A sad farewell to Myanmar in the hearts of SASers

I just found out Semester at Sea cancelled all stops in Myanmar for future Voyages and it breaks my heart. It was the most life changing country on my itinerary for not just me, but arguably most people on my Voyage. While the people there were some of the kindest I've ever met, they keep their smiles through the governments horrible oppression. Watching the movie "Beyond Rangoon" yesterday reminded me of this one more time. Future SASers will not get a chance to have their lives changed my this country and they wont come out of SAS with a heart burning to help make a change there. That's what really hurts. I've said it many times, I will not go back to Burma until there is a change in the government, but it took that one visit to truly know the enormity of the situation. I hope that ISE will revise their decision, but for now the fall 2007 voyage will be headed to Bangkok, Thailand instead. As part of the last SAS voyage to enjoy this country I bid adieu to Myanmar and I hope that I will be able to see it again one day.