So what is it about CDC?

Scotland and Burma - our display.

The students loved seeing photos of themselves and Campie children.

Checking out our display!

Circle time with Grade 7

We're feeling a bit shell shocked. We did not know what to expect from this week. We feel a mixture of things now that we are coming to the end of our visit. Disbelief. The Burmese people that we have met are so sincere, welcoming and generous. Surely they could not have experienced the extraordinary hardships that we keep hearing of? The disturbing fact is that most of them have. One thing that we have realised is that each and every one of them has their own story.

Today a group of four children were finding a task difficult. Their task was to argue why their 'person' should be the one to remain in a sinking hot air balloon. There was a range of ten people including: baby, doctor, businessman, and mother. They had the 'mother'. While the other groups worked away, they didn't. They couldn't think of any reasons. They have no experience of having a mother.

Their teacher who has supported us tirelessly this week offers his students excellent, forward thinking learning experiences. He is passionate about education. His students and his own. At 16 he walked from his village in Mon State for 7 days to a refugee camp on the border in the hope of continuing his education. His mother, who he did not want him to leave, encouraged him to do this for his own future. After four years teacher training in the camp he began teaching in migrant schools. What does he do outwith school? He lives and helps to run a boarding house where students without parents live.

You cannot come here and leave again without being deeply effected by the situation of Burmese migrants and the spirit of their people. What can we do about it? At the moment we don't know, but we know that we can't do nothing.

Alicia and Hannah