Letters from Burma

There are few people in the world who capture my heart and mind more than the wonderful group of Burmese kids I met on the streets of Rangoon in 2004. With a significant language barrier, an unreliable postal service and a lack of email, communicating with them has proven rather tricky. Recently I received a pair of letters from them and thanks to a sensationally helpful Burmese man I met in Bangkok, I've managed to have their letters translated into English.

Whilst the English is far from perfect, and the names have been removed due to my (justified) paranoia about their safety, the letters give just a glimpse of life inside one of the world's most intellectually isolated countries.

Letter # 1:

Dear friend I am wating for you and also i am so happy that i get chance to write letter to you i am always remember to you , now i am not stay in 30 street there is only XXX and YYY.

I have been waiting for your letter long time, lastly i'm get it now and you are still rember .as for me same to you when i remember to you i'm always like to look the map which is you gave it to me , thank you so much for your picture i am so gladden that to make friend ship with you .

the time i know that you're going back to Aus- i am feel sad and i always pray for you and may Almighty God Bless you for ever any thing you do in your life i am very very much wish for you that will be a success ,i pray .

i prayed in Christmas day for my self to get happy and will get life of freedom also for you and your family is well . i will write another letter in January , if you will reply for my letter i will so grade and will waiting for your letter with happiness.

friend ,,,, lots of love .


And letter # 2:

Hi friend , , ZZZ write letter for you i am always remember to you and with all of my friends
do you remember that some of your friend are left in Burma , when you say good bye in time of you leave we are vwey sad and feel like a some thing is loseing from our heart i am always hearing one words in my ear is that..... my name is Ari .. which is you say to me with Burmese language do you remember ?"

i am send it letter to you on 21.12.2005 also i would like to write another letter but the time is my mother was fever and time of my examination is well that is why i did't get chance to go to city , i so sorry for it . now is nearly for time of water fastival i am really need you here for this time cause of water fastival , this is original Burmese New year and playing with water for every body go with alots of friend i hope you will enjoy and happy .

miss you alots from Burma and may God bless you for ever .


Reading these letters, I long for a free Burma more than ever before.

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