I was born in Kyaing Tong, Myanmar, and have one elder sister. I am the youngest in the family, and my father passed away during the first year of my bachelor’s program. He was of the Lahu ethnic group. My mother now enjoys retirement but was a headmistress in a Wa orphan school in Myanmar from the time I was in middle school; she is of the Kachin ethnic group. I grew up in Yangon and graduated with a specialization in English from Dagon University, Yangon, in March 2003.
To pay for my school fees while attending university, I taught English to high school students. The reason I had to earn money to pay for my school fees was that my parents could not provide support because my father was involved in Myanmar politics and was wanted by the Myanmar government.
As a result, our family had to live in secret. I did not realize that this situation would be the grounds for me to leave Myanmar at the time. My experience teaching English to high school students provided me with a dream of becoming a professional English teacher for students who think English is a very difficult subject. Hence, I realized that I needed to continue my studies to help this kind of student and become a good teacher. I also had a wish that I could provide free English classes for students with financial problems.
For five years, I worked as a kindergarten and primary teacher at Network Education Center, which is an ECCD (Early Childhood Care and Development) based school. I came to Chiang Mai to complete a TESOL master’s degree in 2008. While I was studying, I served as an English teacher and coordinator of a kindergarten program at Myanmar Migrant Children Learning Center. Since that time, I have been working among Myanmar migrant communities in Thailand.
About Angela
- Ethnicity: Kachin, Lahu
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- Assumption University
- Master’s, Counseling Psychology
- Graduated
Goals & Dreams
- Work as a counseling psychologist and researcher
- Change education in Myanmar
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $9,600
- Amount Left To Fund: $7,350
- Contract Duration: 14 years
- Status: In Repayment
After the Myanmar Migrant Children Learning Center closed, I began working as an English teacher at BEAM Education Foundation and as an ECCD coordinator at MEII (Migrant Education Integration Initiative). I also served at Myanmar churches by facilitating at parenting workshops. Currently, I’m working as a part-time English instructor at the Faculty of Humanities in Chiang Mai University.
Based on these experiences, I have learned and obtained valuable knowledge in different education and social settings: Myanmar, Thailand, and Myanmar migrant communities. These experiences instilled a new passion in me to better understand human behaviors (particularly learning behaviors), how cognitive development works in learning, and how listening to students’ problems and providing advice can help them become more effective learners and optimistic members of society. Moreover, I believe we can develop a harmonious society by conducting research and sharing knowledge about people’s thoughts and attitudes in different social contexts; we also need to understand the influence of lifespan experiences (psychosocial problems). Obtaining such skills and expanding my knowledge will help me become a better educator and enable me to make a difference in people’s lives.
Written by Angela with editing assistance from Ken, one of Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Angela
“I believe that if I can understand the psychosocial problems faced by many youth, I can empower them to change their behaviors and develop a more holistic attitude.”
Angela
“I have learned that the more I would like to help people and work with them effectively, the more I need to know about their behavior, emotions, and development—namely, human psychology.”