Bustling Life Along the Irrawaddy - A WALK BESIDE MYANMAR'S LONGEST RIVER

[@PlanetDoug]

TIME STAMPS: 1:01 Fun Facts Irrawaddy River; 1:38 Loading Bags of Cement on Boats; 9:36 Unloading Sacks of Sugar; 14:05 Dinosaur Truck; 16:21 Thoughts on Stray Dog Population -TNR; 18:09 Unloading Sacks of Corn; 21:09 Happy River Pig; 21:51 River Sand Dredging; 24:58 River Taxis #1; 27:46 Bamboo Panel Construction; 31:38 Bamboo Rafts; 36:23 River Taxis and the Missing Bridge; 41:49 What Do the Locals Think About Me?; 45:25 Are Pigs Smart?; 47:12 What Are They Pumping?; 48:26 Still Unloading Sugar; 50:21 They Work Hard; 51:23 Charcoal; 52:52 Summary and Conclusion;

[@agentmmarts3059]

You shall be returning to Canada with rich and first hand experiences of Asia. Wishing you the best of endeavors Sir Douglass.

[@dashingmay]

Go live on KZbin next time. Then a Burmese speaker can translate for you

[@biticomxvhjg1888]

Sir Dont go to Mayanmar. Beacause When many Pepoles of Mayanmar see foriegner. They killed or kidnap them and loot them. They can kill pepole for Small Reson. I am your one of subscriber. Inlike your video. SO I warn you. Thank You

[@chosett]

@@dashingmay I would be happy to volunteer...I am Burmese but living in the United States.

[@uturanku]

The workers who carry cement bags get paid 6000 to 8000 Kyat per day. They usually get paid daily. 40:27 They're pumping diesel for the ferry.

[@glasssmirror2314]

Believe me this is my first vlog channel ever subscribed after a thorough decision. Almost all his vlogs are worth watching/listening without nuisance of backgroud music. They are educational intersting and always I find myself going along with him. All the vloggers should learn from this legend.Praising him should take tons of words Tks Mr Douglas for sharing and keep going in the same right direction

[@kyawmino87]

I have been following your videos for a while now and I really enjoy watching them. Your videos make me feel like reading a good book. I have the attention span of maximum 5 minutes when it comes to youtube videos, but I have been enjoying your nearly an hour long vidoes. My wife is also hooked on your videos too as I have lately been binging on them. I also notice that your videos don't have ads at all - another reason I admire you for doing things just because you like to do them, not because for money or any other reason. Thanks again for your videos.

[@PlanetDoug]

Thank you very much. I do worry that my videos are too long. It's not normal for KZbin. But it is what comes naturally to me right now, since they are kind of diaries of my day. I'm glad that you enjoy them despite the short attention span. 😃 I certainly enjoy making them, especially because it gives me a chance to share the things I see and to interact with people on KZbin and even meet some in person. It's been a lot of fun.

[@glasssmirror2314]

@@PlanetDoug Hi Mr Douglas Pls pls don't change to what good you are doing.To us your videos are short.I could not complete other channels vloggers of 20 min as I find them as though 20 years but your videos go by me as seconds as they are fantastic so pls don't ever change the way you do it.Am pinned to every bit of second to your hour long videos so time is not an issue to us.Pls move on Tks

[@WanderEats]

I always question in silence too whenever I am at a busy place just watching the world passes by. I feel it's a great thought process as it allows us to appreciate how simple life can be and be appreciative of what we have and been blessed with.

[@runemaa]

Nice to see you again! You have the best videos on KZbin! Greetings from warm summer Norway.

[@PlanetDoug]

Thanks very much. 🙂 I'm not sure how I feel about the expression "Bucket List", but if I had one, I think cycling along the coast of Norway would be on my list. It would be a dream to see the "Lovely crinkly edges" that Slartibartfast was so fond of. I'm not sure if cycling the coast of Norway is the best way to see the country, but I don't see why not. What do you think? Being from Canada, I understand that winter is not to be underestimated when making travel plans, so certain months would be preferable to others for cycling Norway. ❄❄ But I imagine the coast must be stunning. Love to go someday.

