"Graduation tour"

Last post was supposed to be about our trip to the refugee camps, and it sort-of ended up being that too, but here is a more comprehensive or descriptive account from the trip.

First of all; it was a lot of driving! We were supposed to go to five camps. Or, let me take it from the beginning; our organization asked if Emma and I wanted to come with them to the graduation ceremonies in the refugee camps several weeks ago. I must admit that I had no idea what that implied. I had just shortly been in one of the camps before (at the wedding) and I have never been to a college graduation. We do not do that in Norway. How should I know how they do it in Karen refugee camps? I generally just say yes to any invitation around here. But one week before the graduation we were told that we did not have camp pass so we would not be able to go. The camp passes have to be applied for two months in advance. I did not know what we would miss, so OK. Then the higher education staff talked a lot together in Karen and said that they would try after all. Two days later we suddenly had camp passes and could join the graduations.

We were supposed to go to graduation in five camps, but finally we went to four camps because one camp had initiated a stricter security policy and we did not get camp pass there. Two of the camps we went to are situated about six hours drive south of Mae Sot and the two others are a six hours drive to the north. The two first graduations were on Monday and Tuesday and we spent the nights in the camps. Then we had one night back at the office in Mae Sot before we went north to graduation on Thursday and Friday. Here we also sleept in the camps. The graduation ceremonies were held early in the morning before it got to hot and we also had rehearsals the evenings before.

Sunday 3^rd of April we left at 6 am headed for Nupo refugee camp. We drove with some Thai people we had never met before and they did not speak English. The staff from the our organization would come later. Well, we supposed that they knew what they were doing. And they did, until we got to the camp. Then they managed to ask in broken English; where are you going? We had no idea. Something about school something. And we got a name on one of the teachers. Fortunately there was one student in the car with us (on the bed of the 4x truck; that is how they do it here). She spoke English and knew the school. We met more incredible sweet students and found the teacher. They took very good care of us and we got to buy longyi (see picture) that we could wear for the ceremony.

Hmm, now what to write... I really do not know how to express the experience. When you are there you meet a lot of very nice people; students and teachers and they are really not that different from you and me. They speak well English and we could easily communicate. So on one hand it is the most natural thing in the world: we are as any other guests and they thanked us for sharing our time with them. They told us what they study: Teacher, Global border studies, Agriculture, Liberal Arts. It is just the same as students study anywhere in the world, including back home. So the immediate experience is just like any other meeting between people. But then the circumstances are from another world.

A student told me that she was in the camp to study because there are very limited opportunities for higher education in Burma. (The junta closes the universities all the time, underfund the education system and do not allow the ethnic groups to teach in their own language or their own culture/history. The education is neglected by the government so the only real opportunity for education is in the military.) Then she explained that education was much better in the camp because here the education was not interrupted. In Burma they would have to run and hide in the jungle ever time the Burmese military came. Compared to this the life in closed, crowded camps are attractive. They at least have their own education system. There is a documentary film following two refugee families who resettles in a Britain. The descriptive title is “Moving to Mars” and tells us something about the extreme difference there is between life in British city and in refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border.

The students we met study and speak English as us, but they are confined in closed camps. If they are caught by the Thai police outside the camp they can be sent back to Burma where they risk their life. But then; how can they use their education? They have basically two options; either become teachers in the camps or to work for a CBO (Community Based Organisation) or an INGO (International Non-Governmental Organization). In any case they are dependent on foreign aid because they are not allowed to attain income generating work outside the camps. When (notice when, and not if) I get the website up and running you can read more about the education situation in the refugee camps. Until then just ask me for suggestions for further reading!

So my role was to be photographer as I was reflecting a little about in the last post in my blog. I took hundreds of photos from the ceremonies, but just a few from the camps. It just feels bad to see camp life through the camera lens. At the same time as I wish to take good pictures to show to you back home. And I also got the legitimacy as it would be for the website of the camps own “education department” as this organization de facto is. But the pictures would be used to make people feel “sorry” for the refugees and open their valets for donations. The picture I added in the last post was to make a point of what kind of pictures we often see from refugee camps, and therefore expect to see. The pictures I want to show here is from Graduation (in refugee camps) as opposed to (graduation in) Refugee camps.
(The pictures are from all the four graduations.) 

(Three chickens just came into the office. They look a little confused. Now they left again.)