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    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[Kyaw Eh interview transcript, May 16, 2015]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:subject><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Karen+State%2C+Burma%2C+Refugee+camp%2C+Immigration%2C+Family%2C+Languages%2C+School">Karen State, Burma, Refugee camp, Immigration, Family, Languages, School</a>]]></dcterms:subject>
    <dcterms:description><![CDATA[Kyaw Eh describes his life in Karen State, Burma. Along with his time in a refugee camp in Thailand, how he came to the U.S., the languages that he speaks, his family, and life here in Cache Valley, Utah.]]></dcterms:description>
    <dcterms:description><![CDATA[Cache<br />
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CACHE VALLEY REFUGEE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT<br />
TRANSCRIPTION COVER SHEET<br />
Interviewee(s): Kyaw Eh<br />
Present: Meagan Gill, Wes Van de Water, Bethany Hanks, Kyaw Eh<br />
Place of Interview: Kyaw Eh’s home, Hyrum, Utah<br />
Date of Interview: May 16, 2015<br />
Language(s): English<br />
Translation:<br />
Interviewer: Meagan Gill<br />
Interpreter: None<br />
Recordist: Bethany Hanks<br />
Photographer: Wes Van de Water<br />
Recording Equipment: Tascam DR-100mk11 linear PCM recorder; Senal ENG-18RL<br />
broadcast-quality omnidirectional dynamic microphone<br />
Transcription Equipment: Express Scribe with PowerPlayer foot pedal.<br />
Transcribed by: Susan Gross, May 25, 2015<br />
Transcript Proofed by:<br />
Brief Description of Contents: Mr. Kyaw Eh describes his home village and family in Burma,<br />
and what his childhood was like growing up and working on a rice paddy farm. He talks about<br />
the civil war in Burma, and the inequalities and suffering the Karen people were put through by<br />
the Burmese military. He discusses life in the United States, and his religious (Buddhist) views<br />
on life, as well as his dreams of being able to help orphaned Burmese children attain health care<br />
and education one day in the future.<br />
Reference: MG = Meagan Gill<br />
KE = Kyaw Eh<br />
BH = Bethany Hanks<br />
WV = Wes Van de Water<br />
NOTE: [You will have to modify this as appropriate—whether using CommGap or in-person<br />
interpreter.] The interview was conducted with CommGap Interpretive Services; the interpreter<br />
joined the interview via a cell phone. False starts, pauses, or transitions in dialogue such as “uh”<br />
and starts and stops in conversations are not included in transcript. All additions and added<br />
information to transcript are noted with brackets.<br />
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TAPE TRANSCRIPTION<br />
[00:01]<br />
MG: Today is May 16th, 2015. This is Meagan Gill, I am with Wes Van de Water and Bethany<br />
Hanks; we’re students at Utah State University, and we are working on a project called<br />
“Voices: Refugees in Cache Valley.” I am interviewing Kyaw Eh?<br />
KE: Yes.<br />
MG: At his home in Hyrum, Utah. Thanks for letting us interview you. My first question is can<br />
you state your full name and your birth year for me?<br />
KE: My name is Kyaw; my birthday is August 15th, 1979.<br />
MG: Thanks. And what languages do you speak.<br />
KE: My home language is Karen (K-A-R-E-N) – Karen; but I can speak four languages.<br />
MG: What other languages?<br />
KE: Burmese, Thai and English (not really well).<br />
MG: Tell me about your family.<br />
KE: My family: I have two sister, and one brother – including me we have four in my – I have<br />
my mom and she live in [??], but my dad (since 1995) because he disappear (because we<br />
have our Karen Revolution to fight the Burmese government). They’re fighting since that<br />
year – he die or – we don’t anything about it; so he lost. There are a lot of people (Karen<br />
soldier) die in the war – we have a civil war. My dad – he die, or we don’t know<br />
anything; we don’t have any information – nobody can tell us if he is still alive or no. But<br />
we don’t know [??].<br />
MG: There is no program or way to find out if someone has died or not?<br />
KE: No, no, no because it is really difficult because in the Karen state we live in the jungle in<br />
a mountain; we don’t have any electricity, we don’t have any internet, we don’t have any<br />
phone to contact each other. It’s really hard to find each other if somebody go away (for<br />
example). We have no way to meet each other again, I think.<br />
MG: Can you describe the ethnic or religious community you belong to (if any)?<br />
KE: I was born in Karen state in Burma – I am Karen ethnic group. My religion is Buddhist,<br />
