Sitting under the Bougainvillea tree for tea

…. A Tapestry of my inconceivable experience

Kevin and I were in Myanmar 1 year today. May to May!

Canada: Rewinding the clock back to Canada,  I had a Skype interview with a Cuso Myanmar staff, Luca whose main focus was to place someone with governmental and parliamentary experience at the National Parliament in NayPyiTaw, Myanmar.

Throughout the interview, despite my lack of governmental and parliamentary experience, Luca kept emphasizing how crucial it was to place a well-seasoned volunteer with the Myanmar National Hluttaw Union Assembly in Nay Pyi Taw.  Unlike my interview with a Cambodian VSO staff where we had more of a casual chat about this and that to assess whether I’d be a good fit for my post in MondolKiri, my conversation with Luca, this time around, was formal and direct and with a note of urgency in his voice that appeared to echo the restrictive, conforming governmental rules that I was soon about to experience? (For example, The Burma official Secret Act written April 2, 1923 that was used against the 2 Reuters journalist who were jailed in Myanmar: The Secret Act that was conveniently never amended nor revised for this purpose or otherwise.  Today, the NLD 'democratic' government still prosecutes peaceful speech and protests, because it has failed to revise old oppressive laws). Indeed, a stark contrast to the little cozy, Sen Monorom town, Mondolkiri Province that, in our 3 years there, we grew to love and got to know so well …

Within 12 hours of the interview, I was congratulated!

A new blog was soon set-up.  This time with Wordpress.  However, we still kept our Cambodian blog active.
http://aliceandkevin.blogspot.com/2018/05/uk-education-roles.html

Cuso training exemption in Ottawa ... The general rule of thumb is for Cuso International to give a 3-year grace to former Cuso volunteers, once in home country, to be exempted from attending either or both the Assessment Day and/or the SKWID  week training (unless previous placements’ didn’t work out).  Luckily we fell into the ‘exemption’ category where we didn’t have to attend either training or assessment.

Now, only 3 months to go and a number of things had to be done.  From Immunizations,  Medical forms to fill out,  obtaining an international driver’s license, to renting our home in Canada, and, through Luca, to organizing housing in NayPyiTaw, Myanmar.

Kevin and I, though we had both our Japanese Encephalitis and rabies shots done for Cambodia and were still valid for Myanmar, we were required to be inoculated against meningitis.   As for our medical forms and obtaining an international driver’s license we did it without a hitch!

Now renting our home to the right people ... ! Because we were leaving in May, instead of September, a better time to entice university students, couples or families to rent our home, it felt that we were clutching at straws. Our neighbour and former tenants helped us with posting an ad of our house on their Face Book, Parent Magazine, and University websites to reach potential renters throughout the country. Let alone having to announce our ‘dilemma’ by word of mouth.

A month to go and NO bites!

At the last minute, 3 potential renters, 2 families and a couple did finally answer our ad and were interviewed on Skype. Unfortunately, they were (all) away overseas, on sabbatical! As a result, No one came to view our property, a lesson well learned for another time. Blindly, without a further ado, we chose a family that we thought was a good fit for the neighbourhood, schools and neighbours whose children were close in age with theirs.

In short, during the 1-year we were away in Myanmar, unlike Cambodia, where things went smoothly for 3 years with our renters, we went through a rough patch, to say the least.   We had 3 sets of renters, lowering the rent each time our home was advertised. Subsequently due to unforeseen events, it ended up costing us.

At the same time of trying to rent our house, we also had hit a snag with housing in Myanmar. A new Cuso Myanmar staff manager (who had just replaced Luca) gave us the choice of either sharing a home with another couple in NayPyiTaw or to be placed in Mont State, Moulemein, a more desirable place to spend a year in. We chose the latter in a heartbeat!   Alas, within 11 hours, 46 minutes and 30 seconds of my response, The Cuso Myanmar coordinator, Lisa answered for Ei Ei Lin, a common theme throughout my placement in Nay Pyi Taw, to confirm that it was a false alarm, stating ‘the National Hluttaw Union Assembly, Phyidaungsu in NayPyiTaw were awaiting impatiently for my arrival’.

Myanmar
ICO in Yangon ...  We had a two-week ICO (in-country orientation) in Yangon with 6 other fun Cuso volunteers to learn about the general local life in Myanmar:  From basic Myanmar language with some added field trips to various Pagodas and to the famous Shwedagon Pagoda, to Myanmar history, culture, ethnic cuisine, and the Myanmar people home to 135 ethnic groups (statically confirmed by the NLD government) or is it 136 counting the Rohingya Muslim Minority who have lived in Myanmar for countless generations?