[@selfreflection2117]

Love watching your video along the Irrawady riverbank and listening to your thoughts about the life there. Sure does remind me of your interesting Dhaka videos.

[@PlanetDoug]

Thanks! There were definitely a lot of similarities to the riverside scene in Dhaka. Dhaka was a LOT busier, of course. There were a lot more boats and more people and more activity. That's what made the Buriganga River so interesting for me. The Irrawaddy was less busy, but just as interesting.

[@glasssmirror2314]

It's not only Dhaka videos but almost all his vlogs are attractive. Every second what he says is worth listening

[@dragonyoon6171]

Dear The Cycling Canadian. I really thank you for your videos. I have really enjoyed your videos for Myanmar. I'm going to Myanmar this October. And your videos will be great helpful for me. I wish you a good luck and health . Thank YOU again.

[@PlanetDoug]

You're welcome. Do you have definite plans for the places you will visit in Myanmar? How is the weather in Myanmar in October? I hope your trips goes well. Good luck!

[@samtun1083]

Great, have a safe flight Mr. Thanks again for this incredible view and account

[@pzinken]

Thanks a lot for sharing your impressions. I'm going to Mandalay again next week and will investigate the river front as well. Happy travels & take care, Peter

[@PlanetDoug]

I hope you have a great trip. I'll likely be back in Myanmar in August as well, and I'm wondering what the weather will be like.

[@pzinken]

Maybe more rain, we'll see. I visit mainly Bagan, Monywa and Mandalay and hope it will be not too wet.

[@ewengillies9826]

A well put together vlog thanks Doug. Seems like we just floated along on the river with you. Such an informative walkabout and the busy activity with the boats and people. You surely make interesting and informative vlogs for us to follow. Thanks as always for the resourceful ifo ou pass on about the places you walk n ride. Documentary style professionalism in every one you produce makes for easy viewing. Looking forward always to follow you on your journies and adventures. Bushyboy Oz.

[@PlanetDoug]

Thank you. I appreciate it. I enjoyed my walk along the Irrawaddy, though I think I ended up with far more questions at the end of it than I had at the beginning. 🙂 Still, it was interesting to see all the activity and try to understand it all.

[@joe53214]

Great wandering video as alway sir. So many interesting activities were happening on the river bank. wait for your coming trip to airport video.

[@aungkhinesoe]

I’m glad to hear that you will come back to Myanmar soon.

[@nihmungdc2875]

Happy to see you again

[@PlanetDoug]

Thanks. 😄

[@glasssmirror2314]

Hi Mr Douglas You are doing excellent job pls do not change the way you always do it as in the other video you said your videos are too long.Yes they are but worth watching so pls personally I want to hear from YOU that you are not changing the way you do it. Tks

[@mnk379s]

There are quite a few cement factory in Kyaukse near Mandalay. It is likely that they are transport by boat or train to the lower Myanmar Yangon where the majority of them was needed in the construction.

[@PlanetDoug]

That's interesting. On Google Maps, I spotted one big cement factory on the Myitinge River not far from Kyaukse. Maybe these big boats are coming up that river from cement factories there.

[@danielristohhutapea]

yeay finally next video please hahahahah thanks doug

[@agentmmarts3059]

Great Vlogs Douglass. Great sites there in Mingun.

[@PlanetDoug]

Yes, Mingun was a nice surprise. I wasn't entirely sure what I would find there, but I enjoyed the trip very much. Even the boat ride was great. I would have been happy with just the boat trip and the fun of getting on and off the boat, but then there was everything else: the unfinished pagoda, the giant Chinthe, the Mingun Bell, and the white pagoda. And I think with a longer visit, you could visit a monastery and other interesting places in the nearby hills.

