မြန်မာပြည်မြောက်ပိုင်းက နေ့ရက်များ ၂
Finding houses in Maungdaw has proven to be more difficult than I anticipated. Before my arrival, I had envisioned a simple elevated house with basic features such as bamboo walls, a thatched roof, a well, an outside toilet, and plenty of shady trees. I was hoping for a rural setting with a peaceful atmosphere.
That envision of mine was wishful, unfortunately.
Furthermore, things got even more difficult as I was unaware at the time but later found out that being an outsider posed an even greater challenge in finding a place to live, as I had to deal with language barriers and a pervasive sense of distrust from the local community.
On my first day of joining, I befriended Ko Zaw Myint, who appeared friendly and mistook me for someone he knew. I was somewhat confused by his claims but appreciated his hospitality. He even extended an invitation for me to visit his house and offered his room for me to stay during the water festival long holiday, in case I hadn't yet found a house, as he was planning to return to Sittwe to be with his family.
During my first weekend, I decided to visit Ko Zaw Myint's house. Ko Zaw Zaw came to pick me up from the guesthouse and drove me to their shared one-story house. The house had a lounge area, followed by two rooms adjacent to each other, with a path leading to the outdoor toilet.
Ko Zaw Zaw showed me Ko Zaw Myint's room, which was a makeshift room with thin wood partitions. Unfortunately, the room lacked windows, and I didn't particularly like the atmosphere. Additionally, I learnt that they faced water shortages during the summer season.
In recognition of the great challenges I faced, my colleague Ko Tin provided me with some contacts to help me find a house.
The second house I visited was previously occupied by a former colleague who had relocated to the Mrauk-U office. Upon Ko Tin's recommendation, I decided to check out the property during the week. The house itself was a two-story structure, with the landlady - a spinster - and her niece residing on the upper level.
During my visit, the landlady was away, so I conversed with her neighbour while waiting for her return. At first glance, I was quite impressed with the house. The ground floor, which was the only portion available for rent, featured a spacious lounge with numerous windows and a single room.
Additionally, there was a sizable elevated platform suitable for accommodating another individual. The shared bathroom was located outside.
But the bummer was they demanded a six month contract and preferred a married couple as tenants.
I failed their requirements.
Unexpectedly, in my second week, I had to move out of the guesthouse and relocate to one of the residences rented by the organisation. I received the message during the day, which took me by surprise. I returned to the guesthouse, packed my belongings, and proceeded to the new residence.
The residence was located in Bo Mu quarter, behind Maungdaw General Hospital, and named after Blue Coral. Although the new residence provided a comfortable living space, it disappointed me in terms of its location, as it was situated several minutes' walk away from the city centre, and the eatery place where I went for dinners.
Instant noodle became my go-to option for dinners that week.
As the water festival drew closer, my stress level intensified as I was nowhere near finding a suitable house to move into. I lost sleep at night and had no appetite. My mind was consumed with the task of house hunting, even while at work. At one point, I even pleaded with my logistics site manager, Alex, to allow me to extend my stay at the current residence (as I was only permitted to stay there for two weeks) if I couldn't find a new place before the long holiday began. However, his response was not very encouraging.
A glimmer of hope appeared.
One evening after work, I received a call from Ko Tin's roommate, Ko Htet Ko Win, who informed me that he knew of a house that was available for me to move into. A colleague of his, a doctor, had won the American green card lottery and was moving out, so I could take her room. I was overjoyed by the news.
Ko Htet Ko Win, his wife and their baby came to pick me up at my residence at around 7 pm. We drove to the house which was a beautiful one-story building occupied by three ladies. I met the doctor who was leaving and a lady who was working at a bank in the town. I learnt that the other lady was away on a home visit to Yangon. After checking out the room I would be staying in, which had a window, thank God, I asked them if they would be comfortable sharing the house with a male tenant, to which they all agreed.
We then decided that I would move in before the holidays started. That night, for the first time since I arrived, I felt relieved.
That glimmer of hope vanished, much sooner than I expected.
The relief was short-lived as I received a call on Friday evening. The lady who worked at the bank, Ma Hlaing, requested that I postpone my move-in date until the other girl returned from Yangon, citing her discomfort with sharing the house with me.
This news left me feeling disappointed.