The 2011 session of the EarthRights School Mekong has begun! As in previous years, the new students hail from a wide array of countries and cultures around the Mekong region, including Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma, China and Tibet. At the welcoming ceremony, the incoming students mingled with staff, friends of ERI and the students of the 2011 EarthRights School Burma. After the party, they wrote reflections on their arrival in Chiang Mai and their first impressions at the school.
Now I have a great family in Chiang Mai that is created by all Mekong School members and students. All students are honest and lovely. The welcome party was the best. While we were singing and dancing, we were forgetting and free of all the bad things and events of the world for a moment. -Burmese student
The Mekong School is a school of breaking rules. The school is a knowledge source to train activists for their work… The class has so much good atmosphere– funny, friendly, and knowledgeable. All of that has not been in a normal school. –Thai student
Excitingly, I also have a great impression of the connection between Mekong School students and alumni. All the students and alumni around me are my teachers. They teach me their languages, tell me about their countries, cultures, and politics. I love to live with them and study together… Sometimes, I think about the day I graduate from Mekong School and I know that I will miss all of them so much. The memory of them must be the sweetest one in my life. -Vietnamese student
To meet new friends from different parts of Southeast Asia is the best time that I have ever had. –Lao student
At the Mekong School, all the people treat each other very kindly and equally. Before I come here I experienced much discrimination against people everywhere in the world, but Mekong School is exceptional, here we can peacefully live, study and taste delicious food. Thus my first impression of Chiang Mai is a passionate city and Mekong School is a cozy family. –Tibetan student
I felt we all are like brothers and sisters when we met the very first time. - Burmese student
At the beginning I worried that I would be the one oldest student and the young students would not want to be friends with me. Luckily there are some students who are almost the same as my age, moreover all students they are so nice and funny, they make me feel younger and the teachers are very kind and friendly too. - Lao student
In the Mekong School we came from 6 Mekong countries, but everyone is friendly and every member of EarthRights welcomed us with a good spirit heart, smiling, and they are very happy to see us. - Lao student
Before coming to Chiang Mai for the course, some Vietnamese friends who are alumni of the Mekong School congratulated me on being a new member of the “Mekong School home,” and I did understand why he said that… Some days ago, one of my friends (another alumni) blasted on facebook how much he misses and loves Chiang Mai, how much he loves the school. I think I will have the same feeling when I return to Vietnam because feeling of warm smiling and warm home during our stay here. –Vietnamese student
There are many problems that have been occurring in our countries and the Mekong River, but we need to unite to fight the dark things in the future for our nation and young generations. –Cambodian student
We wish the ERSM class of 2011 the best of luck as they begin their studies.