[@rajeshkumarvishwanadhan8925]

very nice videos you make, hope u have a great trip to KL via Bangkok

[@PlanetDoug]

That flight is over, and I'm in Kuala Lumpur now. It went okay, but there were certainly some small adventures along the way. You think that you know how to go through airports, but airports can still surprise you. I shot some video during the journey, so hopefully I can show a little bit of what happened along the way. 🙂

[@TrainFreakCow12]

Hi Doug i will be Kul on the 15th to 16th i am inspired by your videos wow Myanmar wow is amazing place love this video and last few weeks keep up the good work . I am Adrian from Australia

[@PlanetDoug]

Hello, Adrian. I'm glad you found some inspiration in the videos for your trip. I'm kind of the same way. I find I never get truly excited about a place until I see pictures (or video, I guess). But when I see pictures, it somehow triggers my interest, and I can't wait to go somewhere. I'm in Kuala Lumpur now getting reorganized and organized and doing some shopping. The plan is to return to Myanmar soon, but I might still be in KL on the 15th and 16th. I find it takes me a long time to do things... Maybe you'll spot me on the street. say Hi if you do. 🙂

[@ahtethtet8107]

Hi I m a local from yangon. I became ur fan since ur video 'Yangon to Bagan Train' and always waiting ur next video. :-P I'm glad that u enjoyed ur boat trip from bagan to mandalay. I enjoyed too because I've never travelled along the river from Bagan to Mandalay with a boat. That's amazing that u are the only passenger on a pleasant boat with a cup of coffee and sightseeing along the river. that is the very nice moment i think. Hope u enjoy myanmar. Next time, pls visit amazing places here and make awesome videos. Hoping ur next videos. Love u. :-)

[@PlanetDoug]

Yes, the coffee on the boat was a nice surprise. The crew told me that it was good coffee, and they weren't lying. It was such a pleasure to sit there sipping on good coffee with the wind blowing in my hair and watching the river and the shore go by. I'm making plans to return to Myanmar, and I hope to visit lots more interesting places. Do you have a any suggestions on where I should go? I need all the inspiration I can get. 👍

[@ahtethtet8107]

@@PlanetDoug with the local point of view, I would recommend you to go to Hpa An that is in the Kayin state and it's around 300km far from yangon. there are lots of interesting things to learn. One of these is geography. I think it used to be under the sea may be around billions or millions of years ago.So that makes the land covered with limestone caves or mountains. But that mountains are very different from the Shan state. Shan state is like a high land and everywhere is mountains because it's connected with Shan YoMa.that is one of the high continuous mountain region in myamar. But Hpa An is different. I'll give u an example of the shape of the land. Just grab a small rock and throw on a certain area of circle. so the rock will stay within the circle. and grab another and then throw again so the 2nd rock will also stay within the circle. so u grab and throw around 5 or 6 times. Then u see the circle and that circle area with the projecting rocks is Hpa An. I mean there's no continuous mountains around except for the upward projecting big rocks. And there's a river too. Thanlwin River.So all of this geography's catching my interest for that area. If you are interested in those kinda things, you will definately have fun. And if you plan to go to Kayin state, you can also visit to Golden Rock pagoda in Mon State. Because these 2 are border states. And then you can tour around the city and learn the local lifes. can't wait to see your next videos touring in Myanmar. Peace :-)

[@aungkhinesoe]

I would like to recommend Shan State. At there, you can experience different sceneries, different cultures from mainland Myanmar.

[@markfire1923]

There are lots of people who would like to know how to finance their travel in SE Asia..... I know you do travel tips.... would you please do a video on what are some of the ways a traveler can fund his/her travel expenses .... You are very detailed so this would be a good video from you on this topic....thanks.