During our 2 week ICO, Kevin and I stayed at the Hledan Centre in a nice Asian style apartment with 2 other Cuso volunteers from our cohort. As luck would have it, we were just doorsteps away from the ‘wet’ market (wet meaning outdoor market) where fresh produce, from fish to vegetables, to an array of fruit is abundant. What a treat!

Throughout our time in Yangon, we found the Myanmar people to be friendly, humble, helpful smiley ‘Thanaka’ faces echoing a chorus of ‘Mingalabas’ (hellos) in the Myanmar language.   The locals were curious about us, as we were just as curious about them. They often stopped to speak to us, to practice their English with us on buses, streets, trains and markets, and, anywhere and everywhere Kevin and I were spotted.

For more details of our 2 weeks in Yangon click on this post ‘One day in the life of a local’: https://myanmarvoices.wordpress.com/2017/06/03/one-day-in-the-life-of-a-local/

Nay Pyi Taw ...   Before we knew it, we were whisked away to our volunteer placement destinations. Nay Pyi Taw for us!  Though we were still a little apprehensive about what we were about to find in NayPyiTaw…  We had decided to keep an open mind with our new adventure!

Grand 20 lane entrance to the Hluttaw National (Parliamentary Union Assembly, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar 

We arrived in NayPyiTaw mid afternoon behind the Swe Kya Pae (shwe ja bay) market, a deserted area where the ‘Elite’ bus had dropped us off. It was sunny and unbearably hot with little shade. Thank goodness for our umbrellas that protected us from the burning sun while we waited for the NayPyiTaw-Cuso driver Ko Aung and Su Su Mon, a Cuso staff to pick us up.

Bougainvillea tree for our afternoon tea ...Though everything was new and different, there were no particular transitional stages of getting settled. A house (for Kevin and I) was already set-up for the year.  Our house was nestled in the Swe Kya Pae local village surrounded by humble woven bamboo homes, banana trees, with an array of bushes that endlessly flowered and emitted perfume in our little courtyard throughout the time we were there. And, off course the bougainvillea vine (intertwined around the mango tree) that I grew to love and appreciate for the abundance of shade it gave us. A perfect place for Kevin and I to sit under the bougainvillea tree for our afternoon tea!

Transport was sketchy in terms of who would have the Cuso car during the day. Whilst a DRD staff member driver drove the other Cuso couple to work, I ended up with the car to drive to and from the Parliament.

Kevin the housewife … a very important assignment!  Typically, every morning, we leave home at the same time and head opposite directions. Kevin walks to the ‘wet’ market and I drive to work, a time for reflection. Sometimes reflecting on the politics, the unknown and uncertainty of the country ... What counts, are the local people that teach us and direct us with the countless things that we are yet to discover… What’s more, is to keep an open mind.  The leaders, the parliamentarians, parliamentary staff are incredible people that I closely work with.  That’s what keeps me here.  When I think of what we've experienced and have shared and have together, helping to strengthen, empower the people's voices, it makes me smile.

Milestones and successes ... Throughout the course of the year there have been successes and milestones with both Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff.  Together we wrote the parliamentary English curriculum, because such an invaluable resource did not exist when I first arrived at the Hluttaw.   Both MPs and parliamentary staffs are more confident with their English.  Armed  with ample innovative tools, they, MPs,  junior staff and staff officers now experiment with their new practical resources and new initiatives to share and to use at work: in their constituencies, at the parliament and too, they have disseminated these invaluable tools with their colleagues, friends and family.

KathyAung's English and Burmese was indeed an asset to any international NGO!

Challenges ... As for the challenges, salaries are low and do not exceed a certain quota for either MPs or staff, despite rent-free governmental housing stipulated by the leaders.  Through a range of network, MPs (with only 1,000 Kyats per month) seek higher paying jobs either in their constituencies or in more prosperous cities throughout Myanmar. By the same token, Parliamentary Staffs who are academically better equipped and who’s English is more proficient than their neighbour, not only do they tend to prematurely break their contract with the Hluttaw and accepts the penalty of forfeiting ever to work for the government again in the future;  they often seek jobs with private local enterprise or international NGOs who in turn are looking for well trained professional locals with both Burmese and English as an asset.

Myanmar is restrictive in every sense of the word. Though now an allegedly democratic society where one is told that they can freely express themselves, Everyone is however, watching Everyone like the ‘Big Brother is Watching You’ analogy (George Orwell).

A well-established, profitable tailor business for example, operated by a mother with a young son, who serves both the locals and international expats, was told by the police to dress appropriately, like a local and not like a Westerner!  Further, to dismount her large lucrative business, trimming away every inch of her business as a way downsizing  her shop.  More specifically, to move it to a different location to deter potential new clients to join her profitable business.