Buddha, Buddhism.<br />
[03:41]<br />
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MG: Tell me about the place where you were born.<br />
KE: I was born – about what? The place, what – describe?<br />
MG: Yeah.<br />
KE: The place where I was born is a – how is it called – it’s regional, like kind of the<br />
countryside (it’s not in a city). We had like a paddy farm: we grow the paddy: rice (paddy<br />
farm). We had a farm and we had animal like a cow, buffalo (something like that). We<br />
live just natural in the jungle or something like that; it’s not in a city. We don’t have any<br />
electric in our village.<br />
MG: How long did you live there?<br />
KE: Since I was born until – I grew up there, but I think because I moved to the refugee camp<br />
I lived there eight year. I moved from my place to the refugee camp since 1999 (around<br />
that), since I was born.<br />
MG: Okay. And why did you leave?<br />
KE: Because there are a lot of problem: we had a problem with Burmese soldier troop – when<br />
they come to our village they just give us whatever they want: torture us, and they just<br />
give us the (how’s it called?) – the bullet, the big – like they fire the gun. We have to<br />
carry, we have to follow them in the jungle wherever they go. We have to carry the heavy<br />
thing, the heavy bullets (something like that). For example, if we cannot carry it, they do<br />
whatever they want: even they can kill us, something like that. That’s why – especially<br />
for the men and the boy, for the men and the boy; but the woman is better than the man to<br />
live there. Mostly they just capture the men or the boy – have to follow them.<br />
MG: What all did they make the boys and men do?<br />
[06:23]<br />
KE: Excuse me?<br />
MG: What kinds of things did they make the boys and men do?<br />
KE: That’s what I told you – we have to carry the bullet or the gun with them, their food –<br />
because over there we don’t have any (how does it call it), the road, the car or the<br />
motorcycles go the road – we don’t have of the car road. We have to walk by our foot,<br />
our feet. We have to walk and go to the jungle because the Burmese troop – they go fight<br />
the ethnic group; they go to fight the ethnic group, that’s why they call us go with them.<br />
If they die, we die there; kind of like they are scary enemy – they just keep us the cover<br />
for them. That’s why we are scary or afraid to save our life – to save my life, that’s why I<br />
escape from my village and come to the refugee camp: to save.<br />
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MG: Okay. Where did you relocate to first?<br />
KE: Pardon me?<br />
MG: Where did you go – where was the first camp that you went to?<br />
KE: Oh, yes – Mae La camp is where I live. Mae La camp we called – Mae La camp is on the<br />
Thai/Burma border. That’s went into in Thailand – is the border we have the refugee<br />
camps there. It is like the United Nation – they have the food, they give the clothes for<br />
the education, for the house; everything they provide the refugees there. There I study the<br />
camp a year – I go to school there.<br />
MG: What was it like there, from day to day? What kinds of things did you do?<br />
KE: We just go to school when I live there; we don’t have nothing to do because we cannot go<br />
outside the camp.<br />
MG: Um-hmm?<br />
KE: The Thai military – they control – the Thai authority, they don’t want the refugees go<br />
outside, spread anywhere (something like that). We have to stay at only in the camp:<br />
morning, go to school; after school, go home. We play: we have the playgrounds and play<br />
soccer, visit each other in the camps – just like kind of in a jail. I can say in a jail, like in<br />
a jail: we cannot go anywhere; just I would visit a friend in the camp.<br />
[09:20]<br />
MG: Can you tell me more about the food and any medical care you received in the camp?<br />
KE: The medical care?<br />
MG: Um-hmm.<br />
KE: I would say really good; pretty good. We have like a hospital: a medical care center; we<br />
have everything like that – it’s like other countries, and better than in Burma (a lot better<br />
than in Burma), but we don’t have to pay nothing. We go whenever we sick we go to the<br />
hospital, we have medicine or something, they check everything – it’s for free. We don’t<br />
have to pay nothing.<br />
MG: Did you celebrate any holy days or holidays in camp?<br />
KE: Oh, yes. Our Karen holidays, kind of like our Karen New Year, and then our Karen [??]<br />
Thai ceremony (we call it) we celebrate like a traditional celebrate every year in August.<br />
