Leather Tannery, Marrakech, Morocco

The shocking sight (and smell) of a leather tannery makes one think twice about purchasing leather

A man watches another worker move bags over the large piles of animal fur

A worker stops working long enough to allow me to take a photo of him

A donkey waits alone outside with a cart, waiting for his owner to return

Pants hang over a door in the tannery, possibly a set of clean clothes to change into after work

Street Photography, Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech is famous for the large town square that hosts a lively night market

Inle Lake Marionettes

Inle Lake is famous for their creation of marionette puppets. My group leader told me that at the hotel we stayed at, life size marionette puppets used to sit at the table with guests, but too many tourists complained.

Woman Smoking a Cigar

We visited a village in Inle that had never had Americans visit it before. When we arrived by boat to their beach, every person in the village stood on the shore and greeted us. For the entire day, people came out of their houses and invited us to sit with them or hold their babies. This woman came out and wanted to ask us questions while smoking a juicy cigar.

The 112 Year Old Man

While visiting a temple outside of the Shan state, we encountered a man who was a whopping 112 years old. When we asked him how he has lived for so long, he replied that he only eats foods that he grows and he walks everywhere. He also believes that having his entire body covered in protective tattoos has helped him throughout his life.

Monks in Myanmar

 Three adolescent monks sit together and enjoy each others' company

Hundreds of monks silently wait in line for rice breakfast in a monastery in Inle Lake

Kids from Myanmar

A child enjoys his corn and the view of the camera while his grandmother watches from the house

One of the many children in Mandalay stops playing for a moment in this unusual pose

Children in Hsipaw (a village in the Shan state) love getting their photo taken so they can see themselves

Some Still Life, Myanmar

 The characteristic sweet tea of Myanmar served to the brim

 A letter and a fan on the weathered floor of a temple

Elderly Woman, Hsipaw, Myanmar

My group leaders set up students with different households for a few hours to photograph their lives. Even though my family (an old man and woman) agreed, the chief of the village's wife (shown below) came to the house and took me away. I ended up being brought back to the bus over an hour early. For the rest of the trip, everyone joked that I had been bought and returned. This is the only photo I have her.

Farmer, Hsipaw, Myanmar

A farmer kindly poses for a photo while walking home from a day's work in Shan State village, Hsipaw.

Jumping Cats, Inle Lake, Myanmar

A woman in a temple at Inle Lake shows how the cats at this particular temple were trained to jump through hoops for their food.

The head monk also creates obstacles for the cats.

Young Plower, Myanmar

I took this photo in Myanmar on a stop during a long drive to Hsipaw. The young boy was kind enough to allow me to take his picture while he plowed with his father (not shown).