Here is an update from one of our field interns, Alicia Jacobs, who is researching about higher education opportunities for our scholarship students! She arrived in Pai a few days ago and is already getting to know our communities and helping us learn more about potential future options for our students.
Researching university prices and scholarships has been a lot harder than I had expected. What's really struck me is just how much more expensive it is for a non-Thai national to attend.... sometimes around 20 - 30,000 THB more a semester! They also usually have two categories: Thai citizens and English speaking international students. There is no in-between that the Shan students really fit into. I've worked with students who are living illegally in the US, and their road to higher education definitely wasn't easy. However, after doing research about schools in Thailand, it's putting even that into perspective.
The other night, Portia and I spent almost four hours talking with one of the teenagers in the community and her older sister. I learned a lot from her about growing up in Burma and Pai and what it's like to be stateless. It was wonderful to speak with her and see her open up, although sometimes hard to hear her stories. I'm hoping to work with her and a few other teenagers in the community, and to learn more about what they hope for after high school.
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