Welcom metoMya anmar! unteer, Dear Volu d like to exten nd a very warrm welcome tto you in advaance of your arrival in Myaanmar! This letter We would is provide ed to help new w volunteers with their pre eparations foor arrival in‐co ountry and is intended as aa partner document to the informatio on provided in the Volunteeer Handbook. A more com mprehensive Overview will be provided to you duringg your In‐Cou ntry Orientattion with additional detailss and Country O support fo or your day‐to o‐day life. e to volunteer, and are com ming at a unique time in the country’s You have chosen a fasccinating place n Myanmar yo ou will find a wide diversitty of landscappes, peoples aand foods. Ass a volunteer, you history. In will enjoy a challengingg opportunityy to meet with local peoplee and organizzations, help them work towards their desired ggoals and shaare your skills, knowledge and experien nce. mar is still verry new, and w we are makingg every effortt to provide yyou with the kkey The progrram in Myanm informatio on you may n need during yyour pre‐depaarture preparration. If you h have any queestions duringg your preparatio on, please fee el free to contact us or you ur Placementt Advisor. Wee look forward d to welcomin ng you to Myyanmar! Cuso International – M Myanmar Officce August 20 014 CusoIn nternation nalinMyan nmar ograms and Y Your Role as a Volunteer Cuso’s Pro Cuso International estaablished a loccal office in Yaangon in 20144, and is currrently in the p process of staaff hiring and d official regisstration. The ffocus of Cuso o Internationaal’s program iin Myanmar –– rural econo omic developm ment, women’’s health and full participation of the ruural poor – haas been shpaeed by the Governme ent of Myanm mar’s prioritie es. As the cou untry office iss still develop ping, you mayy also be askeed to provide in nput and feed dback on yourr experience tto help furtheer develop th he program in n future. Yourr experiencce and analysis is importan nt to us. As a volun nteer, you will be playing aa critical role in helping to develop the capacity of partner organizations in the area of your prrofessional exxpertise. Som e organizatio ons may have never hosted d a miliar with the e concept of iinternational volunteeringg, but will look volunteerr before or maay not be fam forward to your arrival and for you to share yourr skills. As thee first batch o of volunteers,, your role an nd your activvities as a volu unteer will be e critical to he elp establish tthe reputatio on and credibility of internatio onal volunteers and of Cusso in Myanmaar. We look foorward to working togetheer as a team tto accomplissh our goals aand provide a positive expe erience for booth volunteers and partneer organizatio on. Contact Information Cuso International opened its office in Myanmar in 2014 and currently consists of the personnel: Country Director (full‐time staff): Ms. Cavelle Dove, 094 320 8478, [email protected] or [email protected] Finance Officer (part‐time staff): Mr. Ye Lin Aung, 095 047 993 Program Officer (part‐time staff): Ms. Aye Aye Mar, 092 545 04200 / 095 188 585 National Volunteering Advisor (program‐office based volunteer): Lesley Abraham, [email protected], 092 543 81165 *Note that Lesley or Cavelle can be contacted by email for any pre‐departure questions* The office is located at the following building: Cuso Myanmar No 146/E2, Sandar Thiri Lane, 8½ Miles, Mayangone Township, Yangon KnowBeforeYouGo What to Bring Toiletries: Toiletries are readily available in‐country, though your preferred brands may not be available. All necessary prescription medication as well as necessary health items (i.e. contact lenses and solution) should be brought with you; over‐the‐counter medication can be purchased in‐country though this should only be done through recommended pharmacies. A supply of good‐quality earplugs may also be useful for sleeping at nights! Clothing: Styles of dress in Myanmar remain quite modest, with many men or women wearing a traditional lyongi (long cloth wrapped like a skirt) and a sleeved shirt; while styles in Yangon are somewhat more modern than elsewhere in the country, shoulders and knees should generally be covered and low‐cut necklines avoided in offices and places of worship. Clothing is readily available for purchase in the country but ranges in price and quality and may be available only in small sizes, so you may wish to bring raingear, walking shoe(s), speciality sports equipment, etc. Note that the climate in Yangon can be extremely hot and humid; the general rule is that cotton (coolest) or a cotton/synthetic mix (less prone to creasing) is best suited to the climate. You should also bring at least one set of warm clothes for travel to other regions of the country may be cooler. Identification: If possible, you should also bring a driver’s license or other