Graduation and Goodbyes

We ended the academic year with a fun activity – another technology challenge. This time the students had to build the tallest possible tower, out of spaghetti, that would support the weight of a large marshmallow on top. They only had 18 minutes and it was a lot of fun to see their creative efforts.

We got the idea for this activity from a TED talk. Apparently kindergarten students consistently outperform adults at this challenge! After the students had a go, we wanted to see how we would perform, so here’s our effort:

We’re happy to report that we outperformed the average four-year-old.

After classes finished it was time for exams and then preparing for graduation. After a lot of speech and singing rehearsals, we were (kind of) ready. It all pulled together on the day and the graduation ceremony was a great celebration for the 30 graduating students.

Graduation lunch arriving!

The average person in Burma receives just three years of schooling. These students have had much more education than this. Yet it has not been an easy path. Many students had to leave their villages, and often their families, to come to school. Some of them haven’t seen their parents in years.

Living here for the last few months certainly helps to put things in perspective. One of the Karen teachers told us about how, when he was younger, he needed a dictionary for school. A local store had a single copy, but he couldn’t afford it. So he worked as a manual labourer for five full days to save up enough to buy the dictionary. But when he returned to the bookstore, it had already been sold. People here work so hard for things we take completely for granted back home.

Lots of family members living in the nearby refugee camp were able to come to graduation. The students love taking photos with all of their teachers, so by the end of the day our faces were hurting from so much smiling! The students also arranged a lovely night to thank the teachers. We were each given an amazing, hand-woven Karen shirt.

It wasn’t long after graduation that it was time to say goodbye to the students. Many of them are going back to their villages in Burma, or to join their families at the refugee camps. Some of the graduates will become teachers, some will continue their studies at other schools, some are starting a healthcare practicum and others will return to their villages and see where their skills are needed. There is a sense of both excitement and sadness amongst the students. They are leaving behind their friends, teachers and sense of security they’ve had for the last two years. But they are moving on to exciting new challenges.

As for the first years, a bunch of the boys were trucked off for some army training over their summer holiday before returning to school.

The lessons in perspective continued right to the end of our time at the college. We’ve been proud of how we’re managing to live out of our backpacks, with just 16kg of gear each. On our last day on campus, students would come to us as they were leaving to say thank you and goodbye. Then they would walk out the school gate, carrying all of their possessions with them in a tiny daypack or plastic bag.

When minimalism isn’t just a trendy choice

It’s going to be a big change for us, going back to a travellers’ life. For the past few months we’ve had a home and a job. The students have welcomed us into their lives, to share some incredible experiences. We will miss being greeted every day by smiling faces and calls of “Good morning teacher!” And we’ll always remember the lessons they have taught us and warmth they’ve shown us.

Comments from WordPress

• Garry 2013-03-18T10:02:16Z

  Well done on the effort and commitment you’ve put into this teaching work! Enjoy your last (!) couple of months of travelling.

• Leanne 2013-03-24T20:48:45Z

  You must be so proud. Craig, you look lovely in pink (Sal always looks lovely). Good luck for the next part of your travels. <3

Written by Craig Drayton and Sally Robertson