The tailor obeyed!

Her Myanmar traditional attire, her  image now conforms with those of her neighbourly friends. Her new shop is indeed smaller,  less enticing and moved to a less desirable location. However, her lucrative business is still in place, safe and sound in the privacy of her house away from lurking envious neighbours.

Diamond in the rough ...  At home in our little diamond in the rough, as luck would have it, we have fabulous helpful neighbours who go out of their way for us and does it with a smile.  What's more, we are often invited to join them for tea and for some unusual local Myanmar food. And, for a touch of Burmese words that we're beginning to recognize!

Notably, compared to the humble woven-bamboo homes that surround us, our home slightly more palatial with a corrugated tin roof and plastered walls is placed in the centre of our courtyard.  The ground of our home shaped in a perfect square is framed by a tangled garden in some places and is neat and tidy in others. Throughout the year in Myanmar, our garden is endlessly transformed from lush green to a riot of colours.  Ceramic flower pots overflowing orchids are either hung in a wired line under the mango tree or are hugged together in one corner shaded under the frangipani tree sucking left over moisture from the rain. Beyond our little courtyard stands a humble home shared by this blossom bloodline made up of 3 different family members:  mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers and sisters ... On the front line, it is the children that we often see playing with sticks on sand piles, for instance. Organically letting it happen, radiating warmth by way of emulating their parents with this and that with their defined roles, influence and tradition, instilling those values on to their offsprings.

Added to the quirky magic of our neighbourhood, a gentle-looking tailor sits in front of her shop with 2 other professional tailors. Haute couture made to measure their work is done with perfection.  And, at a bargain too! The head tailor who runs the shop works primarily with the locals.  It was by sheer accident that I found her. I eventually stopped going to the lucrative tailor, whom I mentioned earlier, because she was very busy, charged a lot, and made a lot of mistakes. No doubt a busy place for one person to manage her couture alone. I was looking for someone more reliable, someone more local and une haute couturière that I could trust. Rather befitting, I say.

As far as our Nay Pyi Taw outings go, within a 5-minute drive from our place we often land up at a Western restaurant where the local manager at Santino’s is always courteous and charming too.

In terms of speaking Burmese – well that’s another story …

Over this past ‘incredible’ year in Myanmar, not only have we become more familiar with the tropical fruits, vegetables and lush vegetation that appear at different times of the year in our very own little courtyard:  green and red chilly peppers, guava, mangoes, and pomegranates; we’ve also had an opportunity to meet and talk to the local people that we wouldn’t otherwise had the chance to encounter:  to hear their stories, their dreams and their hopes, their laughter, to experience special moments together …  The parliamentary leaders, MPs, staffs at work and the locals in our neighbourhood are smart, witty and fun to be around with.  Their love, joy, camaraderie will be greatly remembered ....

Something about Me ...  Someone once told me, not so long ago, that one cannot write in a vacuum.   Over the years, a number of people have read my blog and have asked me where do I get my ideas or get my information from? That’s a fair question!

Most times, I write from personal experience. I write because I enjoy writing about the people I meet and those I work with. Simply, I write from the heart!  So, where do I get my information from? I usually keep a journal and jot down ideas from simply observing, listening, sharing, participating and so on … In all honesty, writing for me has always been hard.  It is harder than climbing a mountain, I imagine …

As a volunteer both in Cambodia and in Myanmar, the common denominator for the well being of the people is to share, strengthen, empower voices.  Whether it is with teachers, school directors, cluster chiefs, POE officials in MondloKiri, Cambodia; with parliamentarians and parliamentary staffs in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, and / or  with the local people in general.

In a nutshell, I weave a tapestry from my inconceivable experiences derived from the every day lives of the local people that I bonded with, that I closely worked with.

My ideas come from the local people’s experience and their endless possibilities  that through time, have led them to a higher place:  I stitch together their words of joy and dreams and hopes, the milestones and successes, their laughter and special moments that we've have woven together … throughout my time with them, I have attempted to stay open minded and have valued the possibilities they have shared with me.

Consequently, their aspiration are very much reflected in the 2 books that were published in Cambodia (The Road to Prosperity ~my education ~my life) and in Myanmar (English Voices of Myanmar) that my colleagues and I worked on: we talk about the value of education, social inclusion and gender equality and human rights and freedoms for a better tomorrow …

Indeed the builders of the future are here to stay!

 

More later ... in the meantime, wishing you fun reading and lots of laughter for the rest of June 2018….:)

Education Roles

Education Roles by Claire Gilderson

'The road to prosperity' changing lives through education ...