[@PlanetDoug]

That's another good idea, though I'm not sure that I have any ideas to offer. My pattern has been a very simple one in my life. I get a job and work and save money. And then I use that money to go traveling until I need to get another job. I haven't really figured out a reasonable or enjoyable way to earn money WHILE traveling. With the Internet, there are lots of ways to do that now, I guess. There is the whole new group of people called "Digital Nomads", who manage to do all their work on computers and over the Internet, so it doesn't matter where they are in the world. Considering the path my life has taken lately, I'd very much like to join this tribe of Digital Nomads and earn a reasonable income while traveling. I have no problem being a nomad. It suits me. I don't need a home or a car or anything like that. But I have some ideas on the topic, so I could probably make a video about it with at least some useful content. 🙂👍

[@markfire1923]

By now you probably back to KL...... just curious why back to Myanmar? any plans to visit Singapore, Vietnam and Laos?

[@PlanetDoug]

Yes, I am back in Kuala Lumpur, and I am busily preparing for returning to Myanmar. I want to go back mainly because I really didn't do the country justice on my first visit. For a variety of reasons, I just never got around to really sinking my teeth into the country and learning about it. I guess I was so busy beforehand with buying new camera gear and learning how to use it that I never did my due diligence. 🙂 I didn't read much about the history of Myanmar or about the culture, and I didn't do any planning in terms of where to go. I thought all of that would happen naturally once I got to Myanmar. But then I got really sick and the short visa period snuck up on me so fast. And I just never got into that "travel" mode until just before I left. So I want to go back and make an effort to visit other parts of the country, such as Shan State and other mountainous regions. Since I've been back in Kuala Lumpur, I've been doing a lot of intense research and reading about the history, geography, politics, and culture of Myanmar, and it has really gotten me fired up about going back. I should have done all of this long ago, but I guess I was focused on other things. As for the places you mention, Singapore, Laos, Vietnam, etc, I'd love to go there. But I have been to all of them in the past long before I started shooting video. Myanmar is a brand new country for me, and I kind of made a resolution in 2019 to try to visit new countries instead of revisiting old favorites. That's partially why I went to Bangladesh and Myanmar. They're two countries I'd never been to - not even briefly. And with that in mind, I've been pondering going to Sri Lanka or Pakistan next. I haven't been to either country, and I've long dreamed of visiting them. Though I never say never. It's a possibility that I'll do a trip through Laos and Vietnam. Anything could happen depending on my mood and how the weather is and that sort of thing. If I did do that, it would likely be a bike trip heading up through Thailand and Cambodia into Vietnam and then Laos - kind of a classic cycling loop. I'm not sure how shooting video would mesh with a tougher cycling trip, but hopefully I could figure out how to combine the two. That's kind of another reason I'm doing these "fly into a country and fly out again) trips instead of cycling. I want to figure out the basics of shooting video and get comfortable with it before I try to do it while cycling. That might be too much of a challenge. 😃

[@markfire1923]

@@PlanetDoug I didn't know that you already been to those countries , Siri Lanka and Pakistan sounds good..... I am guessing you might already been to India.

[@PlanetDoug]

India is a special case for me. I went there when I was a student as part of a cultural exchange program. It was an incredible experience, but I've never been back to travel around on my own. I think that would be a very different experience.

[@mdmohsinranaofficial]

River side my favourite, boat ! As like Dhaka river Burighnga.

[@PlanetDoug]

Exactly. 🙂 I felt very much at home. It reminded me of my many happy days walking along the shore of the Buriganga River in Dhaka.

[@mdmohsinranaofficial]

@@PlanetDoug thanks sir. Remember my country.

[@aungthuphyo3592]

47:29 I think they are fuel trucks.

[@PlanetDoug]

That makes the most sense. But I wasn't sure. I couldn't smell any fuel. I didn't smell any gas fumes or diesel fumes or anything. And there were so many pumps and so many pipes all going to and from one boat. Ah, I just thought of something. Maybe each pipe was going to a different boat and that's why there were so many. Perhaps they were sending fuel to several boats at one time. I didn't look closely enough to be able to figure that out. But you're probably right. It has to be fuel, right?

