The worst trouble in my foreign life

Myanmar trip

Hello!

I would like to share my story.

Please read.

I was in trouble in Yangon. It sucks but that's how traveling is like.

Don’t trust and follow any strangers even if he looks friendly. Be careful when traveling. When I was traveling in Yangon, Bagan, Inle in October, the worst trouble in my foreign life happened. Briefly, I was involved in a fraud. I was taken to an isolated place in the opposite side of the city. There, I was surrounded and intimidated to pay expensive money by six or seven local persons in a group. I learned some lessons from this unforgettable experience.

I traveled in Myanmar for 6 days with my travel partner Ace from Philippines. He said Yangon was the scariest place that he had ever been to.

Ace

There were a lot of trivial troubles but this was the worst. On my 5th day in Myanmar, I planned to meet my Japanese high school classmate who works in JICA (Japan International Cooperate Agency) and was in Yangon. She invited me to eat lunch. My Philippine friend allowed me to go without him so I walked around Yangon city alone in the morning. Our meeting time was around 12.

In a park near river, I was spoken by some postcard sellers but I refused them. I felt a little tired and sat down to take a rest there. It was 11am.

Then, two young boys sat down near me and approached.

Their age was 17 and 11.

The older boy could English well and the other could not and being quiet. The older boy started to introduce himself and tried to draw my attention by flattering me. His name is Coco. He was very talkative and looked friendly. His skin was black and his hair is gold and curly. At first I was skeptical and cautious about him. After we talked 10 minutes, he invited me to go to opposite side of the river by ferry. He said he wanted to show me beautiful pagodas.

He emphasized that the ferry is for free for Japanese people because it was given by JICA. He told me that it cost nothing about our trip.

I didn’t have enough time so I refused it at first, but he repeated it would take only 20 minutes and nothing to pay.

Finally, I decided to accompany with them. He wanted to learn some Japanese words from me like “はやくはやく(Hurry up)”. He seemed to be a student and his English was very good.

I should have researched about the city more carefully beforehand. I didn’t know that the opposite side of river is the poorest district in Yangon. The name is Dara District. We took the JICA ferry. It was for free. My caution became shrunk more and more.

“When we arrive the harbor, just follow me.”, he said.

I nodded without doubt.

We arrived at the harbor and soon I saw two motorbike drivers wait for us. The driver just handed his helmet to me. Coco told me to ride it.

From this moment, I got caught by their trap. I was so stupid that I entered their territory without anxious. I took a picture when I was riding motorbike. They are the young boys.

On the way to the last pagoda

I didn’t imagine that they contrived to deceive me. Then,I just enjoyed my unexpected trip.

We went three pagodas. Coco took pictures for me in my camera.

But when I took his picture, he deprived me of my camera and deleted those photos immediately. I asked him why but he just answered it's due to religion.

I wanted to come back because my appointment time was over.

The last pagoda located very isolated place, surrounded by rice field.

The climax

In front of the last pagoda, the driver said something to me.

“Sixty dollars.”

What?????????????

“Sixty dollars.”

I doubted my ear and asked again and again. Had I given them $60, I wouldn’t have been able to go back to Thailand. Carelessly, this was the first moment that I noticed I was deceived. I refused to pay, and Coco changed his attitude and threatened me with putting a cigarette into his mouth. “Why you don’t want to pay?”

I was shocked to see such an change of him.

No one can help me in this situation. I was thinking how to survive in my head desperately.

No matter how I refused, the driver continued to say “no no no no”.

No wonder was it a very difficult situation. I was forced to be nervous.

He told me to call police and started to call. And some strangers gathered and took my picture without my permission. There was no way to run away. It seemed that I would be killed or injured if I did so. Many bad things could be considered in my mind.

I pretended as if I didn’t have enough money and tried to resist.

I wanted to be released as soon as possible. So I asked them to return to the harbor instead of promising to pay money. Finally they admitted it.

As a result of negotiation, I gave 700 THB and $5 to them at last. All of them looked satisfied and offered me a handshake with a smile in their face. “It’s only less than $30.” I felt joy in my heart. In the entrance of the harbor, Coco said good-bye to me and we hugged.

Just when I was released and took the JICA’s return ferry, my emotion was so paralyzed that I felt even happiness and became positive mind.

Later, though I was late more than 30 minutes, I was able to meet my JICA friend and eat Myanmar food in restaurant.

My travel partner tried to cheer me up. I was not in sorrow because it was only $30 and I’m alive. That’s my story. You don’t need to swallow what I said whole.

Normally, I’ve taken “my peace life” for granted. Peace cannot be protected in poor countries. This problem is still very difficult to solve.

Nobody knows what will happen to our life.

Life is an adventure.

By Mikihiro