It was 1999 when I just saw my grade that was qualified to get an admission from the medical school of Burma. Unfortunately, I was one of them who were in line waiting for the opening day of the universities in Burma. At that time, Brazil was celebrating its World Club Championship but my mom and I were preparing to leave home.
My first step to Thailand made me free from the detection of the military dictators, on the other hand, insecure and fear as an illegal person in the border town called Maesot where plenty of crimes and transmitted diseases were alive.As soon as I fell in sleep on the floor of factory workers’ dormitory, I dreamt about my dad who was arrested in the military detention centre so called guest house for his boycott against the unfair law of the military tyrant and my mom who was struggling to attend the local NLD office regularly.
One morning after I woke up and went to a garment factory for a dollar per day, I found many young faces those I was supposed to see on my school days. I was quite relieved that I was not alone there but indignant that we were getting a wrong place. Some of them were freshers like me who just graduated from high school. Some are senior students with the majors of the economics, history and others.I was wondering…..
Were they learning the economics by working in a garment factory, as an illegal worker, earning low wages?
Were they making Burma history by leaving their homeland for Thailand?
Most people were familiar with Thai Custody but they would never tell anyone in Burma. Some people were teachers in Burma but they said they had left their degrees hanging on the fence of Burma border and underemployed in Thailand.I cried everyday and felt sorrowful for my hopeless future until I met some people who were pro-democratic activists of Burma.
Nowadays, I am working as a professional in the United States and living with my family but I never forget the days I cried and the tears of my friends on those days.I wish those tears be rainbow for tomorrow.