[@tribalpuller]

Hi, this is amazing, wind is blowing but I cannot the wind. This mean GPH7 have built in noise cancellation.

[@PlanetDoug]

For this video (and most of them from Myanmar, actually), I wasn't using the GoPro microphones. I had an external lavalier mic plugged into the GoPro through the Audio Adapter. That's why you don't hear any wind noise. The little lavalier mic was clipped to my shirt, and it had a small wind screen mounted on it.

[@tribalpuller]

Aha.. I see. That solve my curiosity. Thank you.

[@PlanetDoug]

You're welcome. 🙂 As far as I understand things, the GoPro Hero 7 Black DOES have wind noise cancellation. I think it has three microphones built into it. Two are regular stereo microphones and the third one is a noise cancellation mic. In the default settings, the GoPro automatically uses the noise cancellation microphone when it senses that there is wind. It does this by itself. However, when I first bought the Hero 7 Black, I found that this noise cancellation created problems. It constantly turned on even when there was no wind. It thought there was wind, but there wasn't. This happened most of the time when I changed environments - like walking from the street into a restaurant. When I did that, the audio changed completely, and to me it sounded terrible. I hated the way the audio kept changing. So eventually, I turned off noise cancellation in the menu, and I only used the stereo microphone settings. That worked better for me. But best of all was using an external microphone - like this lavalier microphone. Of course, that means you have to buy the audio adapter from GoPro, which costs about $50 US. And it is inconvenient to use because it is so big and it dangles from the GoPro and gets in the way. But for good audio, you kind of have to use it.

[@wim1101wim]

the reason there are no docks is because the seasonal changes in the water level

[@the_viper_leo]

seems like you're a great candidate to do a PHD in anthropology.. you'll come up with the best papers!!

[@TheBurmeseDude]

I'm amazed that you're willing to travel through all sorts of unfamiliar places where there might be a pack of street dogs. And it makes me nervous for you to be frank. Do you bring something to protect yourself? When I was Taunggyi, I almost got into trouble walking into a pack of roaming street dogs trying to intimate bystanders. I had an umbrella and luckily nothing happened but dog bites and rabies are pretty scary on the street everywhere in Burma.

[@PlanetDoug]

No, I don't bring anything with me like that. Nothing to protect myself. I just have my GoPro and sometimes an umbrella. 🙂 I'm pretty accustomed to dealing with dogs in any situation. When I went on my cycling trips, I often had to deal with aggressive dogs defending their territory, and I've never gotten bit. Perhaps I've just been lucky, but I've never had trouble even with packs of stray dogs. Maybe it helps that I'm so fond of dogs. Maybe they sense that I'm their friend. I know what you mean about dog bites and rabies in Myanmar. I remember reading newspaper articles about that and being surprised at the number of people that contracted rabies each year through dog bites. That's why I resist the impulse to be TOO friendly with these dogs. I don't get too close, and I usually don't try to pet them or feed them. So far, so good.

[@TheBurmeseDude]

Well, I wish you continued fortune not just from stray dogs but regards to safe travels and am glad you'll be visiting Burma again. I look forward to watching more of my home country.

[@chosett]

You were saying about getting different replies for the same question when you were in Myanmar. It may be because of poor comprehension of English by the locals especially in the rural areas. In the big cities, you will find many good speakers of English particularly among the older generation. But you know what, I live in the United States, an English speaking country and I often get different answers to the same question too, and some of the answers contradict each other!

