Volunteer: I have 2 suggestions
1. I noticed the foreigners we are completely apart from the Myanmar people. There is no collaboration between those 2 groups. Foreigners are coming and going. Foreigners and Myanmar should start working together. Maybe the Burmese learn some English, foreigners learning some Burmese and showing them some skills. So when they’re changing constantly, there is at least a group of Myanmar people who are staying here stably.
2. When I walk at up and down, I see many Myanmar people sitting around all day smoking and they remain sick. But there are many young people that could do some work because the worst for them is feeling useless. Here they can get food, they can get shelter, I don’t know how they can get money for cigarettes and drinking tea. I have to say that the center is quite dirty, the streets are dirty and these people are getting the advantage of staying here, getting food for free. They should keep doing something, at least 2 or 3 times a day in different groups at least cleaning or doing some kind of work so they feel useful and it helps the center.
Sayadaw: “Between the parents and children, the parents are the more important. Between the teachers and students, teachers are more important. Because the children are not mature. The students are also, just young, not have much experience. That’s why they cannot do it by themselves. Besides, the mind is the most important. Your desire to change the local people here should be really strong. If you have a strong desire, you will also work hard for them. Only when the total desire of the foreigners is stronger than before and more emphasized than before, this problem can be solved. This is the same problem for me. I’m teaching meditation and doing good deeds to the people here, most of the people are not much interested so it is really difficult to teach them, both young and old. But gradually I tried to find out the answer. The problem is from my side, I need to work hard and I need to be a complete teacher. The desire for the students or followers here should be stronger before and then they are sure to follow. It is not easy to change the mind and life of people. It is difficult. That’s why, if you want to get success in this path, you should work hard. Till when you are complete in your job. “You” means not someone alone, but the whole group. International volunteers are changing but there is a group of international volunteers. It is difficult. TTeamworkis really difficult to be united in harmony with each other, but it is possible. If more and more people, the desire of the volunteers became stronger and then the teaching skill or volunteering skill of the volunteers became complete, it will change the mind and life of the local people here.”
Volunteer: It’s not the point of the changing of the mind, it’s about working together.
” This is the habit of the local people in Myanmar. Not working together even between the family members, wife and husband. It happened like this for many years. We need to change the culture, we need to change the habit. That’s why it is difficult. Besides some are alcoholics, some are mental patients, that’s why it is difficult to teach them but we will try. I will try.”