Myanmar - New Beginnings

This post was written with all the love and respect for my colleagues who were part of the start-up team in the creation of a world-class international school in Yangon. We came together. From countries afar. And together we built a future for both ourselves and for the students.

Off to the lands of tall poppies and a thousand pagodas. Adventurous teachers - this is an exotic destination for a couple of years. Now is the hour for education in this country. Book your place.

                                                                                                                                               Sue Orr

Little did I know the above note written to me would provide untold encouragement when needed most. Having lived as an ex-pat in both China and Myanmar, my circle of friends is as diverse as it is huge. They come from countries and cultures foreign to my own. Each one is an incredible human being. Unique. Bringing their own beauty, ideas, thoughts and dreams into my life. 

As I have walked through distant lands, my friends have shared it with me. The journey. At times, a lonely one. A challenging one. They too found it daunting at times. For various reasons. When far from home, even the smallest challenges may appear insurmountable.

And so it was that during my years spent in China and Myanmar, special souls were put into my life. Together we have cried and laughed. Experienced fear. Never-ending stress and seemingly ridiculous deadlines too. We have celebrated successes. And learnt from failures. We shared many conversations. And always respected the silence between us. Some of us talked more than needed. Others were great listeners. Some always ventured out. Others preferred home comforts. There were those who mastered the art of creating the finest cocktails. Some introduced great gin and tonic evenings. Others cooked up a storm. There were those who favoured take-outs night after night.

We shared it all. The good and the bad. Upon our shoulders we carried the world. In our hearts we nurtured a deep love for children. For their education. For their well-being. We shared goals. Together we made them reality. The colleagues I met along the way remain some of my closest friends. They are securely braided into the fabric of my life.

August 2017 seemed like a great time to start anew. To get sleeves rolled up and hands dirty. To fully embrace being part of a team made up of proactive professionals. Of people whose can-do-attitudes and outlook towards Life made each step of the way possible. Not to forget the never-ending sense of humour we all possessed. That humour which brought so much laughter to the hallways and to the playgrounds.

Our campus was nestled neatly amongst huge trees, lush overgrowth and basically, what resembled the jungle to me. From the windows of classrooms and the upstairs outdoor playground, the view was spectacular. The bridge spanning the Bago River stood in its finest hour, connecting the area housing the new Thilawa Special Economic Zone and Yangon city itself. An old oil refinery was clearly visible. Greeting us silently as the morning mists lifted. Bringing the past developments into our future. A reminder of a journey travelled by those adventurous souls who came before us. It is said that the refinery will once more be in operation as Myanmar now faces drastic fuel shortages due to the military coup of 2021.

As the largest port in Yangon, the Myanmar International Terminal of Thilawa, was situated nearby. We could hear the ships announcing their arrivals and departures to and from the port. I so clearly remember hearing the haunting sounds of the ship’s foghorns breaking the silence of each morning as I cycled the short distance to school. At the time, almost one hundred investors from eighteen countries had plans to invest in Thilawa. Myanmar was opening up to the world. Showing us exactly what her capabilities were. Now, tragically, a very different story is playing out.

The housing estate on which most teachers lived, provided us with beautiful apartments. Wide open spaces and manicured gardens exaggerated the naturally lush beauty of the environment along the road to the college. Cycling to work each morning was usually a challenge as the monsoon rains had a habit of releasing their heaviest load of water at the precise minute I headed out on my bicycle. Donned in huge raincoats of dazzling colours, our feet clad in flip-flops, we celebrated the start of each day. Drenched to the skin. With each rainstorm, I developed a deeper appreciation of where I was. Since childhood, I have loved the rain. The monsoons produced huge heavy raindrops. Most of the time the rains fell in thick curtains of warm water. Blurring my vision. Creating yet another challenge. A personal one I probably feared the most. 

Having grown up in Africa made no difference to the fact that I am petrified of snakes. I respect them. I go to extreme lengths of leaving them well alone. However, as magnets do, I tend to be the first to come upon those dreaded monsters. Myanmar was no exception. There was an abundance of snakes. Everywhere. They visited us in classrooms, staircases and hallways. I met them en route to paying monthly accounts. They had a habit of crossing the road before me. Thankfully whilst at school, we had the support of a great bunch of people known as the Snake Guards. Without them, playground duty would have been living hell. Equipped with long metal rods with pinchers at the end, our snake guards ensured the safety of all.  Their presence certainly added a unique touch to the campus.

