She risked her life among the enemy, and other words

Fishpaste eaters:
Please find the newest in a slew of journal entry installments from the students. Sensitive names have been changed for security purposes.

Some important background:

• "Mi" means "Ms."
• In 1988, there was a national uprising led by students in opposition to the military regime in power. These peaceful uprisings were violently suppressed, and therefore brought the government under international scrutiny, forcing them to hold democratic elections in 1990, which they inevitably lost. The triumphant party was the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The power was never exchanged from the military regime to the NLD, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was subsequently placed under house arrest intermittently for 11 of the past 17 years. She is the recipient of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize.

Enjoy and dream of sticky rice, which I will force feed you the next time I see you...

:) Laura

My role model

Mi Twin who is my mom’s friend, is my role model. She is 49 years old. She is a trainer of human rights and women rights. She lives in Mawlamyine. Her husband is a top member of the New Mon State Party (NMSP). I met her when I was in seventh grade. She told me her story about how she arrived at the NMSP.

She was a university student in Yangon. She was interested in politics. She organized many students to become involved in the national uprising. Before the national uprising in 1988, the SPDC’s police suspected her and looked for her. On the last day of her exams the police attempted to arrest her. Fortunately, she escaped from the spies and arrived at the NMSP through out many dangerous things. She became a NMSP member as a female soldier.

I’m really proud of her because she is a thin and gentle woman but she risked of her life among the enemy. Therefore she is my special role model.

What is your greatest wish?

My greatest wish is to be a teacher. I love to teach students. Teaching is a noble profession for my livelihood. Not only students, but also parents and all people respect teachers. Qualities of a teacher are: goodwill, kindness, patience. Teachers have many obligations and initiatives to teach them. Teachers are very principal as a role model because students of today are leaders of tomorrow. Teachers have to motivate the students to be active. Teachers take part in every activity everywhere. Being a teacher is a good job and can create a good life.