My name is Pah Htoo and I am 72 years old. I was born in (Kaw Pu) Burma. My parents worked in a business where they trade food such as rice and vegetables. I helped my parents by working in a farm and cutting grass. My religion is Seventh Day Adventist. As I got older, I did not get to talk with my cousin, aunts, or uncles. We would do our own things. The way that my grandparents lived was way different than now. They also worked in the business of trading. I do miss them sometimes. I have 3 siblings, and I am the oldest. Both of my younger siblings still work in Thailand, and they were both nice to me. When I was young, I had to take care of my little siblings while my parents went to work. Both of my youngest siblings got the chance to go to school, but I did not. When they got home from school, their jobs were to carry water from the wells. My parents told me that since I am the oldest one, I have to take care of my youngest siblings.

I knew how to cook by age 4 or 5 years old. My parents taught me how to do it. Beside cooking, I had to carry water from the wells and looked for wood for cooking. The food we made was rice and vegetable soup. We would put salt in it and no other ingredients because that was all we had. I do not make that anymore. When we were together as a family, we would feed the chickens, pigs, and roll the yarn into balls, after we got home from work. I did celebrate Christmas, and I would invite friends and neighbor to our home and we ate together. For the New Year’s celebration, we would make food, praise God, go to church, and eat together. They also have Karen dances, and we would hang out with friends. I also celebrated birthdays and they did have cakes.

I was born in (Ther Ki three) and it was not safe to live there. We could not plant or farm wherever we wanted it. The reason we had to runaway was because our enemies has been torturing us. We faced starvation and other problems. Everyone in that town was dealt the same as I was. When we were together as a community, we would work on farming and trade. To go shop for food, we would walk to the cities with a group of people. It took us a long time to get there. After we finished shopping, we carried the stuff we bought on our backs.  For us to get there it was noon and when we got back home it was night time already. We did not have anything luxury, for an example cars. When I was around 16 years old, I got a chance to go to a big city. My first impression of the big city was that it was fun! It was very different than my hometown. The things that made me really happy were working hard, so we would not have to face troubles.

I did not go to school. I would like to go, so that I could write a few words. My parents could not afford to pay for me to go to school. I knew that I would not be able to go school because I had to work. I asked my parents, but they told me to work. My parents would like us to have an education, but they would not be able to provide that for us. We had so many problems to deal with. Starting school at a young age is good because you remember more stuff than studying at an old age. I think that girls who are smart are good. Back then, there were some smart people and others not. When I had free time, I would work in the house by cooking, feeding the animals, and carrying water from the wells. I did not have time to play, or owned any toys.  I remember at a young age, I had to go through a lot of struggles. Now that I am old, I cannot work anymore, but because of God’s work I got the chance to come to America. When I die, I could be at peace and even I am alive so that I do not have to face any problems.

As I got older, I have to farm and trade. I did not give any money to my parents, because I had no clue where to find money. Back then, I have never touch any money. Some of my friends and cousins knew how to earn money. When we were together, we work and did not do anything else for fun. I never dated because I did not want to. My parents taught me that when I get older, I should be respectful of myself and do not goof around, otherwise our names will be ruined. I met my husband at the age of 21 years old. I saw him in my hometown (Ther Ki three). I did not like him at all, but he liked me first. He asked my parents for permission to date me. Both of my parents liked him, so I had no other choice but to married him. We got married when I was 21 years old. One thing that was hard in our marriage was take care of our kids and work at the same time. I have 5 children and they are all married. All my kids got along and loved each other. There were anything passed down from generation to generation, because we fled from our enemies a lot and there were nothing left for us. Since we got here, we wore better clothes and ate better compared to over there.

The thing that satisfied me while taking care my children is that they are the love my life (tha boe). The hardest things watching over my children were taking care of them and feed them. I taught my children that since they were young they should live with me. As they got older and married they could be with their husband and have a happy life. No one in my household became a soldier. The reason I came to America was because there were a lot of struggles that I had to go through. Since I got here, I have a better life and there are not many struggles that I have to face. I would not like to go and visit Burma, because I know that I would have those problems again. If one day Burma gets better, I would like to go visit because some of my kids are still there.