 In May 2017, ALICE CHANDLER flew off to Myanmar to volunteer again. This is her second placement with Cuso International. She briefly recalls her first adventure in Cambodia and her second time in Myanmar following a long teaching career in Canada.

During her long teaching career as an educator, mentor and adviser, Alice worked in Canada, Anguilla, China, Cambodia, and Myanmar “I decided that it was time for me to embark on more stimulating expeditions,  so I leapt half way across the world to volunteer for three years with VSO – Cuso Cambodia and  for a year with Cuso International Myanmar.  ‘I wanted to be in a developing country, this time as a long-term volunteer where I could be part of the community and work for the well being of others’.

In 2013, Alice was placed as a Primary Education Adviser at the Provincial Office of Education in the beautiful hills of Mondulkiri • the poorest rural province in Cambodia. There she worked with teachers, school directors, cluster chiefs and POE senior and junior officers to help improve the quality and access to basic education ‘I fell in love with this amazing place and I was fortunate to get my placement extended until 2016. Despite the challenges, I found that Humour is an important part of facilitating positive change’.

‘In May 2017, I was placed at the parliamentary Union Assembly Hluttaw, Phydaungsu Chamber in NayPyiTaw, Myanmar.  There I worked with both parliamentarians and parliamentary staff to strengthen their English voices to use both in the workplace and with friends and family. Attendance was high everyday and throughout this yearlong project, English Learners became increasingly confident with their English and had fun in the process. Laughter became contagious and learning became easier’.

While Alice was both in Cambodia and in Myanmar she and her colleagues published 2 books.   In January 2016, The Road to Prosperity ~my education ~my life was published in Mondolkiri, Cambodia. The book is of a collection of interviews and short stories of local men and women about the value of education, social inclusion and gender equality.

English Voices of Myanmar was recently published in March 2018. The book is a practical  Resource Activity Parliamentary Curriculum for anyone to use and to disseminate with colleagues, friends, family … It’s about expanding the boundaries of the English language  using a higher level of thinking through the use of problem solving, critical thinking, analytical thinking to spark questions for conversation …  This English parliamentary curriculum is also about social inclusion, gender roles, and human rights and freedoms …

More later … in the meantime, wishing you fun reading and lots of laughter for the rest of May 2018….:)

5 Minutes with Phyo Wai Win

The following parliamentary Senior Officer (student)’s case study is on page 190 in the English Voices of Myanmar Parliamentary Curriculum that was published in March 2018.

“The highlight for me was Questions for conversation …

“My name is Phyo Wai Win and I’m from Zigon Township , Bago West Division situated in the lower part of Myanmar bseside Bago-Yoma mountain area”.

When did you first take English? “I first learn very basic English language when I was in ‘first standard,’ known as primary school.  I was 5 years old. But I did not speak English.  Not really”. 

When did you begin to speak English? “I began to speak English when I was 25 when I joined the English class with my friend and studied English at a higher level”.

What is interesting about the Cuso English class? “By joining the Cuso English class, I have many opportunities to speak English fluently with a native speaker and my classmates, and I understand more about the language, the structure group work methodology,  critical thinking, problem solving, debates and questions for conversations with confidence”.   In our class, Alice gives us a chance to participate fully with the topic presentations everyday.  Topics could be review, fashion, family life in Myanmar, Myanmar culture, parliamentary work, my hero, global citizenship begins with me that we have just learned in the Road to Gender Equality and the ASEAN Citizen units. 

I think that the most interesting thing in the class is that we get to choose the writer which is a Scriber; Brainstormers who are really critically thinkers, Presenters who has to listen deeply to everyone’s comment; Audience who has a chance to listen carefully to the presenter and to ask the right questions  for conversation that make sense to show that we have carefully listened to the presenter.  According to the topic we participate our parts,  we have a chance to collect a lot of facts and it is really excited to work with my group and   with others groups, because we have the facts to share with each other and good relations with my friends to participate with questions for conversation that Alice has taught us”.

How has Cuso English helped you with your parliamentary work?  “My Cuso English class has helped me significantly with  my parliamentary work by applying the writing briefing paper research work . I Write Burmese briefing papers that I translate from English to Burmese.  This information, I use from my Cuso English Class and collect data from the Basic Health Staff website from different countries. I create subheadings from a variety of International newspapers that  becomes the Current Affairs Digest newsletter for MPs.  This, I delegate to my junior staff to write and make sure that they understand that they need to think critical instead of copy paste directly from the web.   This is where I use a lot of questions for conversation model that I learned from Cuso class.  I also use with my staff  solving the problem in the work with critical thinking  that I keep in mind that Alice always remind us to think about when we negotiate with others in class

Would you recommend Cuso English training?  Off course,  I recommend Cuso English training to my friends, and my  colleagues, my parliamentary junior and senior staff, also my brother and sister and my family.  I think that they will have a chance to speak with a native speaker with many different topics to discuss about current issues, healthy living, language acquisition, leadership and make questions for conversations with a lot of critical thinking that we do in class.  I like most Alice class because she encourages us to always ask “questions for conversation. She could handle the class well and she knows how to manage the class with Stop, Look and Listen.  it is also important to mention that Alice is fun and makes us laugh, so we don’t want to be absent from the class. 

