“Hey, something has happened!” I woke up to these words from my mother. Half-awake and dazed, I quickly sensed the gravity of the situation. My mother and brother were glued to the news, looking distraught, but I just went about my day. I lazily brushed my teeth and tried to lighten the mood with a joke. I read the room and decided to just play video games instead.
After a few days, my family decided to join a public demonstration and dragged me along. “It’s your civic duty,” they said. I was unmoved, to say the least. I distanced myself from the crowd and kept my family just in sight, chanting irregularly. Then, without warning, everything changed. In the chaos that followed, I became separated from my family. When I turned back to find them, I saw my brother and mother being detained by authorities. In 40°C heat, I broke out in a cold sweat.
A nearby man pulled me into a house to hide and tried to calm me down. Eventually, he was kind enough to drive me home. The house was empty. Everything had been fine that morning, but within a few hours, everything had changed.
I sat on the couch for hours, my mind racing. I wondered if I would ever see my family again. Eventually, hunger brought me back to reality. I had to collect my thoughts. I needed to do something — not only for my family, but for people like the kind stranger who had helped me. JFK’s words came to mind: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” That quote had always left me cold, but now it resonated.
I felt helpless about the injustice around me and the innocent lives affected by forces beyond their control. I wanted to help, to change things if I could. Although there are no easy answers, I realized I could no longer be indifferent.
About Bhone
- Age: 24
- Ethnicity: Burmese
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- Truman State University
- Bachelor’s, Business Administration & Management
- 2nd Year in Program
Goals & Dreams
- Become a human rights activist
- See peace in Myanmar
- Travel to Europe
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $4,500
- Amount Left To Fund: $4,225
- Contract Duration: 12 years
- Status: In School
My family came home the next day. I fell to my knees and hugged them, in tears.
From that moment, I became determined. I joined the Pre-Collegiate Program of Yangon and learned the importance of thinking critically and using my privilege for good.
I began to care deeply — about my friends, my education, and my future. I am no longer the indifferent boy who sat and played video games. Naive as it may be, I believe that educating and bettering myself will enable me to help my family and my fellow Burmese countrymen.
Still, I make great jokes.
Written by Bhone with editing assistance from Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Bhone
“Naive as it may be, I believe that educating and bettering myself will enable me to help my family and my countrymen.”