I felt that during my stay I had met everyone in the village, either during the nightly celebrations, when visiting the local school, or when walking in town. But on my last day, I went above the village and met a family who were the caretakers of a small, unassuming temple. It provided me with the last opportunity to embrace the simplicity and pure life of the Merak villagers.
This home shows the basic living conditions of this province, where the emphasis is on helping others instead of yourself. The corn hanging on the ceiling is for the animals, and the grandparents take care of the grandchildren, feeding them generously so they grow up healthy. After a hard day at work, smoking a water pipe is welcome.
Temples are traditionally safe zones. People in Myanmar gather and hide in temples to leave behind lives full of troubles. In this Western region, there are still a lot of riots and fights about who owns the land. I can’t imagine what it was like in the 60’s when the militants were pillaging villages. This is a refuge, a paradise.
