I realize recently a lot of my posts have been more ethereal and less about my day to day life. A few readers asked me how I have been doing, where I am going next, and how are things in Myanmar, so I thought I would share.

I have been posted to Myanmar for about a year and a half, and have truthfully loved being here. The people of Myanmar despite living in some tough circumstances, are some of the friendliest people on the planet. They are warm, welcoming, and intensely respectful to one another. It’s unlike anything I have experienced in my travels.

Yangon and Myanmar itself is gorgeous and totally untapped from a tourism perspective, so every time I travel somewhere, I realize just how fortunate I am to be able to see something that is so beautiful and rare to behold. My trip and post about Bago recently I think highlights that nicely.

Personally, I still make it home to the U.S. every few months and see my kiddos as much as possible. One of the best parts about serving here is I am afforded lots of opportunity to make it home with the time off to match. For that reason, I have actually extended my tour in Myanmar, and will be here through the Summer of 2027. I won’t be bidding on my next assignment until next fall.

When I set out for Myanmar, I was only supposed to be here for a year, but then life happens, I got divorced, and the opportunity to stay somewhere I really love, while also getting more opportunity to see my kids as a result of my assignment made it a no brainer. It honestly was a decent silver lining to come out of an otherwise difficult situation. Had I decided to end my tour and go to a more traditional assignment, it would be a lot fewer paid trips home, which wasn’t appealing as my family adjusts to this new normal.

Myanmar itself remains very complex. They will be hosting their first elections since the coup of 2021 later this month, and there is hope, at least from the business community, that this will generate more stability in the country and create more job opportunities for locals. There also is a feeling that the time is ripe for President Trump to play peacemaker in a country that has a long and complex history of largely being in the throws of a civil war since it was founded. I am not sure what will happen, but I think 2026 will be VERY interesting.

Overall, I am doing well. I like where I am at. I love my job and serving my country, and I am still thankful I took this plunge nearly 4 years ago. -Nick