Meet Lowk Tin Muang (nicknamed Tim by yours truly). While in Mandalay, I met him and throughout the three weeks I spent living in his school, we formed a very special bond – him and his friends quickly became my favorite thing about Myanmar, and the reason I will keep coming back again and again.

Without further ado. Meet Tim!

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My name is Lowk Tin Maung, I was born in Shan North State, the name of [my hometown] is Sai Lein.

We learn Education without thinking. It’s so bad for students and Myanmar people. I want to change Education and I want to to get peace for my people.

My dream is to change our country to be best country. I don’t like government and Education in Myanmar. We learn Education without thinking. It’s so bad for students and Myanmar people. I want to change Education and I want to to get peace for my people. My national [ethnic group] is Ta ang or Palaung. We don’t get peace, so I want peace. I want to work for many people, not for me.

 

***Background note for reference: The Palaung are an ethnic minority in the Shan State of Myanmar found near the Chinese border. They are descendants from Mon-Khmer from Mongolia and are one of Myanmar’s most ancient indigenous groups. Due to war and constant prosecution and oppression coming from the military rule in Burma, many of the Palaung have fled to Thailand to live in refugee camps.***

In my village, we don’t have hospital or clinic. We have school to learn Education but we don’t have enough teachers.

 

In my childhood I’m very clever. Most of people in my village, they love me and proud of me because I’m ver clever and lovely. When was I young if I talk with someone I use sweet voice and polite. I was happy in my childhood because I got love from many people in the village.

My parents are important for me because they born me and supply me to keep on to study my Education. Since I was born, they born me in the war and safe me in the to grow and to can help others, they want me to be doctor or masterpiece for stop war but now, I don’t have father. He had go away. but I never be downcast. I always put my parents in my mind. So the most important in my life are parents.

Most of people in the village are farmers. They only know how to grow paddy and teas. We are very poor.

My village name is Sai Lein. In my village, we don’t have hospital or clinic. We have school to learn Education but we don’t have enough teachers. Because we have war, we fight with Brume soldier and Shan, so we can’t learn Education well. Most of people in the village are farmers. They only know how to grow paddy and teas. We are very poor. We have heat- water come from in the ground [hot springs] it is nature.

Most of Chinses people and some foreigner, they know about it and come to swim this water (it’s nature heat water). Even we are poor, we are so happy. And the other are depend on our village. My village is so beautiful. We have 12 people in my family. We have 8 boys and 2 girls. So 12 people also my parents. Now my father was go away. I don’t have father. We are also growing paddy and teas.

We can’t learn Education well. I move to Mandalay to keep on studying.

I move to Mandalay since May 24, 2014. I have dangerous in my village. We can’t learn Education well. I move to Mandalay to keep on studying my Education. I will go to visit home when I finish my high school. My mother told me to visit home only time in six years. My life in Mandalay very improve because I can study. In my normal day is, I always get up at 5:00 am and study my lesson and use Facebook to improve my English skill and read the newspaper.

In my free time, I like to read books about caucus and read English short stories to understand English well. I was novice because I don’t have enough money to study Education if I attend government we must give money, so I don’t have it. I was novice and stay in the monastery (in Phaung Daw Oo) to keep on my study.

I like to learn English because all people in the world they use English so I think I should understand English and important in the Education. I just study English only three months. Mary and you [author] are my first teachers.

The people I love best is my Ta ang people. Because we are very poor. They don’t know how to improve in their life and how to escape from adversity poor. So I love them and want to help them.

I love all people, I never differentiate national [nationality or ethnicity] but the people I love best is my Ta ang people. Because we are very poor. They don’t know how to improve in their life and how to escape from adversity poor. So I love them and want to help them. I’m happy now because I will finish my high school next a few years. When I finish my high school I can study how help them, so I’m very happy now.

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