MG: Okay. Did you get any special materials to use for the holidays?<br />
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KE: Oh no, we don’t have – no, we don’t have any specials give to [??]; no, nothing.<br />
MG: Were you able to make any like special food?<br />
KE: In celebrate?<br />
MG: For celebration?<br />
KE: For celebration?<br />
MG: Um-hmm.<br />
KE: We used to have like our Karen food and Karen New Year; yeah, we have just – we call<br />
(how do we call it) – it’s almost the same Thanksgiving in America (but we don’t have<br />
any turkey over there) [laughs] – it’s not turkey, but other food we ate.<br />
MG: Okay. What was it like working a paddy farm?<br />
KE: Paddy farm?<br />
MG: Um-hmm.<br />
KE: You have not seen – never seen paddy farm? No?<br />
MG: A few pictures, that’s it.<br />
KE: [Laughs] Alright, so how do you want to know the paddy farm?<br />
MG: Just day to day activities?<br />
KE: Oh, because you’ve seen the rainy season we grow the paddy since the seed, the rice (the<br />
paddy) seed we grow, and (how is it called) – we put the nursery (nursery, right?). We<br />
put the nursery and they grow for about one (how is it called?) – feet?<br />
MG: Um-hmm?<br />
KE: One feet, two feet, right?<br />
MG: Yeah.<br />
KE: Oh yeah, for about one and a half feet we have to take it off and transplant to the ground,<br />
to the paddy ground. We have to plow – you know the plows?<br />
MG: Um-hmm.<br />
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KE: With a cow – but right now they did lots with a machine. We plow the field – before,<br />
when I was young, we don’t have any machine: we have the cow or buffalo with a (how<br />
is it called – I don’t know how it’s called it) – we plowed the field to make the ground<br />
soft, we can plant the paddy plants in the field. And then for about two or three months (I<br />
think) it’s going to make a kind of flower and for about five months we can harvest. And<br />
then we can carry in our house or in paddy place.<br />
[13:38]<br />
MG: What was the political climate towards refugees in the camp?<br />
KE: Political climate?<br />
MG: Um-hmm.<br />
KE: I’m not sure regarding the political – I don’t have any idea of things regarding the<br />
political climate; I don’t know anything about it.<br />
MG: Did you feel safe in the camp?<br />
KE: It is more safer than in Burma.<br />
MG: Um-hmm.<br />
KE: It’s not like America; America more safer, better than the camp; a lot better than in the<br />
camp. But in the camps, better than in Burma (in Karen state) – it’s really bad, and the<br />
camps a little better. In America is a lot better.<br />
MG: How did you learn about the U.S. refugee program?<br />
KE: When I live in the camp, because we have (how does it call?) – we have a Karen leader<br />
(refugees leader) over there: they told us in 2006 or [200]7, around that. They have a ten<br />
country who were receive the refugee [??] to their country: kind of like Norway,<br />
Australia, Canada, Denmark, Poland, something like that, and the U.S. They have ten<br />
country – you can choose which country you want to go. Some of my friend (when I live<br />
there, we go to school the same: the same school, the same class) I have a lot of friend<br />
there – right now we are spread around the world. Some friend are interest in Norway,<br />
some other friend they go to Australia; but I choose the my choice: U.S. That’s why I<br />
come to here; that’s why I came here.<br />
MG: What made you choose the U.S.?<br />
[16:01]<br />
KE: I like because U.S. speak English. If I go to Norway, I have to learn another language<br />
again, and English again – that’s why I have to learn many language; that’s what I<br />
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thought. And if I come to U.S., I have to learn just only one language: English; and then<br />
the U.S., that was my idea was better than the other country: the education, for<br />
everything. But I never been the other country, but I just learn it in a newspaper or in a<br />
magazine; I just read about it.<br />
MG: Okay. How did you apply for the program?<br />
KE: Because we have to go to – because they have a (how does it call it?) the place to enroll,<br />
to enroll who want to go which country, you can come here or our refugee leader – they<br />
open like the United Nation or the UNHCR – the leader, they go to the refugee camps,<br />
they announce every refugee people who want to go to this country, this country. They<br />
have a opportunity lie there, they have a chance lie there, they have a different, like (how<br />