[@PlanetDoug]

When I was talking about this, it was really about all the countries I've been to in my life, not specifically Myanmar. It's just part of my normal experience of going overseas. I'm sure there are lots of reasons for it. Of course, the language barrier is the biggest one. If I spoke the local language, I could probably get all my questions answered. But I'm a dummy when it comes to learning languages. 🙂 Part of it, too, seems to be that local people in most countries in Asia seem unwilling to say "No". So if I ask a question like, "Does this bus go to Shwedagon Pagoda?" people will just answer "Yes" no matter what. Everyone just says yes all the time whether it is the right answer or not. So I try not to ask Yes/No questions. Instead, I'll ask, "Where does this bus go?" That helps sometimes. One of the classic stories I tell about this took place in China. I don't even remember what city I was in, but I was lost, and I asked a group of four young men for directions to the train station or something. We happened to be standing at an intersection, and when I asked, "Where is the train station?" all four boys pointed, and they all pointed in a completely different direction at the same time. It was quite funny. And stuff like that happened all the time. Luckily, I now have Google Maps and the power of the Internet, so I never get lost anymore.

[@sanhtunneupane8162]

Hello Sir ,, are you still in Mandalay ? I am from Mandalay so if you are still here i want to meet you .

[@PlanetDoug]

No, unfortunately, I'm not in Mandalay anymore. I flew to Kuala Lumpur shortly after my walk along the Irrawaddy. But I have plans to return to Myanmar. And I imagine I will be back in Mandalay at some point. If things work out, we could meet up then. Stay in touch.

[@sanhtunneupane8162]

The Cycling Canadian , You are always welcome here , I love to watch your videos and i like the way you present the scene , you said you had millions of questions about life in Irriwaddy river and there is no one to give you satisfactory answers . I imagined myself to be there and to to translate for you , actually i am not and guide and its not for money . please come back again , i want to show you a different business life here. one question please :- do you always carry that electric bulb with you , i was amaized to see that clip . about me:- I like travelling i have travelled Nepal , china india thailand singapore.-": my destination is to visitCanada:

[@PlanetDoug]

I definitely could have used your help to understand what was going on down at the river. But I also don't mind simply wandering around on my own. That's what I usually do. 🙂 I just get curious sometimes about little facts - how their jobs work and things like that. Yes, I almost always carry my own light bulb. I usually stay in low budget hotels and hostels, and I also spend a lot of time in my room writing on my computer or reading a book, etc. And most of the time, the rooms are SOOO dark. There is no window and they use a cheap light bulb that doesn't give any light (to save on the electricity bill). When I put in my light bulb it makes such a big difference. The room becomes very bright and it's much more cheerful and a better place to stay. It's funny you should ask about light bulbs, because the light bulb that I had with me in Myanmar stopped working just two days ago. It finally broke. And then I bought a new light bulb at a department store in Kuala Lumpur - an expensive one. I used it for one day, and it stopped working, too. So now I have to buy another one. I'm having bad luck with light bulbs all of a sudden.

[@mohdk2299]

@@PlanetDoug Is it the same as in your travel tips? I guess you've bought new bulb, but if you don't I suggest you buy LED bulb. It emits far less heat than fluorescent lamp. Equivalent 20W florescent (1300 lm) you can get 12W in LED. Or the one that last just 2 days is LED bulb? I like the design of Osram LED Stick Bulb 12W

[@Vientianelover]

​@@sanhtunneupane8162 Hi, I'm in Mandalay and would definitely be interested in a tour! 😊

[@henriquesombiga4338]

All civilization and important cities were established on the bank of a water body..so yeahh..😄😄

[@PlanetDoug]

As a sometimes cyclist, I became aware of just how important rivers are to any type of civilization - big or small. I remember thinking about that a lot while cycling through Ethiopia. It was very mountainous and hilly in the north, and I'd spend an hour slowly cycling to the top of a hill or mountain. And then I'd race down the other side, and at the very bottom, of course, you find yourself at a town right beside a river. That's where all the towns were built - on rivers. Once you leave, you cycle up the next hill, go down again, and at the bottom there's a river with another town. And of course that makes sense. All new settlers build their houses beside rivers and lakes. And civilization takes off. 🙂

[@henriquesombiga4338]

@@PlanetDoug absolutely☺

[@wim1101wim]

most of the boats are owned by the Army. The cement is imported from China.

