April 2007 Archives

It breaks my heart to read stories like these, no matter which country it occurs in. I know the sex industry has been going on since time started and no matter what the law says, it will continue because when there is demand, there will be supply. In my opinion, most of these sex workers hardly have any choice but to do what they do. (I mean, do you really think these women will subject themselves to being beaten up, arrested and risk getting diseases just for fun?)

Least men who want to sleep with them can do, is to treat these sex workers with respect and try to have safe sex. Why should they be treated badly just because they are providing you with a service that you seek out knowingly? And the story below isn't about the sex industry in the Burma /Thailand border, it is of the one that is in Yangon (the former capital of Burma).

I'm always reminded of how lucky I am too. I'm glad there are organisations such as Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders

Poverty drives Myanmar’s hidden sex industry

By Charlotte Mcdonald-Gibson

Sex workers have little access to healthcare and other support - a potentially disastrous situation when between 20 and 30 percent of prostitutes are believed to be HIV positive

SANDAR was 13 years old when her mother talked her into selling her virginity to help pull the family out of poverty.

Two decades later and still far away from that goal, Sandar has been arrested for prostitution more times then she can recall, jailed twice, and forced to pay bribes or have sex with policemen in exchange for her freedom. Her friend Sei Sar Nyo, who sits beside Sandar grasping her hand, has been beaten for asking clients to use a condom.

Ko Cho tagged me again, even though I said no tagbacks (lol) but he's lucky coz I was on the train yesterday for 3 hours and I came up with about a thousand other weird things about me. I had trouble coming up with my last list and I didn't like it so much, so here you go, I give you 10 weirder thigns about me. haha.

1. I have a love/hate relationship with my hair. I don't like it right after I wash it and then the next day, I love it and the day after that I have to wash it again, so I don't like it and so it goes.
2. I still count with my hands. Sometimes, it's embarrasing when people at work find me counting this way but it's so much easier.
3. When I have a bruise on my body, I will keep poking it, even though it hurts.
4. When I see a hole in my shirt or jeans or someone else's - i will try to tear it, my uncle falls prey to that alot.
5. My eyes are not symmetrical and neither are my ears, so when I wear glasses, they sometimes look crooked on my face, which I hate!!
6. I like to eat oranges over the sink. Other wise it's so messy.
7. I like to paint my nails and then very soon after that I like to peel the lacquer off.
8. I always google the people I get from my International Mixtape Project and try to send them songs by my impression of them.
9. I grind my teeth so much at night, sometimes I wake myself up. lol
10. I still call the country I am originally from - Burma. I refuse to acknowledge the military regime's new names and new systesms and everything. This might seem silly to you but the country it is now, is not very much like the country I grew up in. So in a way, when I say, "oh I miss Burma", I'm not talking about the hot mess that's going on right now in Yangon or Pyinmana. I'm talking about the old place where we can buy a bowl of noodles for 1 kyat and there was still HOPE in people's eyes. (I can see my Grandma saying "well, back in my days, a bowl of noodles was only 10 cents..... )

The amazing Tori Amos has released her first new single off of her new album (the American Doll Posse) and it's called Big Wheels. I'm in love with it all, the song, the video, the different looks, the catchiness of the song. You should be too.

Lyrics:

I've been on my knees
But you're so hard to please
But you take me in
So you are a superstar
Get off the cross
We need the wood
Somehow you will rise
But with attitude
I know honey you're a pro
But baby I don't need your cash
Mama got it all in hand now

Big wheel turn my fantasy
Don't you throw that shade on me
I've been drinking down your pain
Turn that whiskey into rain
Wash you away
Wash you away boy
Wash you away now

Gimme eight
Gimme seven
Gimme six
Gimme five
Gimme four
Gimme three

I am a M.I.L.F don't you forget
M.I.L.F don't you forget
M.I.L.F don't you forget
Baby I don't need your cash
So baby maybe I'll leave

Big wheel turn my fantasy
Don't you throw that shade on me
Turn that whiskey into rain
Big wheel turn my fantasy
Don't you throw that shade on me
I've been drinking down your pain
Turn that whiskey into rain
Turn your whiskey boy

Thingyan photo from an email I recevied last year, inviting me to a mandut in YGN.

Happy ">Thingyan, everyone!!! It's Burmese New Year, so I felt obligated to blog, even though I've been too busy to blog. Once upon a time, this was the funnest part of my life as April meant mangoes, school holidays, loads of new year desserts, playing with water, fun in general, really. Haven't really celebrated it since 1991 since, that would be when we left for Singapore. I hear it's very different now - just like how everything in Burma is different from the 80's and the 90's.

To celebrate, in our own little way, we made Shwe Kyi Sa nwin ma kin (Burmese sugary cake composed of semolina, sugar, egg, butter and coconut)at home and gave it to our friends, who happily helped themselves. I think we will go to the temple to pray at the end of the new year - which would be in 5 days from now, I think. I have to check my Burmese calendar.

Again, Happy New Year! may your new year be blessed with all good things in life!