July | 2017 | English Speaking Course

A community is like a living organism, it grows, it shrinks, it loves, it breaths, it fights, it suffers, it thrives, it defies borders.

Thanks to Marco, Goodbye to Briana

In 2009, teacher Briana came for 3 months and stayed 6, leaving with pain in her heart. She returned to Nu Po some months later to provide a teacher training with ZOA and the Camp Education Committee for all high school teachers in the camp. And the she moved on to other places.

Briana enjoys the entertainment while Marco takes a picture.

At the end of 2016, ESC was asking around for a new teacher, as it wanted to make a fresh start. Briana’s husband Marco, who all those years ago spend one week in Nu Po visiting his wife and introducing Spanish as en elected subject, reacted immediately and ESC jumped on the opportunity. In a few weeks Marco will begin his third session at ESC, and he has energised everybody at the school.

In between two jobs, Briana wanted to visit her husband a month ago but when she was asked to provide a teacher in Yangon in collaboration with Mote Oo. That training finished a week ago and she would go and visit ESC later this month, but decided to surprise Marco en last week she went to ESC for a short visit.

Apart from a few faces, she didn’t meet any person from 8 years ago, showing how much has changed in the camps, how many people have resettled, have gone back, have found places outside the camps. And more changes will come.

Also at ESC things change all the time. This month we had to say goodbye to Oo San Win, who helped start the school in the first 6 months. Teacher Wah Wah htoo Say has left for Yangon, where she hopes to find a job in education, at least she was able to join Brian’s teacher training.

Teacher ‘Extraordinaire’ Marco.

Thai

Our Thai-Karen student Wanpen offered Thai classes two months ago, but she has already gone back to Thailand where she follows a medic training. Another student temporarily took over Thai class until the new teacher, who was discovered by Marco, could start. This teacher is well known and soon the numbers in Thai class swelled to 15.

Our student Aung Kyaw has offered to teach beginner classes and Moe Moe is stepping up to function as school manager.

Our teacher Peacock has been offered a position at PDJC and soon he reluctantly will leave us, but Marco has already spotted an excellent replacement, whose name we cannot reveal yet.

Teacher Peacock gets a present from a student.

Part of the success at ESC comes from the fact that education is slowly leaving the camps, and support for teachers has been cut. Luckily teachers like Briana and Marco are willing to support the local teachers who show a dedication many of us can take an example from.

Goodbye and thanks

Watching the show.

Dancing students.

Mung Buoi doing one of his famous raps?

The students decided to finish the second term with a small party with singing and dancing, food and drinks. Without the aid of teachers they organised a goodbye to Briana and a thank you to Marco who is now on a two week holiday with his wife.