DFW Travel to Burma — Jan. 19 – Feb. 2, 2015

Join DFW as we explore Burma (Myanmar) for the first time. Centered around visits with Girl Determined, our travelers will also experience some of the spectacular sites in this highly Buddhist country.

Visiting Burma offers much more than the beautiful temples and tranquil villages that we’ll be seeing. This is a country still steeped in the struggle for democracy, with a recent history of brutality against its own people. Our trip will give you an opportunity to learn about the history of this struggle, and talk with women and girls who are working towards a better future for themselves and their families.

We’ll meet up in Yangon on January 19th, and spend time exploring this capital city, visiting the stunning Schwedagon Palace, Sule Pagoda and other highlights. The next day, joined by Brooke Zobrist, Executive Director of Girl Determined, we’ll meet with the young women in the Yangon program, go to their homes and visit their families. This special opportunity will let you see first-hand how our funds are helping to change these girls’ lives for the better.

From there, we’ll fly to Bagan, home to 3000 Buddhist temples dating back as far as the 11th century. Considered on par with Angkor Wat in Cambodia, these beautiful temples are scattered across the plains and create an unforgettable vision. An excellent place for exploration, we’ll have two days in this breathtaking area, traveling at times by horse-drawn carriages to cover the distances between the main sites.

A river trip will take us to Mandalay, where we’ll base ourselves for further visits with Girl Determined’s Colorful Girls Circles. Visiting groups in both a large city and a small village, we’ll learn how the Circles address the differing needs of rural girls and urban ones. Other sites we’ll visit in the area include U-Bein bridge, Sagaing monasteries, and Mandalay Hill.

Another flight will take us to Inle Lake, a beautiful highland area inhabited by many different ethnic tribes, including the Intha people who are known for their unique leg rowing. We’ll tour the area by boat, staying in cottages on stilts over the water. Visits to floating gardens, weaving workshops, and a Burmese cooking class are some of the highlights of our three days on the lake. We’ll also take a day-long trek into the hillsides to explore the surrounding villages and meet members of local tribal groups.

We’ll end by flying back to Yangon, with time to visit the famous Bogyoke Market for last-chance souvenirs, completing our time together with a special dinner.

This trip is full

About the trip leader

Patricia Andersson is DFW’s Travel Program Director. She has been developing the program since 2009, expanding the list of destinations each year. Patricia has taken DFW groups to Kenya, Uganda, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Indonesia, and helped facilitate seven additional journeys. She has traveled to more than 25 countries, as well as having lived abroad for six years. Patricia has been a DFW chapter leader in Oregon since 2006, and is also a life coach and graphic designer.