What was the highlight of Cuso English class?  The highlight or me is that I now use both ‘questions for conversation’   and the ”group work methodology concepts” with everything that I do with my parliamentary work and with everyone that I work with; my colleagues, my friends and even  my family!

More later ... in the meantime, wishing you fun reading and lots of laughter for the rest of May 2018….:)

Thida Aung ~ Parliamentary Junior Officer

The following Parliamentary Junior Officer (student)’s English case study is on page 189 in the English Voices of Myanmar Parliamentary Curriculum that was published in March 2018.

Thida Aung ‘The highlight for me was extensive vocabulary and circle discussions… ‘

‘My name is Thida Aung. My hometown is Yangon. I now work at Amyotha Hluttaw Office in Nay Pyi Taw’.

When did you first take English? ‘I started learning English as one of the school subjects since primary school when I was 5 years old. Reading and writing are the skills we used a lot in learning English subject when we attended primary, middle and high school’.

When did you begin to speak English? ‘I began to speak English language in my University student life. When I attended a diploma course of English language proficiency, I got a chance to speak English language with Myanmar Teacher who speak English language. I took a weekend class and the course took about 2 years’.

.

What is interesting about the Cuso English class? ‘By attending cuso English class, I have a chance to speak English with a native speaker .So my listening skill is improving a lot. I have noticed that my speaking, listening and presentation skills are improving than before. Now, I don’t feel panic to speak with foreigner and I can do presentation in front of the people without being nervous because in a class, we have to present about the topic that are relating to the lessons every day. We have to share the knowledge with each other in group works. By doing that, we can make friends with each other and we can create a lot of ideas and questions to generate a conversation concerning with the topic we discussed.  

I have realized that working together in a classroom is the best way to understand lessons and cooperation.’

How has Cuso English Class helped you with your parliamentary work?  ‘The topics of the lessons are very interesting and useful for my work. I am a visitor service team member in my office, so I have to explain about the hluttaw to visitors who are from foreign countries. Because of doing the presentation on a daily basis, I have more confident to speak with foreigners. In a class, we have to discuss and present about the functions of Hluttaw so it’s very helpful for my work. We also learnt about ASEAN Citizens, Global Citizens Gender Role and Human Rights. I think those are very important to understand well not only for parliamentary staff but also for all citizens’.

Would you recommend Cuso English training?  ‘Exactly yes, because I do like the teaching methodology and style, active and friendly teacher, the topics we have learnt and we can make friends who are from other Hluttaw offices. I would say that it’s a great opportunity to speak English better. And we also got the critical thinking skill through our lessons and the teacher can make us to be a responsive class. Sometimes we arrive to class late or sometimes we leave class early due to work demands. The teacher doesn’t force us to come to class on time. She is very warm, understanding, flexible and kind-hearted teacher and she gets on well with all the students and all people’.

What was the highlight in Cuso English class?  ‘There are many highlights for me!

·      The highlight for me was extensive vocabulary and circle discussions.

·      The highlight of Cuso English class for me is that I can use vocabularies effectively in the work place and social interactions with accuracy.

• ·  The highlight for me also are many Discussions  we have in class that contributes new ideas and sharing knowledge with teacher Alice and classmates .

More later ... in the meantime, wishing you fun reading and lots of laughter for the rest of May 2018….:)

Hnin Htet Phyu ~ Parliamentary Senior Officer

The following Parliamentary Senior Officer (student) ’s English case study is on page 188 in the English Voices of Myanmar Parliamentary Curriculum that was published in March 2018

 “The higlight was Traning for critical thinking , for  teamwork, lots of group discussions and presentation for my work”.

My name is Hnin Htet Phyu. I am from Tarmwe township, Yangon Division,  Myanmar

 

When did you first take English ? I first learn English language in basic education primary school , when I was in  primary class.  I started Learning English when I was 5 years old  . But that learning was very basic. 

  
When did you begin to speak English? I began to speak English when I was 27 years old. Because I am very shy and I am more interested in reading  than speaking.

  

What is interesting about the Cuso English class?      I am attending CUSO English Class for three months. This class gave training for critical thinking , for lots of group discussions and presentation . So , I was got more vocabularies , knowledge (about other countries and about Canada).  I could  thinking  more widespread in English , from critical thinking , group discussions.   And then I got confident to speak in english by do presentation much times.