[@Snapper238]

I have found that in South East Asia, any answer is a good answer ... no matter what the answer is 😅

[@mcpa2991]

Just to speak on behalf of the pigs, raise a pig as you would a dog and you might be surprised. They can be affectionate, loyal, and obedient. They can also get huge and are very strong so imagine a 200kg puppy running to meet you. The reality is the prime reason for raising pigs is meat and that process typically doesn't benefit from developing a more complex human/animal relationship. That is the condition in which most pigs can be found.

[@DenisePoh]

Maybe you can float! ;))just kidding

[@PlanetDoug]

To be honest, I've often thought about that. I've been to lots of places where it would have nice to have my own canoe or kayak and just go paddling around. I've heard of other people traveling around the world with a collapsible boat in their luggage. You end up having a unique experience. Not sure if it would work out on the Irrawaddy, though. I think the river currents were a bit strong for that.

[@glasssmirror2314]

Hi Mr Douglas I stopped watching tv channels as am pinned to your vlogs.As yr vlogs are interesting especially when it comes to travel in the trains so we find them to be v short so pls put them into epissodes if Y/tube doesn't allow you long time Tks

[@Youmustbeannoyedtoo]

Mostly workers in this video get 200000 - 300000 MMK per month, or 10000 MMK per day, 100 mmk per item😅. Those income are not enough for life living . They are just happy hard worker.Burmese people are awesome they can dance with problems.

[@Youmustbeannoyedtoo]

Those incomes for people are still today. It is hard time in Myanmar now. Price of Myanmar Kyat( you called "chat") is lower than lower.😅😅 2019 1usd = 1500MMK In today 2021 1USD = 3700MMK

[@chosett]

When I see these poor laborers, particularly the women, toiling hard to make a living by carrying huge loads on their backs, I really feel sad. It seems Myanmar's economic progress have left them behind. If you visit the affluent parts of Yangon, especially the Golden Valley neighborhood you will notice the huge gap between the extremely rich and very poor of this diverse country. Actually, I have seen this difference in almost every country I have been to...and I've been to quite a few.

[@PlanetDoug]

I find I have complicated reactions to hard labor like this. I've had a range of jobs in my life. I've had hard labor jobs, and I've had office jobs. And it isn't automatic that the office jobs were better. In fact, I was often happier when I was doing the simple labor-intensive jobs. There was less stress. I'd work all day, and when the day was over, I could just relax. And the labor jobs were more social as I was working outside with other people and we could hang out together and laugh and chat while we worked. But with office jobs, I would take the job home with me and I'd worry about it all the time. And I worked in almost total isolation - just me typing like crazy on a computer. I was always stressed out. So I don't feel sad when I see people working hard carrying heavy loads from ships. A job is a job and everyone has to work. There is dignity and pleasure to be found in all jobs. But, of course, that is assuming that you are getting paid enough to live comfortably. It all depends on your salary. If you work this hard carrying bags of cement off a ship and you still don't get paid enough to live your life and take care of your family, THEN that's a problem. That does make me sad.

[@myominzawstudent4041]

You should take care from the dog. Sometimes they are dangerous.

[@PlanetDoug]

I try to be careful. I love dogs (and cats) so much that I want to pet every dog I see. But, of course, that isn't a good idea. Even a friendly dog can get nervous when they see a stranger, and they might nip my hand or leg. And then that can be a big problem when you are in a foreign country and far from home. So I'm usually very careful, and when I'm walking, I walk in a big circle around sleeping dogs so I don't scare them.

[@yellhtookaung143]

Call me.. when you visit here,again. I'd love to be your translator. Because. You've got to many questions. I've got almost all the answers.