form of picture identification in addition to your passport. Phones: Mobile phone systems are relatively new to the country and not all phones will be guaranteed to work in Myanmar; Samsung and iPhones with 3G capacity are more likely to work while Blackberry phones have not been found to work. If needed, phones are readily available in Yangon and can be purchased for a cost of approximately $100.00 ‐ $200,00: Cuso will provide volunteers with SIM cards upon arrival to ensure that they have access to a phone. Internet access can also be set up through your phone for use at home and elsewhere, for a small cost. Computers, Internet and Electronics: Internet access is available throughout the main cities of the country, though connections are often slow and inconsistent. Your placement organization may or may not have internet access. Cuso does not provide internet access at your home; this can be arranged privately but there are some wifi spots available throughout the city and you may be able to activate your phone for use with 3G internet in the larger cities of Yangon, Mandalay and Naypyidaw. In contrast however, Naypyidaw based placements should enjoy fast and reliable internet access. Volunteers must be prepared to bring your own laptop computer and/or any devices that you are accustomed to using, particularly to assist with the work of your placement. Computers at the workplace will not be provided. Eelectricity is 220V and adapters and converters and available in‐country for a reasonable cost. * Note that for all volunteers on a placement of longer than 70 days, Cuso will make arrangements for travel to Bangkok to renew their visa and a wide variety of shopping is available there * Costs and Currency Myanmar operates primarily as a cash‐based economy, and credit cards are very rarely accepted. ATM machines have recently become available in Yangon, but they may not always be in working order and a service fee is in place (approximately $10USD against maximum withdrawal of 4,000,000kyat /~$400USD). Volunteers should bring approximately $1000.00 worth of USD for their initial time in country; note that bills must be in pristine condition with no folds, tears, etc. in order to be accepted for the best exchange rate, and $100 bills are preferred. Your in‐country allowance will be distributed in local currency (kyat) on the first Monday of every month at the Cuso office. The first disbursement will be on the first day of arrival. Volunteers are able to set up a local bank account, although this will be a time‐consuming process; given the relative security of accommodations, it is recommended that cash and passports can be safely stored in your place of residence. In the case that the volunteer is not comfortable with this, funds may be deposited into the Cuso bank account through the Country Director and withdrawn at a flat exchange rate when needed with prior notice. Safety and Security Myanmar is, by and large, one of Cuso International’s lowest risk countries. Additional information is available in the “Security Briefing – Myanmar” document which has been provided to you (also available online at http://cusointernational.org/content/briefing‐documents), and this topic will also be covered during the In‐Country Orientation. ArrivalandInCountryTraining Arrival and Visa Procedures All volunteers should procure a single‐entry business visa before departure. Upon arrival at the Yangon International Airport, you will be issued a stamp at immigration. You will not be asked to provide any additional fees or photos, though you should bring a copy of your visa request letter from Cuso as backup information just in case. Your visa will be valid for 70 days from arrival, and we will make arrangements for this visa renewal within this time frame. Once you have cleared customs and baggage pickup, you will be greeted by a Cuso staff member or a designee who will be holding a Cuso International sign. If for any reason you encounter problems during arrival, please contact Cavelle Dove at 094 320 8478 or Aye Aye Mar at 095 188 585 /092 545 04200. *Please retain ALL your boarding passes as these will be needed for reporting purposes! Receipts for food, additional luggage, etc. will not be required as you have already been provided funds for this as part of your pre‐departure allowance.