Ti Ti and Her Family, My Assistants in Myanmar

Ti Ti and Her Family
My Assistants in Myanmar

Four years ago, I went to Myanmar/Burma for the first time in the hopes of interviewing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Lady. While I failed obtaining the interview, I met a young lady, Ti Ti. At the time, she was nine. I spent an hour playing Scrabble with her. She and I played Scrabble in my language, and she beat me. I left her that day impressed with her intelligence, sweet smile, and her competitive drive.

Her mother, Moh Moh, was my guide around Inle Lake. I also met her father, Ko Ko along with her two young sisters.

Over the past four years, Moh Moh and I email each other on a regular basis. I keep up with my family in Myanmar, and they follow my activities here in the States. One of the major issues that we discuss regularly is education both in Myanmar and America. When I was in Myanmar recently, I gave Ti Ti my laptop. I don’t use laptops in the States. However, I used it for storing photos and videos that I took while in Myanmar. I also copied them to an external hard drive in case the laptop was damaged. When I left my family in Myanmar, I returned home with my external hard drive.

Ti Ti benefits from her laptop, but what about her sisters and those that go to their school? Laptops are great for multiple reasons. However, the access to the Internet is the most important. The world is at the fingertips of anyone who is connected to the Internet. It is the most important educational tool in the world.

I am a dreamer like my mentor, Bobby Kennedy. If Ti Ti benefits from her laptop, what about the rest of the students at her school? Thus, began my serious dreaming. Why not get laptops for each of the students in that school, which has around 800-students?

That dream didn’t trouble me. I am sure that I can raise about a quarter million dollars for that many computers. What troubles me is that the Internet reception in Myanmar isn’t very good. I should have thought about that before I began my dreaming spree, since I had trouble while in Myanmar connecting to my school where I teach here in the States.

Therefore, my dream needs to include improving the Internet reception to the school and that general area in Taunggyi, Myanmar. I told Ko Ko and Moh Moh about my dream of providing laptops for the student body. A couple days later, they are explaining to the English teacher and principal of the school that their three children attend about my dream of providing the school with 800 laptops.

Since Ti Ti is an excellent interviewer, Moh Moh explains what Ti Ti wants to do in order to help me get the quarter millions dollars for the computers. This photo is an interesting. Look at the intense drive that Ti Ti has while making notes during Moh Moh explaining what Ti Ti’s interview will cover with her English teacher and the principal of the school.

This is a photo of the interview that Ti Ti did with the principal. Ti Ti is so poised and at ease as she interviews the principal of the school.

This is a photo of the completed task. From left to right, the principal, the English teacher, Ko Ko, Ti Ti, Moh Moh, Snow, and Fatty.

Interestingly, Ti Ti has moved to another school recently, which means that my dream of providing laptops to Snow and Fatty’s school must include Ti Ti’s new school. While I have a long road ahead of me in obtaining my dream, Ti Ti and her family are helping me at a personal level. They assist me by explaining my dream.

Bobby Kennedy would be proud of me as I live my life based upon his quote, “Some men see things as they are and say, why; I dream things that never were and say, why not.”

This is Ti Ti’s interview of the principal.