Our class teacher , Alice  gave duties to us . We had to act like brainstormers , writer, presenter every day, every lesson. So we got  best outlook of team work . And then I am a shy person . I was not brave to present in front of class. But now I got confident to speak with the help of Alice. Because  she is very kindly and she is skillfull to teach speaking. She rejoined by a long way on our presentation.

We present about review, fashion, family life in Myanmar, Myanmar culture, parliamentary work, my hero, global citizenship everyday. CUSO learning style is very freely . We all liked this teaching style very much .

How has Cuso English Class helped you with your parliamentary work?  Our abilities of speak in English be well. We got confident to speak from our CUSO class. So, we are not shy to speak with other persons . So , we can help our MPs for their parliamentary work when they need to speak to Foreigners. And then we can search some English data from website , daily English newspapers , English news program from TV for translating to Myanmar language.

Would you recommend Cuso English training?  I would like to some recommend for CUSO English training. That is keep on “group work methodology concepts” and “  Do presentions for many topics” . Because of we need to be brave to speak English very well and have nothing any shy”.  In Myanmar some people are very shy person . So we need to do practice for speaking skill with native speakers.  However , we are happy and satisfied to learn English from CUSO English training. So, I would like to say thanks for all.

What was the highlight in Cuso English class?  

·      Training for critical thinking , for lots of teamwork for group discussions and presentation for my work.

·      Questions for conversation much me think deeply

·      I got confident to speak with my group for brainstormers and presenters  and to speak English much times

More later ... in the meantime, wishing you fun reading and lots of laughter for the rest of May 2018….:)

Room 5

... paving the way ... 
Success!

Today, a year later, my 60 parliamentary students received their certificates, together with a recently published Parliamentary Resource Curriculum that magically arrived at the Hluttaw Union Assembly, Phidaungsu on the morning of the closing ceremony.  Like the house of cards, U Bhone Kyi Aung, a high parliamentary official and others like him that were reshuffled somewhere a mile away in the grandeur of the parliament, was leaving for the UK the morning of the closing ceremony, and, still had set aside, his time and energy to honour my students at the ceremony.  With his usual grin, his usual firm handshake, he said, ‘I wouldn’t miss the closing ceremony for the world’.   The Myanmar people opened their hearts, gave their love, their friendships ...

Before the Change …

A year earlier however, it was a rough start!

Monday morning, on my arrival at the Parliament, on my first day at work, I was briefly introduced to the line manager and swiftly ushered away by a parliamentary staff to an empty office, to my desk!   Several cleaners soon followed, as per instructed, to move my desk exactly in line with the other 2, where my desk would firmly be placed!  What’s more, the same staff proceeded to take the place of my assigned line manager, (who evidently was new in the field) and promptly signed the 3-way agreement without discussing it with him or me?   The new line manager appeared to show little interest in the situation or in me?   Was he nervous too? Did we get lost in translation along the way? 

At the start of my placement there were several glitches that needed to be ironed out.  From establishing a classroom for English formal and informal lessons (to on job support); from the number of instructional formal hours I would teach, to discover whom my real boss was, at it appeared that I had many bosses? More to the point, I was intrigued at the lack of respect I was receiving by some people.  Parliamentary staffs would ask me how long I had planned to stay at the parliament? Others ignored me and didn’t want to have anything to do with me. There were times that I was included to some events by some, and promptly excluded or disinvited by others.   At first, isolated in my office, I wasn’t sure what to make of it all.  Everything was new to me.  However, I felt it important to make it work through trial and error and to go with the flow.  Looking back now, it appeared that I had an ambivalent role as an international employee who did not represent Cuso Myanmar. As a result, they seemed confused and didn’t know how to handle the situation ....   

What did we do?

Weeks later, after submitting a proposal for the 1^st set of parliamentary students and waiting for approval, U Bhone Kyi Aung the big boss, the new line manager’s boss soon took hold of the reigns to clarify the status quo, and eventually some things began to improve! U Bhone Kyi Aung is forward thinking, highly accommodating, fair-minded and very supportive.  He evidently is the backbone of the parliamentary system that supports the English programme and the role I was to play.  He wanted success.  With each parliamentary class, we had an open ceremony at which time he’d address my students about the significance of the English language, an important skill for them to use proficiently and competently in the workplace. Bhone Kyi Aung took me under his wing and became my mentor, my advocate …. :) Throughout the year at the Hluttaw, we worked closely together to share ideas, to discuss my work, the book (a work in progress) and the next steps.  And, in the process we developed a close bond!

