not grow rice, as is the main means of livelihood in Cambodia. Rather, they own plantations of black pepper, cashew nuts, and durian. They also rely on hunting and wood cutting in the jungles near their homes.<br />
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Traditional houses of the Stieng are made from palm tree leaves, and because their roof strutcture is different from those of other tribes, theirs is easily recognizable.<br />
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The Stieng live very close to each other, and sometimes even intermingle with the Khmer. As a result, it is difficult to spot them.<br />
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The Stieng are animistic. Some have adopted Khmer Buddhism, but most retain their animistic practices. There are around 1,000 Stieng Christians in Cambodia, and more in Vietnam.<br />
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The Stieng are not appreciated or respected much. They live near major groups, such as the Khmer, and most speak the language fluently. Current land-rush in Cambodia has caused the Stieng their ancestral lands once more, as sections of the jungle are being given to private companies. It's sad, because the Stieng deeply rely on the jungle for their livelihood. Stieng villages have no schools or medical facilities.<br />
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<b>Praise/Prayer:</b><br />
<ul><li>Thank God for reaching the Stieng earlier this century. Pray the Stieng believers would be fully committed and would turn away from their former animistic ways.</li>
<li>Ask God to prevent the Stieng church from being inward-focused and ethno-centric. Pray many Stieng evangelists would be sent to the unreached all over Vietnam and Southeast Asia.</li>
<li>Pray the Bible would soon be translated into both Bulo and Budip Stieng languges (two distinct dialects of the Stieng).<br />
</li>
</ul><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>Resources:</u></span><br />
<a href="http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=109552&rog3=CB"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=109552&rog3=CB</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.peoplegroups.org/MapSearch.aspx?country=Cambodia"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.peoplegroups.org/MapSearch.aspx?country=Cambodia</span></a><br />
<a href="http://asiaharvest.org/pages/profiles/nonChina/Vietnam/Stieng.pdf"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://asiaharvest.org/pages/profiles/nonChina/Vietnam/Stieng.pdf</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Picture from: <a href="http://www.joshuaproject.net/">http://www.joshuaproject.net </a><br />
</span>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-992127778561004042010-01-11T06:12:00.000-08:002010-01-11T06:13:07.202-08:00Vietnam FoodLast Tuesday, our professor in ICS 101 Class–Peoples of the World took us to Pho Hoa to eat as part of our lesson on Vietnam. (Pho stands for noodles.)<br />
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We had an appetizer of stringed beans with two kinds of chili sauces. We had a noodle soup with beef. There was also their spring roll served with chili paste, as well as salad (chicken, cabbage, carrots, some sweet sauce).<br />
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Food in Vietnam is generally spicy, although the recipes of the south are spicier than that of the North. Along the coastline of Vietnam, fish and seafoods are favorites. Predominant flavors in Vietnamese dishes are mint, shrimp, star anise, rice wine, garlic, ginger, etc. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Source: <a href="http://www.sunkist.com/yancancook/asian-cooking/vietnamese-food.asp">Vietnam Cooking</a>)</span>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-47816216676697639522009-12-27T01:10:00.000-08:002009-12-27T01:10:28.536-08:00People of the HeartLao people are people of the heart. Check out the many different phrases they have which involve the word "heart."<br />
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<blockquote><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/SzckVTSYK_I/AAAAAAAAJnM/vzWMlLpTiB0/s1600-h/Laoheart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/SzckVTSYK_I/AAAAAAAAJnM/vzWMlLpTiB0/s320/Laoheart.jpg" /></a>-to understand is to enter the heart -<i>khao chai</i><br />
-to be glad is to Feel good at heart -<i>di chai</i><br />
-to be angry is to feel bad in the heart -<i>chai hai</i><br />
-to be sorry is to have lost the heart -<i>sia chai</i><br />
-to have empathy is to see the heart-<i>hen chai</i><br />
-to feel upset is to be unhappy at heart -<i>ouk chai</i><br />
-to be sensitive (touchy) is to have a small heart -<i>chai noy</i><br />
-to be stingy is to have a narrow heart -<i>chai khap khaep</i><br />
-to be startled is to drop the heart -<i>tok chai</i><br />
-to be absent minded is to have a heart which floats -<i>chai loy</i><br />
-to hesitate is to have many hearts -<i>lai chai</i><br />
-to be worried is to have a sick heart -<i>bo sabai chai</i><br />
-to be content is to have a serene heart -<i>sabai chai</i><br />
-to be without worries is to feel cool in the heart -<i>chai yen</i><br />
-to be generous is to have a large heart -<i>chai kuang</i><br />
-to have a heavy heart -<i>thouk chai</i><br />
-to be happy -<i>souk chai</i><br />
-to be easily persuaded is to have an easy heart -<i>chai ngai</i><br />
-to be decisive -<i>chai det</i><br />
-to be bitter to the point of revenge is to have a black heart -<i>chai dum</i><br />
-to be charitable is to have a festive heart -<i>chai boun</i><br />
-to be generous is to be big hearted -<i>chai nyai</i><br />
-to be impatient is to have a hot heart -<i>chai hon</i><br />
-to be patient is to have a persevering heart -<i>chai ot thon</i><br />
-to be honest is to have a pure heart -<i>chai bolisud</i><br />
-to be brave is to have a daring heart -<i>chai ka</i><br />
