A Dream of Many
Two years ago, I returned to Myanmar to visit my family and attend Ti Ti’s high school’s honor assembly. Ti Ti won the best math student in Shan State. Actually, I think that Ti Ti gets both her IQ and good looks from my side of the family.
After celebrating Ti Ti’s accomplishment, we went on our family tour. Moh Moh and Ko Ko are tour guides in Myanmar. Moh Moh was my guide on my first trip, while Ko Ko was my guide on the second visit. Months before I returned for my third visit, I emailed Moh Moh and Ko Ko about the itinerary of our family tour. They were to pick our various destinations with only several caveats of mine. I wanted to visit Moh Moh’s mother and Than, my artist friend, in Yangon. I also wanted to see Bagan again and have a family hot-air balloon ride over acres of pagodas. The only other place was to climb Mt. Popa again. The rest of the trip was theirs to determine.
It wasn’t long before I got an email from Moh Moh with a suggested list. She added that hardly any Americans would have visited their suggestions. Loikaw was one that she commented about especially, and I would love the town. She said that she was sure that I hadn’t been there, but I would enjoy visiting the town and Taung Kwe Pagoda. Moh Moh added that the name, Taung Kwe, means broken mountain. There is a legend that a ship docked between the broken mountain when the water level was much higher.
Ti Ti, Snow, and Fatty are impersonating the scene from the movie, Titanic.
The other day, I wrote to Moh Moh reading an article that I read in Frontier Fridays, which is an online magazine writing about the civil war in Myanmar. It mentioned that around 60% of the population of Loikaw have abandoned their homes, stores, and schools. I loved Loikaw when we were there. Even worse, it is less than a hundred miles from Inle Lake, where my family lives. I also asked whether she had heard anything about the lottery for green cards to come to America. This was Moh Moh’s response.
Allen,
First, you can’t imagine, How happy I am getting your mail.
As for moving residents for Loikaw is still happening for now. Some are also moving near Inle Lake, Taunggyi, and nearby us for temporary, etc.. We also try to help them in various ways.
Hopefully, You and Ginger are fine.
As for DV lottery, We will know this coming June.
Take care,
Much love,
Moh Moh
There I sat in my office, rattled about the war in Myanmar that is beginning its second year. How would you feel if part of your family lived in a war zone? On the other side of the world, my family is facing danger. There isn’t anything that I can do for them. I couldn’t even visit them during winter break this past year.
In Moh Moh’s email, she mentioned the DV lottery. Our State Department has a program called Diversity Visa. People wishing to come to America with a green card can enter a lottery.
Winning the DV lottery is the only means to acquire a safe place to live for my family. As I sat unable to protect my family, I remembered Neil Diamond’s song, America. At twelve, his grandmother was put on a train in Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine. The train took her to Rotterdam, where she boarded a boat to America.
Today, Myanmar and Ukraine have faced death and carnage due to wars.
Visit the "On Seeing the Light" page to read more about this topic.
Visit the "We Are Family" page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Connecting the Dots page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Dreaming Dreams page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Darkest Before Dawn page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Best and Worst of Times page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Ti Ti page to read more about this topic.
"The Hand May Be a Little child's"
Visit the The Hand May Be a Little child's page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Music I Love and Why page to read more about this topic.
Visit the Ukraine page to read more about this topic.
1/17/22
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