Burma is a country cloaked in a sense of apparent normality. No-one speaks openly about the difficult political and social situation that has existed for years, but the real picture is very different, concealed just under the surface of everyday life. The Burmese are very kind and welcoming. Wonderful people who never hesitate to give the best hospitality possible to all tourists. Personally, we received utmost respect and generous help and availability, even when communications were difficult. The vast majority of the population live in a state of poverty, but this does not prevent people from receiving sufficient food. The country is very fertile, and it is one of the largest rice-exporters in the world. The streets are full of stalls selling fruit and vegetables at all times of day. In their everyday dress, the Burmese retain the elegance of their more traditional customs, both for women and men. These are just the exterior aspects that make the Burmese people unique and special in the whole Asiatic area.

What did you find out about Buddhist monks and their monastic traditions?

Buddhist monks are exceptional people. Hospitality and respect are the keywords for any Burmese Buddhist monks when faced with people from abroad with a particular interest in their lifestyle. Only a few monks speak English well, and often the youngest of them are those who tend to make contact with visitors. The most enterprising monks explain the daily rituals and the forms of Buddhist monastic life, but they go no further. The monks know that they are under close observation by the government, above all when they speak to foreigners, and for this reason they prefer to avoid the more dramatic topics in which they are involved. The protests and demonstrations in September 2007, and the consequent repression and disappearance of many of their number, are subjects to be avoided at all costs. For them it is much easier to talk about ordinary life in the monastery, cadenced by periods of meditation and characterized by the rigorous discipline of the life that they have chosen.

Are the Salesians present in Burma?

The Salesians are present above all in the large settlements of Yanon and near Mandalay, to be precise, at the centre of Anisakan. In the main centres, the Salesians run many activities, and they have been operating for some years: summer activity centres, courses run outside the school syllabus, and courses for aspiring young Burmese priests. There are also many Salesian structures in the remotest parts of the country, above all in the north and in the Shan regions, on the border with Thailand. These areas are difficult to reach, and special permits issued by government authorities are needed. In these problematic, distant locations, the Salesians are principally involved in bringing humanitarian aid to local populations: food, water and medicinal products are often the only activities that Salesian priests can perform without provoking the hostility of governmental authorities, always suspicious of any humanitarian operations conducted by structures not under their direct control.

Were you able to complete your trip as planned?

Our planned route included, as well as the cities of Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and Ille Lake, an excursion in the north of the country, towards Mitkynia. Unfortunately we were unable to reach that city due to lack of time and the bureaucratic problems that hindered our progress. However, notwithstanding this drawback, we succeeded in achieving all the objectives that we had planned, and we added a 2-day trip in the south of the country, visiting Maulamyine, the third-largest city.