* In Country Training Before starting your placement with the partner organization, all volunteers will participate in an In‐ Country Training session during their first week in the country. The draft schedule is attached here to give you a general sense of what will be included, though this is subject to change. Monday, September 8, 2014 Venue: Airport Various times Arrival in Yangon and Hotel Check-Ins Tuesday, September 9, 2014 Venue: City Tour 10:00-15:00 City Tour around Yangon PM Free time Tour of new housing for assigned volunteers Individual partnership meetings Wednesday, September 10, 2014 Venue: Cuso Office 08.10 – 08.20 Travel to Cuso Office (by pre-arranged taxi) 08.30 – 09.00 Welcome and Office Tour 09.00 – 10.00 Overview of Country Strategy and Myanmar development context 10:00-10:45 Overview of placements and partner organizations 10:45 – 11:00 Coffee Break 11:00 – 12:30 Emergency & Security Issues in Myanmar 12:30 – 13:30 Lunch 13:30 – 15:00 Culture & Norms, and Language Training Information 15:00 – 15:30 Logistic/Administration (visa, immigration & related issues) PM Individual partnership meetings Tour of new housing for assigned volunteers Thursday, September 11, 2014 Venue: Cuso Office 09.00 – 10.45 Visit to Medical clinic, Yangon 10:45 – 11:00 Coffee Break 11:00 – 12:00 12:00 – 12:30 12:30 – 13:30 13:30 – 14:30 14:30 – 15:30 15:30 – 15:45 15:45 – 16:15 PM PM How We Work with Partners and the 3-Way Partnership Agreement Finance Procedures and Clearance System Lunch Culture & Norms, and Language Training Information Politics and the Promotion of Democracy in the Context of Myanmar Coffee Break Volunteer Life and Committee Development Individual partnership meetings Tour of new housing for assigned volunteers Dinner for all volunteers and Cuso office staff Friday, September 12, 2014 Venue: Cuso Office 8:00 – 8:30 Individual partnership meetings 08.30 – 09.30 Gender in Development in the context of Myanmar 09.30 – 10.00 Cuso’s Capacity Assessment Process (CAP) 10:00 – 10:15 Coffee Break 10:15 – 12:00 Overview and sharing related information re partner organisation 12.00 – 13.15 13.15 – 15:00 15:00 – 15:15 15:15 – 16:15 16:15 16:30 PM Lunch Culture & Norms, and Language Training Information Coffee Break TBC Evaluation and closing Individual partnership meetings Tour of new housing for assigned volunteers Saturday, September 13 2014 and Sunday, September 14 AM & PM Free days (weekend) Move into apartment for assigned volunteers Travel to NPT (NPT volunteers only) Monday, September 15, 2014 AM & PM Volunteers start in placements Accommodation We will arrange for your accommodation at the 7 Mile Hotel during the In‐Country Training as well as your transfer to your home. Cuso will secure accommodation for volunteers and ensure that these accommodations meet a minimum standard for security, living conditions and furnishings. Volunteers should expect to share accommodation with one or more persons, though all volunteers are guaranteed their own room with a door while other living spaces such as a bathroom and cooking area would be shared. Volunteers travelling with an accompanying partner or with families will not be expected to share accommodation. It is likely that you will have irregular access to electricity and tap water, and hot water will not be available in most apartments. Bathrooms will have Western toilets and may or may not have a showerhead. Where possible, Yangon volunteers will be placed close to the location of their partner organization as transportation in Yangon can be very time‐consuming; buses and taxis are available, and more information on these options will be provided during the In‐Country Orientation. Further Resources Burmese Language Resources Burmese by Ear Language Training: http://www.soas.ac.uk/bbe/ For those with an Android phone, there is a free application called Burmese Syllables on Google Play for learning Burmese consonants (sadly not the vowels at present) Useful Groups and Websites Trip Advisor website for Myanmar. Good for advice around restaurants and local activities: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism‐g294190‐Myanmar‐Vacations.html Lonely Planet website for Myanmar, for practical information as well as listings of interesting sights and activities: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/myanmar‐burma UK government travel advice for Myanmar: https://www.gov.uk/foreign‐travel‐advice/burma Myanmore, one of a number of newer, predominantly Yangon focused websites, set up to provide listings and reviews of events, restaurants, etc: http://myanmore.com Try also looking for articles on the internet authored by the following group of recent authors on Myanmar: Sean Turnell, Monique Skidman, Nic Cheesman, Ashley South, and Tom Kramer. Interesting Books About Myanmar ‘The River of Lost Footsteps’, by Thant Myint U ‘Between China and India’, by Thant Myint U ‘The Burman’, by Shway Yoe/Sir James George Scott ‘Fiery Dragons’, by Sean Turnell ‘Burma Chronicles’, by Guy Delisle ‘The Trouser People’, by Andrew Marshall ‘A History of Myanmar Since Ancient Times’, by Michael Aung Thwin and Maitrii Aung‐Thwin (takes an especially nationalist Myanmar perspective) ‘Karaoke Fascism’, by Monique Skidmore ‘Living Silence in Burma: Surviving under Military Rule’, by Christina Fink
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