Stateless

Meet N. N has become a good friend of mine. On the days I am not in the community and N is not working I tutor her in English and occasionally go for walks through the markets for a fun chat and some Thai practice. She is 16 and brilliantly smart, but like the rest of the Shan kids is not getting a very good education here and is learning English from a non-English speaking teacher. As she is eager to learn I try to fill in a bit of the gap and practice English with her. N is an orphan who was born in Myanmar/Burma. She came here when she was five with her sister.

She currently has no birth registration and due to this is unable to get the appropriate identification to even ask the local district office if she can travel past the check point. There are many checkpoints throughout Thailand. They are run by the military and one of their purposes is to check for Burmese people traveling so called "illegally." This includes N and even includes the many children who were born in Thailand, but have Shan parents from Burma. Even though N has a card that permits her to be here for 10 years at a time her lack of birth registration inhibits her from traveling past these checkpoints or even being able to ask for permission to do so. This includes not being able to go to University if she wishes to do so in the next couple years as all of the Universities are outside of this province.

Gaining proper permission and identification for the kids is a long and unlikely process and has already proved many dead ends after 6 weeks of emails and phone calls, but the only thing I can do is to remain as positive and hopeful as possible that the people I have easily grown to love will one day have the rights that you and I do. The people in this community are not the only ones facing these issues. Thousands of Burmese people all over Thailand face these issues on a daily basis.

It is such a privelege to get to share smiles and laughs with N and the other children everyday. It is such a privelege to play soccer and make friendship bracelets with the kids, be handed by one of the kids a two week old puppy that just opened its eyes, and to laugh with the older girls as they say the word "sexy" as it sounds the same in English and Thai and they find it really funny. I am thankful for every moment as every moment is a sign of hope and love in the world.

Love, Peace, and Popsicles,
NAILS (or to some of you, Michelle)

PS On a lighter note...all of the cats in town have bent tails that look like they have been run over 5 times...I recently found out that it is a deformity they all share. Also their are many Thai hippies with dreads in town that make dreamcatchers and Native American head dresses. :)

Some pictures to share :)

Beautiful View

Me and Lily...Little one from a favorite tea hangout

One of the many beautiful views around town/ Lizard taking residence in my bungalow

Preparing Christmas Dinner

Christmas

Christmas night at a local hangout...Almost Famous

I hope you enjoy a handful of pictures from my time here so far.

Political Activism: Cancel Haiti's Debt

Last night I lit off a lantern in Thailand in memory of a former classmate from University of Portland, Molly Hightower, and all of the people she was working with in Haiti. Molly died while working with 'Friends of Orphans' last week in Haiti (https://secure.imodules.com/s/769/inner.aspx?sid=769&gid=1&pgid=894&cid=1924). Please keep her friends and family in your thoughts as well as all of those personally affected by the earthquake.

             Paul and I setting of the lantern

Given the immediacy of the situation, this week I chose to base my political activism around Haiti. Being on the other side of the world, and in a country with a slow mail system I am tagging onto the Oxfam Australia email campaign to urge for Haiti's debt to be canceled. I invite you to follow this link and do the same: http://www.oxfam.org.au/act/take-action/trade/2010-01-cancel-haitis-debt

I also encourage you to do whatever you can from where you are, whether it is to consider assisting in relief or rebuilding efforts down the line, donate money, or even if it is to just pass on this message.

:) Michelle

Welcome!

Hello my loved friends and family...I have debated for a while whether to continue my old blog or begin a new one. The reasons being... Talking about the work I am now doing in Thailand is risky for the population I am working with and frankly I find writing facts about what I am doing boring. But alas...after some consideration I have decided that this is the best way to keep in touch with and engage in dialogue with, everyone being spread about the world...and me of course on the move a lot. My dear friend Leah who is currently in Burkina Faso for the Peace Corp has inspired me to take a more story telling approach to my updates :) which should at least for me be more enjoyable!

 Some Aussie friends and I after a hike to the waterfall :)

My blog shall consist of three parts...day to day updates (to keep you updated...obviously), human rights issues that are on my mind (to engage in discussion and grow as a person), and political activism (to 1. keep Tash and I up to speed on our proposed goal of writing a "letter for change"  a week and 2. to invite you to get involved in doing the same). So read what you like, keep in touch often, and smile always.

Love, Peace, and Popsicles,
Michelle