With the backing of U Bhone Kyi Aung, I moved office. He gave me a choice of having two offices with 2 desks (one office with air-con and the other without).  I chose to move to the Research department, without air-con, where parliamentary staffs and the Line Manager were based. To me it made perfect sense to be in a congenial atmosphere where I was no longer isolated from the Myanmar people.  More to the point, I felt it important to play a pivotal role in the workplace where our skills, our culture, language, trust, friendships was aligned with U Bhone Kyi Aung’s belief.  Connecting through the hearts, minds of my comrades, meant that I’d also be in a situation where I could observe la vie quotidienne, the everyday ins and outs of my colleagues, the parliamentary staff’s general work function (in our shared office).  Working alongside each other, also meant, that through their lenses, a puzzle of intricate pieces at first, that I’d have the opportunity to learn something about the Hluttaw parliamentary system to better help the Myanmar people.  I did.

Room 5 …

How did I end up with Room 5?  U Bhone Kyi Aung stepped-up to the plate once again 

to overrule the case that Room 5 was a better choice (than the small class that I was initially assigned to), to comfortably house 20 students, the instructor, unforeseen guests, such as himself and to welcome other parliamentary officials, staff and/or anyone else at the Hluttaw that either wished to observe or to take part in my class at any time.

Our verbal contract also entailed my formal teaching hours.  U Bhone Kyi Aung gave me the choice to teach either 8 hours a week Monday to Thursday or 10 hours per week that included Fridays.  I chose the latter.  Sensitive, anticipating to the needs of the people, I wanted to have Fridays as catch-up days.  I wanted to give personal attention to my students that wanted extra help, conduct informal English discussions, nurture and support them in anything else that would help strengthen their English voices.  

As for my afternoons, U Bhone Kyi Aung and I agreed that Room 5 be converted to an informal on-job support venue sessions for small group training with parliamentarians and staff. That is to say, to help MPs and staff alike to effectively carry out their roles in the workplace and anything else that benefited the Myanmar people for a better tomorrow. This included IT, questions and answers addressing enquiries during council meetings, informal English conversational lessons, group discussions with Women MPs that represents, serve, work with marginalized groups in their constituencies, help staff in their department to respond to a proper English email from Burmese translation, to creating a parliamentary job posting (related to staff’s specific job responsibilities), which didn’t appear to exist at the Hluttaw when I first began working with them.   

6 weeks later, I met my first set of 20 parliamentary students in Room 5!  

What is different today?

Typically, predictably so, as I enter the grandeur of the parliament first thing in the morning, my day begins with a chorus of laughter that echoes throughout the corridors of the ZhaBuThiri Phyidaungsu building that bounces into the parliamentary staff offices.  As I reach the shared research staff office at the end of the hall, a bubbly wave of more chatter and laughter resonates all the way to Room 5 with words of contentment that speaks back to me. 

Room 5 is a place that Assessment begins from the moment my awe-inspiring, talented students enters my class.   As they enter Room 5, I mentally ask myself, ‘Are my English Learners feeling well, excited with full of queries?’ Are they nervous and unsure of the unknown with today’s lessons?  Are they enthusiastic, engaged and motivated? Is the class culture shifting from being once a cautious to a more confident and vibrant community of English learners?’    Each day is a different day with full of ‘magical’ possibilities’, with new insights and ideas.   Indeed, Room 5 is a room where my students thrive and surprise me with something new each day!

Throughout my teaching at the Hluttaw, there has been a positive change of pace in Room 5, a magical sense of transformation and successes in my students.  My students are excited to come to class and over time they have gained more confidence.  Shy students that appear to be more self-assured, are now talking, and even volunteer to share our morning introduction to the start of the day’s lesson: either to give a brief account of the daily news, discuss the lyrics of a song, review the day’s work, talk about Myanmar culture, ethnic traditional dress and or fashion, … and anything else that is of interest to them.  Once a month, together we typically celebrate our successes in the very grounds of the parliament. 

Parliamentarians are also feeling more confident with their Oral English skills and are even laughing at their own mistakes!  Conversational English with MPs is a fun and most interesting job one can ever hope to have and whom I have learned much from. These MPs come to the parliament with a wealth of knowledge.  Back home in their villages, in their constituencies, they have regular jobs like you and me.  They are teachers, farmers, artists, entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers …

During my placement, outside Room 5, I also visited Parliamentary staffs in their designated workplace. This is to address what is it that they want to know and how to strategize ways to strengthen there English skills further in their jobs.   Their skills are brought back and addressed in Room 5 for teaching and learning prospects.  What’s more, we have also focused on the different creative writing interests, skills that were revealed in my talented students.

