Walk Through Mae La Refugee Camp, Volunteer Thai/Burma Border - LA Girl Abroad
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- Опубликовано: 27 дек 2013
- This was originally just going to be a video for my family but I felt that this could help raise awareness and attract more volunteers.
I gained a passion for the people of Myanmar affected by the world's longest running civil war and have come to the Thai/Burma border to lend a hand. The school I'm working for is called ESP a post high school engineering study program. It is one of twelve schools in Mae La camp which is one of nine refugee camps along the border home to over a 100,000 refugees. There are maybe triple the number of migrants outside of camp struggling to survive in Thailand. Lots of awesome NGO's reside nearby supporting 74 schools and children's homes where a major percentage of the kids are orphans abandoned due to parents' inability to support them.
This has turned out to be the hands down best experience of my life and I couldn't be more in love with the culture I've come to know.
I'm so happy to have found a purposeful place for the Burmese cause. They are such wonderful and deserving people. I cannot stress enough how highly I recommend this experience to anyone brave and adventurous enough with a big heart.
Woww, I'm Thai-Chiangmai-Maesot. I've been driving through the road regularly but I never went inside the Mae-La camp even once, Thank you so much for making me see and one day I will go there. I love all Karen i love them. Pa Ka Yow Ya Eh Na Pah Doe ปา กะ ยอ หย่า เอ๊ะ หน่า ผะ โด้ว
I lived in Mae La camp for 10 years , watching this vedio almost brought me tear. Thanks for sharing, " Ya Eh Na Pa Doh"
Rice KNU Hnem Hnem thank you for your comment. I love the Karen and Burmese people sooooooo much. You are lucky to experience such a life and I pray for your people every day of my life ❤️️
Thank you for sharing this with other people. Too many Americans are sadly totally ignorant when it comes to other cultures, and I applaud your efforts to help out others in need, but also to share some of their experiences with them firsthand. I have seen one of these refugee camps along the Thai/Burmese border, but only from the road. I was traveling with a friend who lives in Thailand. I'm not sure, if it was the same camp, although it was in same general region. The particular camp I saw did have some electric power, and little huts built on the hillside, with some terraced land to grow food etc. Certainly a better situation, than some of these refugee camps in the current middle east...with only tents and container buildings + total reliance on outside aid. My heart goes out to all these people. I wish you good luck on your stay there. It's so important to meet real people. Only one word of caution, which I'm sure, you are already aware of, due to the respect you've gained for totally different cultures: we cannot simply impose western based models on these people, because this new hyper capitalist model is doomed to fail in the long run. Virtually everything we use in terms of electronics, our iphones and computers are built by Asians in large urban centers, with sometimes horrific working conditions - which makes OUR concerns and love of this technology somewhat hypocritical. Rest assured, I am the first to admit it - so, I'm simply speaking from a sense of cognitive dissonance myself. Your experiences outside America and western culture, although everything is increasingly being 'westernized', will be invaluable in gaining a pragmatic and non-dogmatic perspective in all things. Thank you posting this video!
Thanks for sharing this video, a lot has change since i left the camp. I remember walking along some of the street you have walk selling vegetables and fruit. One again thank you, you make me remember of my younger day back then. Btw now i live in Iowa a corn field states, but it feels like home
Wow! Thank you for sharing this video!!! I am tutoring and mentoring a former Mae La Refugee youth that has made it to America. She is so precious and willing to step up to the challenge of becoming independent in this new culture. Your video has helped me to relate to her heroic experience.
P.S: Love the view from your room!
Eastbay Tutors sorry for the late response... that is so cool you are tutoring a refugee that was able to resettle in the states! The family that ran the school I volunteered at and took care of me waited 15 years and are now resettled in Rochester, New York... but they're not exactly happy and miss the jungle and their culture :(
I've been several times to the camp and I'm trying to help a mand with two small children get to Canada or USA. He speaks English and Thai and of course Burmese. Thanks for the video!
i love it.. my home..please make more!! i miss my home so bad
Amazing video! New subscriber, keep up the good work
Thank you for sharing this!
This is so beautiful! I lived in a village in Vietnam and this reminded me so much of my experience. Particularly your students smiles. I'm going back to South East Asia in a couple of months and I am definitely going to keep this place in mind! Thanks for sharing!
Michael Finelli you should definitely visit! Here is how I suggest you do it. Take a songteau bus from the bus station in the closest town, Mae Sot. Say to the bus driver, "pie Mae La" (im going to Mae La) then soon as you see the camp, pull the cord above that signals the driver to stop, get off and enter wherever you can... if that seems too sketchy for you, then wait and allow the driver to stop at the main entrance, the market area, and walk in like you own the place. If Thai guards harass you, just say you are volunteering for one day. If they ask where say the hospital. I doubt they'll ask any more. Then walk in and smile and explore!
This video is awesome 👍
It's seem like everybody is so nice and respectful...!!!!
What program did you use? How can I work with the Karen people? I've been looking for an opportunity
Thank you for helping the Burmese people. I'm sadden today with the situation in Tak camp. When will Thailand gives these people citizenship and a way out of the camps?
I wish I could know too. I'm very heartbroken. Luckily for me, my students stay in touch through Facebook and all seem to be okay.
Hi Ally! I was thinking of volunteering (and making a short indie documentary about refugees in Thailand) in Mae La and would like to ask you if anyone can enter the camp itself - even just for a visit? Or are there any legal requirements one must fulfill to get inside? I cannot find information on entering refugee camps in Thailand anywhere and would really appreciate your help! Thank you! :)
Hi Allyson, great video! I am a teacher in Tasmania, Australia. We have a new Karen student starting here today from Mae La, we just showed your video to our class. We'd like to send a video of our class to a primary school (grade school?) there. Do you have any contacts there to make this possible? thanks Ben
Sure. Send me an email allykamikaze@gmail.com
How far is the camp from Bangkok? How can one volunteer?
You can volunteer for any of the non-profits or schools in Mae Sot, the town close to the camp. Foreigners are no longer allowed to live in the camp but visiting is ok.
It takes you a hour to walk home from down the hill?
Wish you had put narration to this video.
so, how do you find a resource to write an individual and send gifts?
BTW, I'm not a PETA asshole or other group affiliated person. if it feels right, I'm all about it.
Heather Jenkins-Shelton sorry I'm not sure I understand your question... what?
Allyson Goddard I am interested in writing someone there and sending gifts and supplies
You know, build morale and just donate to an individual in need.
Heather Jenkins-Shelton the only way I know of is to send it to a P.O. Box or any address the person may know in the nearest town Mae Sot and have someone pick it up and deliver from Mae Sot to the camp
how do i contact you
Mrs.Ally which school do u teach?and where r u from?
You so pretty where your from
Ta blu doh ma :D I'm half Japanese and half American from California.