-to be timid is to have a cautious heart -<i>chai boh ka</i><br />
-to control one's emotions is to have a strong heart -<i>chai kaeng</i><br />
-to die is to have your heart torn apart -<i>chai khart</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.seasite.niu.edu/lao/undp/understandingCulture.htm">- Understanding Lao Culture</a></span><br />
</blockquote><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Picture(s): Courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ktp/">KTP</a>.</span>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-83368579251075848442009-12-16T08:16:00.000-08:002009-12-16T08:16:33.965-08:00Can You Live in Laos?The people of Laos are quiet and conservative, yet very hospitable and friendly. Etiquette in Laos includes the following:<br />
<ul><li>No public display of affection (no holding hands, no kissing, no hugging in public)</li>
<li>No "revealing" outfits</li>
<li>Remove your shoes upon entering a house</li>
<li>Don't touch someone on the head, even children<br />
</li>
<li>Don't use your feet to point at something; don't raise them higher than the floor</li>
<li>Don't point, use your palm</li>
<li>When greeting someone, put your hands together and slightly bow your head</li>
</ul>Filipinos and Laotians have somewhat similar rules with regards to etiquette and proper behavior. Friendliness, hospitality, respect—these are traits that are common in both countries.<br />
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One thing I really like about the people of Laos is the way they deal with problems. Laotians are peaceful people. According to <a href="http://www.vietnamtripadvisor.com/Travelguide/LaosTravelGuide/laostraveltips/">a website</a>:<br />
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<blockquote>Laotians take great pride in keeping a cool head in any situation. You will inevitably encounter a frustrating moment during your travels due to communication barriers, social customs or the heat. Getting angry only makes things worse; relax and deal with things calmly. Laos moves at a glacial pace, so leave your impatience at home. Fortunately, Laotians are very tolerant people, so even if you make a major social mistake, a wai and a apology will smooth things over.<br />
</blockquote>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-50745867195344912272009-12-06T09:22:00.000-08:002009-12-06T09:25:51.523-08:00A Myanmar DishLast summer, I volunteered at IGSL (International Graduate School of Leadership) and got to meet Ate Ahsie.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/SxvmWLz4sVI/AAAAAAAAJl0/pzglZRwv3l8/s1600-h/IMG_3701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/SxvmWLz4sVI/AAAAAAAAJl0/pzglZRwv3l8/s320/IMG_3701.JPG" /></a><br />
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She was teaching the wives of the IGSL students Bible Study Methods. During the last day, we had a celebration and Ate Ahsie taught me how to cook a Myanmar dish. Since then, I've cooked it several times at home, but it's still not the way Ate Ahsie does it! :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/Sxvmip1UAYI/AAAAAAAAJl8/zuTfBtP_ufY/s1600-h/IMG_0594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/Sxvmip1UAYI/AAAAAAAAJl8/zuTfBtP_ufY/s320/IMG_0594.JPG" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/Sxvm4I1xNQI/AAAAAAAAJmE/vbfPu83uJM4/s1600-h/IMG_0596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/Sxvm4I1xNQI/AAAAAAAAJmE/vbfPu83uJM4/s320/IMG_0596.JPG" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1260119255170"></span><span id="goog_1260119255171"></span>Ingredients are chicken, tomato, garlic, chili, and turmeric powder.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/SxvnEBNJkzI/AAAAAAAAJmM/eN3ni4D55L4/s1600-h/IMG_0563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/SxvnEBNJkzI/AAAAAAAAJmM/eN3ni4D55L4/s320/IMG_0563.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Clean the chicken. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/SxvnMa46E6I/AAAAAAAAJmU/lpLwLXwhqns/s1600-h/IMG_0573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/SxvnMa46E6I/AAAAAAAAJmU/lpLwLXwhqns/s320/IMG_0573.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/SxvnP340QCI/AAAAAAAAJmc/mvFC-bluY-k/s1600-h/IMG_0574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/SxvnP340QCI/AAAAAAAAJmc/mvFC-bluY-k/s320/IMG_0574.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Dice the tomatoes.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/SxvnadQa5WI/AAAAAAAAJmk/nSM0NbNIRTw/s1600-h/IMG_0578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/SxvnadQa5WI/AAAAAAAAJmk/nSM0NbNIRTw/s320/IMG_0578.JPG" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/Sxvnbwe4XWI/AAAAAAAAJms/gk5e_hvIsx8/s1600-h/IMG_0590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KfY-acvwGnw/Sxvnbwe4XWI/AAAAAAAAJms/gk5e_hvIsx8/s320/IMG_0590.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cut and crush the garlic. <br />
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Put enough oil to cover the bottom of the saucepan. Put in the chili first so the oil becomes spicy. Add the garlic next. When it is golden brown, add a dash of turmeric powder. Cook the tomatoes next and let the juice evaporate a little. The chicken is placed in last. Add a little salt. Optional: Carrots and potatoes.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Recipe Pictures: Jemi</span>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-66446069386531374522009-11-25T08:55:00.000-08:002010-02-06T08:24:59.879-08:00Traditions and Customs of MyanmarMyanmar is a country rich in its culture. Our ICS 101 class today gave us a glimpse of that richness.<br />
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One example is how the Lisu Ethnic Tribe passes on their history. They do it from one generation to another in the form of a song. Today, the song is so long that it can take more than a week to sing. <br />
