My name is Ma Aye Myint, and I am 57 years old. I was born in Burma called (La Poe Muoe Nae). While living there, we were really poor. We worked daily and spent time on what we made. My house was made out of bamboo trees and my rooftop were leaves. It was out of those materials because we could not afford to buy other equipments for the house. I have 5 siblings, and I am the youngest one. All of my siblings were doing well with work and their lives compared to mine. That was why I came all the way to America. None of my siblings lived close to me  and it was too far for them to visit. I am the only one in America. My siblings still live in Burma and I am the closest one to my oldest sister. My parents were farmers, they worked in a rice fields, and had a garden that provided. The meals we got to eat everyday because of our daily hard work. Sometimes we did not even have time to take a break.

When I was young, I helped out working in the rice fields and the garden and and planted vegetables in the garden vegetables. I started working at age 15 years old, and help the family out and cook too. I did miss the food we made back at home and for sure there were a lot of Karenfoods and you can eat all you want. Making foods with friends was always a good time. People did not usually sell vegetables, so we plant our own vegetables. I did not go to school, because I had to work and did not have the time. There were no school or teacher close to where I live. I only had one outfit of cloth to wear and if it ripped we would sew it back together and wear it again. We were so poor we did not have a lot of things. I did not work, so I could not afford anything and whatever animals we raised that what we ate. Basically our daily lives over there we were working in a farm and eating whatever we plant. There were not any heritage to pass from generation to generation. We did not have anything valuable, because we spent on whatever was made everyday. Also, we were scared of thieves, as well. We worked as a family and ate together. When it was time to eat we ate and when it was time to work we worked.

Back then people usually walked naked when they were around age 15 years old and they did not care. I have never dated because our parents would not let us and we would not dare to date, unless our parents approved. I met my husband in my village and I liked what I saw in him. We married in a tie knots tradition, and we had a little party afterward. After marriage the struggle we had to go through was financial problems. I have five kids and I taught them to live like a good person, and to do good things. Once a year we would have a big party for the religion of Buddhism and celebrated Karen New Year. Our religion is Buddhism and we would go to the temple to worship there. I do missed the time when I was younger, when I was in my hometown, and the time I spent with my family and siblings. I thought about my hometown a lot. Whenever I have money, I would send it to them, and they would do big celebrations. If I did not have money I did not send any to them. My family was really poor. I came to Mae La Camp and someone told me my youngest son did not have an anus, so we went to Mae Soe twice to do surgery on him , but they did not do anything for him. We went to (Qui Man) and one of the nurse told us they could not do anything, because the blood of his balls were not straight. They made a hole on the side of his butt. One of the nurses saw us coming to the hospital a lot and she wanted us to apply to Australia, but we did not get in. I have a son who is handicapped. He was in 7 grade and knew a little English but he told me to come to America and so I did. We did not know any English, but we still came. One thing it was hard for me, was my son got to America and they could not do anything for him or to fix him up.

When I was young we would hang out with our friends and go to the forest and screamed. We were so happy and I would dream about it.