The change

Despite the political problems I experienced throughout my placement, despite the last minute bid to deny the closing ceremony for my parliamentary students, despite the rough start, success prevailed!  My motto: Keep an open mind, observe, listen, wipe the slate clean, be objective and be receptive to new ideas …

I have been asked several times by a number of people at the Hluttaw, ‘what is your secret in keeping your students?  They come to your class everyday.’   I tell them ‘I have an open door policy where my students come and go as they please.  Some have early morning commitments and still manage to attend my class.  Some, who are unwell, still come to class, because they tell me that they don’t want to miss new ideas or a new ‘exciting’ unit.  When I prepare for the next day, my students will pop in to ask if they can help me and or simply hang out… I say, my students are intrigued, curious and hungry to learn’!  I answer, ‘I’m flexible, a team player, open to ideas and mindful of my students needs. Therefore, I have a back up plan to change the lesson at the last minute if need be’.  I tell them that ‘my students are in a safe environment to freely discuss and express any issues that they want within the walls and safety of Room 5’.

English VOICES of Myanmar

When I began working at the Hluttaw Union Assembly, a parliamentary curriculum did not exist.  Part of my job was to create a Parliamentary Resource Curriculum book that made sense to the parliamentarians and parliamentary staff.  Consequently, my students were very much involved and included in the process of developing the book.  They also got to brainstorm the different types of units that they felt needed to be included in the book.  Throughout this yearlong mammoth project, the ‘global village staff’, the parliamentary staff together made ‘lemonade from 2 lemons’.  They diligently developed, typed, translated the English text to the Myanmar language and gave everything they had: their souls and their might to help out with every bit of the book from the grassroots up!

‘English VOICES of Myanmar’ was recently published in March 2018.  This practical Resource Activity Parliamentary Curriculum has become part of the ‘first’ Cuso collection, encased in the 3-Chamber libraries: Pyidaungsu, Phyithu, Amyotha for anyone to use at the Hluttaw, NayPyiTaw or anywhere else in Myanmar.  This also includes all sub-national Hluttaws throughout Myanmar.

What is the book about? The book is about expanding the boundaries of the English language using a higher level of thinking through the use of problem solving, critical thinking, analytical thinking to spark questions for conversation …  Some units include ASEAN Citizens, Our country ~ Our Parliament, Education (with a gender education section included), Healthy Living, Family Life in Canada and in Myanmar.   This book is also about social inclusion, gender equality, human rights and freedoms.

Since the book was published, the Hluttaw parliamentary leaders printed 35 more copies.  And Cuso Country Office Myanmar also printed more copies.

It is worth noting, that the curriculum draft was temporarily put on hold to print.  However, the parliamentary leaders overruled the case to continue with the process of completing the final details of the book and to have it published. What’s more, some units became a controversial concept, such as Gender Equality that I was initially asked to remove from the curriculum. Some parliamentary administrators claimed,  ‘we have NO issues in Myanmar.  Everyone is equal, this includes all ethnic groups in our country’.  However, after much discussion, the Gender Equality unit was changed to ‘Gender Roles, which the leaders approved of’.   Further, though the ASEAN Citizens Unit remained status quo, Global citizenship Begins With Me however, became ‘Part 2’ of the ASEAN Citizens Unit instead of a unit of its own, because it too, became controversial.  As a result, there are 11 units, instead of 12 units.  

Befitting with some of our controversial units, Room 5 was a safe environment for freedom of expression.   My parliamentary students (MPs and staff) freely discussed and expressed anything that they wanted within the secured walls of Room 5.  With trust, together, we talked about ethnic controversial issues and conflicts of their much-loved homeland. Myanmar.  This included the Rohingya crisis that they spontaneously had chosen to speak about. Though initially removed from the Myanmar map (at the back of the book), with much discussion however as to whether the word Rohingya should remain on the map or not;  In the end, we unanimously decided that it was imperative to put the word ‘Rohingya’ back on the Myanmar map, where it belonged, where the Muslim Rohingya people ‘rightfully’ belong. In Myanmar!

News travel fast!  Since the book was published, since the closing ceremony event took place last week, people that we don’t know, boldly come up to us Cuso volunteers, introduce themselves, shake our hands, and with a smile say, ‘You must be Cuso’.   ‘We hear good things about you, about the great work that you’re doing here’.  ‘Your English book is one of a kind. The first ever to be published in Myanmar!’

Did we just put Cuso on the map? 

Alice Chandler,  ESL Cuso Volunteer,  May 2017 – May 2018

Hluttaw Union Assembly, NayPyiTaw, The Republic of the Union of Myanmar

Volunteers for the world ~ un monde de voluntaire

More later ... in the meantime, wishing you fun reading and lots of laughter for May 2018….:)