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Another example is the <a href="http://www.myanmars.net/myanmar-culture/helping-hand.htm"><b>Let-Sar-Like</b></a> which can be roughly translated to "Lending a Hand." When someone in the community needs help in repairing a roof, or in digging a well, or in harvesting or planting, the people actively engage themselves in the work.<br />
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When there are schools to be built, houses to be established, roads and bridges to be constructed, the people of Myanmar display the traditional <a href="http://www.myanmars.net/myanmar-culture/helping-hand.htm"><b>Loke-Aah-Pay</b></a> which is a voluntary contribution of labor. It is believed that such acts will assist in the merit of a person, both in the present life and the next. Loke-Aah-Pays were often accompanied by music and dance, as well as a feast of glutinous rice, grilled dried fish, and plain tea. <br />
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The <a href="http://www.sstmyanmar.com/tourism/Interest/Myanmar_Culture.htm">Novitiation Ceremony</a> is important, as a majority of the people of Myanmar are Buddhists. This happens when a young son is put into Buddha's order of the Sangha. It is a matter of great pride to the parents when their son becomes a novice to improve in their religious training. As a result, there is a big celebration when the Novitiation Ceremony occurs. Just how big the celebration is depends on the family status. Some Novitiation Ceremonies include entertainment through their culture orchestras. Others include parading the novice-to-be in the streets.<br />
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Perhaps one of the most important events in the culture of Myanmar is when a <a href="http://myanmartravelinformation.com/mti-myanmar-culture/wedding.htm">wedding</a> takes place. The people of Myanmar celebrate "12 auspicious occasions" and the wedding is one of them. Everything, from the food to the location to the clothes of the bride and groom is given much care.<br />
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A website says:<br />
<blockquote>With her hip-length jacket….long-length silk or satin “ htain-me-thein”, the bride looks somewhat like a princess of the Royal Court in the olden days of the Myanmar kings. And the bridegroom surely looks elegant an handsome in this traditional Myanmar men's attire which consists of a head-dress called “ gaung baung”, a long sleeve stiff collared shirt, a double length men's silk longyi called a “ taung shay longyi”, a traditional men's jacket and a velvet slipper.<br />
<a href="http://myanmartravelinformation.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">- Myanmar Travel Information 2009</span></a></blockquote><br />
In the old days, guests were serenaded by the "traditional glass mosaic embedded gold-gilded Myanmar Orchestra." Nowadays, the instruments are modern, but the significance of the whole celebration still remains the same.<br />
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At the start of the ceremony, special verses composed by the families of the bride and groom are read. Blessings and wishes for the couple are stated.<br />
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Before the bride and groom make their entrance, a flower girl scatters flowers on the path where they will walk. This is a good omen—one that signifies their life-long union as husband and wife. A website writes, "Upon reaching the stage and before seating themselves, they turn towards the guests and with hands clasped together; pay their respects with their heads bowed." After that comes the "garlanding" where the bride and group are decked with flowers.<br />
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After the ceremony, food is served and the newly married couple thank the guests for attending their wedding. In turn, the guests wish the newly married couple a long and prosperous and happy life. The celebration ends in a most unique way:<br />
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<blockquote>The "gei-bo" negotiating begins once the couple tries to enter their bridal chamber which by then is blocked by rows of friends and relatives, holding gold chains asking for "gei-bo" which is pocket-money. A lot of boisterous bargaining and negotiating follows until both sides agree to a negotiated amount. After passing through this last obstacle, the married couple will carry on with their life in building a long lasting and happy marriage for themselves!<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://myanmartravelinformation.com/mti-myanmar-culture/wedding.htm">- Myanmar Wedding</a></span></blockquote><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Pictures: Courtesy of <a href="http://www.silkroadgroup.com/Wedding_Tour_Myanmar">SilkRoad Group</a></span>Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4555489007990603918.post-12317337976332262332009-11-17T00:24:00.000-08:002009-12-16T06:28:42.367-08:00Subject--Peoples of the WorldClasses have begun. This semester, I have an ICS Subject - <b>Peoples of the World</b>. As a requirement, we are to blog or tweet at least once a week about any of the eleven Southeast Asian Countries. Those are <b>Malaysia, Laos, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Brunei, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines</b>, and the most recent addition, <b>East Timor</b>.<br />
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We are to memorize the location of these eleven countries, and to observe its cultures, customs, tradition. We are to take a closer look at the people, the lives they lead, their languages, practices, their various beliefs, the different people groups, etc.<br />
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In the process, we hope to gain a deeper insight and a greater appreciation for our "neighbors."Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934262319419269966noreply@blogger.com0