Star City Campus was surely the most beautiful setting for a school. Besides the natural God-given resources, we were fortunate enough to equip our classrooms with an incredible selection of resources from the United Kingdom and elsewhere. My toddler setting was a dream come true. It’s not a secret that most of my colleagues, and some in higher managerial positions, often retreated into the Toddler Class. To enjoy light-hearted fun. To see the youngest students of the school being themselves. No pretences, airs and graces. Being with the little ones gave perspective to the bigger, more stressful issues at hand.

My classroom soon became my comfort zone. My home away from home. I loved it. The huge windows allowed me the gift of watching the biggest skies turn pitch black. Witnessing vicious storms heading my way. The absolute thrill of watching Mother Nature in her splendid attire. Delivering her greatest gift of art. There are no words to describe the colours and the cloud formations. The perfume that lingers on the steaming hot ground once the deluge is over. Glass doors opened onto expansive play areas. I would end each day chatting quietly, whilst sipping hot tea, to my fabulous team members – Miss Jo and Miss Htet Htet. Together with those two loving, sincere and big-hearted ladies, we created a fabulous team. We worked insanely hard. But we played hard too. I thank God that they are forever part of my life.

Colourful displays of children’s work adorned the walls. Each one a visual learning journey. Evidence of dedicated teachers and incredible children. The play-based curriculum and generous resources provided endless hours of laughter, exploration and good learning. The open-door policy allowed parents and visitors to witness this philosophy in motion. To enjoy the benefits of such learning processes. 

My mom, Yvonne, spent many happy hours in my classroom. She chatted to the children, engaging in their role-play. Pretending to be Captain Yvonne to the older classes. As a veteran pilot, bringing her lifetime of flying adventures to the students. As a living example, sharing and encouraging them to follow their dreams. Make them a reality. I presented talks on her achievements in the flying world to senior school students. Dulwich College was wonderful in the way they supported thinking-out-of-the-box. Massive displays covered many walls throughout the school campus. Each one telling the story of someone great. Of someone who led the way. One such display was that of Amy Johnson. It was a treasured moment to see my mom standing beside another great woman aviator.

The actual school complex was splendid. So much so that the Dulwich Yangon College, Star City campus, won the Best Educational Development award at the 2018 Myanmar Property Awards. Modern spacious buildings embraced the natural environment. Bamboo and local wood were celebrated and included everywhere. Magnificent trees held their positions with the utmost pride. In that climate plants flourished. The children did too. The playground had a dreamlike quality. Created from natural resources. Providing everything a child could wish for in order to develop and grow. The staff enjoyed the luxuries that made each working day more meaningful. Every amenity was available. The most important being the coffee shop, situated in the welcoming entrance hall, and a large dining hall where meals were served.

The international team, Aden, was on hand for what seemed like twenty-four hours a day. They carried out all the post construction cleaning and general housekeeping. The incredible staff consisted of a group of people who supported us on every level possible. Including mopping up endless spills of all types to be found in a toddler setting. I will always value the experience of working alongside the people of Myanmar. For they are a people of dignity. Of sincerity. Of kindness and of caring.

On our arrival at the new campus in August 2017, the scene was not quite so romantic. I remember the first tour of our workplace. We could hardly breathe due to high humidity levels. Huge gaping holes everywhere allowed nature and her relentless heat in. It was brutal. As the construction was still under way, there were no windows and obviously, no air conditioners. The monsoons were in full swing. Joining in the fun. Mud was everywhere. Huge mountains of it lay in waiting. Hundreds of workers spent  arduous, difficult months constructing our school. My respect for them grew daily. The weather conditions alone were exhausting. Hanging wires created a hazardous environment. 

I often found myself chuckling as I always attempted to tackle each day with grace and elegance. This was made so much harder as I constantly found myself in pools of never-ending sweat. Eventually items such as jewellery became non-existent. Make-up never lasted longer than twenty minutes before sliding off my drenched face. I thanked God each day for the invention of flip-flops. And for my air conditioner in my apartment.

To be continued …

My thanks to Becci for her incredible photo of the old oil refinery