Marist Asia Foundation

  • Home
  • News
  • The Marist Mission in Ranong
    • Education
    • Health
    • Migrant Support
    • Pastoral care
    • Newsletter
  • Marist Community
  • Friends
    • Partner School
    • Partner Parish
  • Volunteers
  • Donate
    • Small Change Big Difference
    • Major giving
  • Contact Us

You have only one opportunity to see the world

posted on July 10, 2014 by Frank Bird
1 Comment

IMG_0559Rain falls down heavily in Ranong. I am living here, 12 thousands kilometers away from home, and I am experiencing tropical rain for the first time in my life. I look around and see only foreign faces, and I think that I don’t wish to be in any other place in the world in this moment.

This is quite funny if I think of myself few months ago, still at home, frightened by the idea of taking my flight for Thailand. I just followed my mother’s advice: “You have only one opportunity to see the world, so why are you afraid? Prepare your luggage and go!”

My name is Enrica and I am a 26-years old young woman from Italy. I am an English teacher at Marist Mission Ranong and, at the same time, I collaborate with the Health Team visiting and supporting some HIV patients.

I am a young professional in international affairs and since I was a teenager I have been passionate about international relations and human rights. I wanted to see the world and discover other cultures. Indeed, if I could pick up an adjective for describing myself, I would say “curious”. Then, I decided to study international relations and during my university years I developed a special interest for Myanmar. Its traditions, culture, language and history fascinate me a lot.

After some job experiences in Italy, I decided that it was time for me to leave my country and live my dream. This is the reason why I decided to come in Thailand and to volunteer within the Marist Mission Ranong for the Myanmar migrant community.

This experience has turned out to be very intense. I have not only the opportunity to discover the Myanmar culture and to learn the language, but I get to see the smiling faces of my students which inspire me to be a better teacher every day.

I teach social studies to a group of bright, clever young women with which I can speak about sensitive matters, e.g. civil rights, gender equality and death penalty. I also teach English to two grade-1 classes. It is not an easy job, they are teenagers and sometimes very loud and undisciplined.

But they are kids, I think, and frequently our lectures turn out to be very funny! They also gave me a Myanmar name since my Italian one is too difficult for them to pronounce. They call me teacher “Cherry Hnin” since I am sweet as a berry and white as snow (hnin in Myanmar language).

At the same time, I join the Health Team once a week. We visit the houses of several patients affected by HIV/AIDS. Everyone is very kind with us; they open their doors and let us enter into the intimacy of their houses. They offer us snacks and drinks since hospitality is a holy duty for them.

Even if I speak poor Myanmar, I try to talk with them even if most of the time I make pronunciation mistakes. For them it does not matter; they answer me with big laughs, filling my heart with joy. On the other hand, some patients sometimes are sad or depressed; indeed, it is very hard for them to get through the discrimination and stigma caused by being HIV-positive. So, in these cases the job of the Health Team is to support them and, thanks to the help of my Myanmar colleagues, I am able to say few words of consolation.

I am glad to be part of the Marist Mission Ranong! I am glad not only because my dream of seeing the world has come true or because I am discovering the Myanmar culture. I am grateful because I am surrounded by a lot of extraordinary people who are teaching me so much. They are making a difference in my life, and I can only think that my mother was right: there was nothing to be scared of.

Filed Under: Visitor stories

Comments

  1. viviana says:
    August 8, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    Hi Enrica! You are awesome! Congratulation for your amazing experience! I’m glad to meet you in my life and proud of you. It’s true: you are a Cherry Hnin! :*

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Recent News

  • Growing Hope – 2020 Annual Report
  • Stories and Smiles – 2020 Report
  • It was one of the most absorbing, stimulating, and educationally connecting experiences in our professional lives.
  • Stories of Hope: Marist Asia Foundation Annual Report 2019
  • I will not let the words ‘no chance’ control my life.

Marist Asia Foundation

Ranong is a fishing village in the South of Thailand where migrant Burmese come to escape conflict and poverty in their own country.

The Marist Mission Ranong seeks to help Burmese refugees by offering educational opportunities, supporting their basic health needs, and assist migrants as they seek a better future for themselves and their children.

The Marist Mission Ranong is an initiative of the Society of Mary and it relies heavily on the involvement of its friends and supporters.

Recent news

  • Growing Hope – 2020 Annual Report
  • Stories and Smiles – 2020 Report
  • It was one of the most absorbing, stimulating, and educationally connecting experiences in our professional lives.

Search

Tags

ACU Among the poor Burmese Migrant Children Burmese Migrants Burmese Migrant Workers Education Education Programmes Elections Graduation HIV/AIDS Marist Mission Marist Mission Ranong Migrants Myanmar Online learning Online Learning Programme Refugee camps Small Change Big Difference University Online Diploma Volunteer Vulnerable Children
Copyright © 2023 · Marist Mission Ranong. Developed and hosted by Church Resources NZ.