My name is Mary. I am from Matupi Township, which is in the southern part of Chin State, Myanmar. I am 29 years old and I am the eldest daughter among four siblings.
My father is an evangelical pastor serving in Myanmar. We run an orphanage called Living Children Home, which has been in existence for 27 years. Although I have parents, I literally grew up living in the orphanage, which was fun because I had many friends. I used to teach music and English to the orphans when I was still living in Myanmar.
In 2012, I passed the matriculation examination. Later, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from Yangon University of Distance Education. At the same time, I was studying and learning English at Christian Missionary Education Center in Yangon.
Offered a partial scholarship from Stamford International University to study in Bangkok, I came to Thailand in 2016 to study International Hotel Management. One of my uncles, now living in the United States, helped me cover the rest of my expenses.
Unfortunately, to my dismay, my uncle was unable to continue his financial support when his business failed just a-year-and-a-half after I started at Stamford. I had a part-time job at the time, but the income was not enough to cover my tuition and living expenses.
I had no alternative but to return to Myanmar, where I transferred to Temasek International College to study the same major. Finally, in 2019, I graduated with a Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Temasek International College.
My first paid internship was at Sedona Hotel in Yangon, where I worked for three months. After that, I moved to Bangkok to begin another paid internship in customer service support at Solitaire Hotel.
About Mary
- Age: 29
- Ethnicity: Chin
- Country: Myanmar
School & Program
- Bangkok University
- Master’s, Business Administration
- Graduated
Goals & Dreams
- Work in marketing
- Transform my father’s orphanage
- Open a private school for Chin students
Loan Details
- Loan Amount: $9,975
- Amount Left To Fund: $8,375
- Contract Duration: 14 years
- Status: In Repayment
After being in customer service support for about a year, I decided I wanted to move into marketing, which seemed more challenging to me. That’s when I started to think about doing a master’s degree in Business Administration in Thailand.
Due to my limited financial resources, however, I ended up doing another internship in digital marketing and graphic design as part of an IELTS course at Icon Tutor Asia in Bangkok. In addition, I did freelance movie dubbing and advertising for TVC programs.
Since I am from Chin State, the least developed state in Myanmar, I would like to work for my people and my state after graduation. Our state has lagged behind others in many areas such as economics, education, communication, and transportation.
I hope to educate young people in Chin State and prepare them for the future. Since they cannot afford good education, I would like to open a private school for them. Furthermore, I want to transform my father’s orphanage to make it more sustainable.
In order to realize my dreams, I must first finish my university education. Currently, I am working on a Master’s in Business Administration at Bangkok University. I am confident that this program and the experiences it provides will help me achieve my dreams.
Written by Mary with editing assistance from Zomia’s volunteer editors.
Mary
“Since I am from Chin State, the least developed state in Myanmar, I would like to work for my people and my state after graduation. Our state has lagged behind others in many areas such as economics, education, communication, and transportation.”