ARRIVING ON AN ISLAND

I heard the trip to Man Aung Island is rough and was a bit concerned what I would do if the ship sunk in the sea.

There are no open windows and everything was fixed except the doorway. It was also windy and rainy and there were enormous waves. However, everyone else acted as if this was normal and I ended up falling asleep.

When I arrived on the island, I met the Arakkha Foundation coordinator and we drove straight to the village. It's about 7 miles away from town and took about 20 minutes by car because of the good infrastructure. The local leader was waiting for us at a tea shop and came out as soon as he saw us. He then sent me to the house where I would stay. Shortly after, we went to collect our trainee from the airport.

The region is really peaceful with massive amount of coconuts and is vividly green wherever you look. The local people far from the sea depend on coconuts and beans to earn a good income, while the people near the sea depend on fishing.

When we returned from the airport, the local leader invited us to his garden for lunch. On the way to his garden, we saw many green trees, birds, kittens and cats; it's like a forest.

The local leader and his nephew are very friendly and we're already starting to build a good relationship. Thank you to the local leader and the village for welcoming us and we're excited to start teaching soon!


Aung Free
NEH Local Teacher Trainee