Research in Mae Sot

I just spent 1 month in Thailand - 3 weeks doing research in Mae Sot, 1 week holidaying with parents in Chiangmai - and that's about all the holiday I have before school starts. Minus this last week of non-institutionalised education that is. Oh incidentally, it's my last "school holiday" as well. Is that scary or liberating? I can't figure...

My time in Mae Sot was well spent. Research went okay but life experience went great. It's impossible for me to relate my experience in one post. Perhaps I'll break it up into different parts and do it bit by bit. I would love to share it all, that I know.

I was trying to find out more about the people in Mae Sot town who are part of the 'Karen' ethnic group who had cross over into Thailand from Burma (otherwise known to some as 'Myanmar') due to political or economic reasons. The town borders Thailand and Burma and there's a great mix of different ethnicities and nationalities with 'Karens' being the most dominant numerically. The influx of people into Mae Sot from Burma is primarily due to the political oppression by and physical violence of the Burmese military (known as the SPDC - State Peace and Development Council - how ironic). Some had personally experienced guerilla fighting and had to run for their lives, others were left hungry and desparate for work since there were no opportunities for them in Burma.

I had the opportunity to meet with different people - teachers, students, patients, medical workers, artists, NGO workers, etc - and it was very interesting listening to their different accounts. Each had their different reasons for being in Mae Sot, each had their past; some had rather traumatic tales, others sad and moving. But most, if not all, showed the strength of the human spirit. Their perseverance despite many rounds of failure, their fight for survival is nothing short of amazing.

I'll share more in future posts, hope this piques your interest.

Have a great day ahead...