does it call it?) different chance, different opportunity, different rights. Each country is<br />
not the same; they let us know about this.<br />
And then I want to come to U.S., that’s why I enrolled – I put my name I will go to U.S.,<br />
that’s why they take my names and my U.N. number or evidence. For about three or five<br />
months they put on a boat – we have to go and check our name are there; if my name is<br />
there I have to go, if I don’t have my name there, “What happened?” Or, “What have<br />
problem? I didn’t see my name there?” You can go to the refugee camp leader office, you<br />
can ask your name or what the problem – they reject, or what the reason they reject<br />
(something like that)? You can ask.<br />
MG: Who helped you apply?<br />
[18:45]<br />
KE: Because our leader over there – our leader in the camp, they help us.<br />
MG: Okay. When did you and where did you first arrive when you came to the U.S.?<br />
KE: Salt Lake City, Utah (2007), I think it was August 8th (around that). To this day I never<br />
moved to other state; since I arrive here I just stay here.<br />
MG: What were the first months like?<br />
KE: It was really shock for me; it was different, very different from my country. But I’m<br />
happy, the other ways I’m happy also because I have seen the different thing: different<br />
culture, different food – everything is different from my country.<br />
MG: What was the biggest shock?<br />
KE: The biggest shock was when snow time – when the snow was coming [laughs]; it was<br />
really, really shock for me.<br />
MG: Um-hmm?<br />
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KE: Because when I live there since whole my life over there, I never seen snow. I just see in<br />
a video or movie like that, but I didn’t know how does it look like – that’s why it was<br />
very shock for the snow.<br />
MG: Have you tried skiing?<br />
KE: No [laughs], never.<br />
MG: Okay. Did you receive any help from U.S. or religious organizations?<br />
KE: Here?<br />
MG: Yes.<br />
KE: Yes, what about can I say for the food stamp, Medicaid (something like that) from the<br />
U.S. government; it was really good for me. Yes.<br />
MG: Okay. Do you have any suggestions for improvements for those programs?<br />
[21:09]<br />
KE: Which program?<br />
MG: The food stamp, or Medicaid – do you see anything that could be changed with that? Or<br />
do you think it worked okay?<br />
KE: It work okay; yeah, it’s okay for me but I’m not sure of other people. I think for me it is<br />
okay.<br />
MG: Let’s see – and how long have you lived here, in Cache Valley?<br />
KE: Since 2008 until now.<br />
MG: What do you do here?<br />
KE: I just work at JBS Swift Company beef plant here.<br />
MG: What’s it like for you and your family to live here, in Hyrum (or Cache Valley)?<br />
KE: I like here because it is better than Salt Lake (for me), for my personality I think – it is<br />
more safety here. And then there is no crowded car, there is not a lot of the car – it is<br />
really easy to go to the downtown Logan, we can visit easily. I like – it is the same is<br />
similar like my country here, like with a cow and a lot of horse and the buffalo (or<br />
something like that) in the field – like my country with the paddy field. That’s why I like<br />
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it, and the mountains and the stream with the lake; that’s what I’m growing in my<br />
country, it’s similar here so I like it here.<br />
MG: Okay. Do you feel included in the Logan community?<br />
KE: Included?<br />
MG: Um-hmm?<br />
KE: I’m not clear how to say “included?”<br />
MG: Do you feel like you’re a part of the community, or do you feel a little disconnected from<br />
everyone else?<br />
KE: Oh no, is yeah, included in that community, yeah; I feel it’s good, really good. It’s a<br />
family with the people here in Cache County, many people. And a lot of people (when I<br />
first arrived here) they help me a lot to go to store, to go to the shopping mall (something<br />
like that). And from here they have a – at first when I met her, Katie (do you know<br />
Katie?) – English language singer – they teach the English language for the refugees is<br />
really good here. Yeah, they help me a lot.<br />
[24:15]<br />
MG: Do you think that there is anything else that the community can do to help refugees?<br />
KE: Oh I think they still help the refugees until now, but do you know Nelda – I’m not sure<br />
what’s the organization she had up there – but Nelda, she help refugees a lot to apply<br />
food stamp, to apply to Medicaid, to read the letter from the school, read the letter from<br />
the DWS for the refugees. Because most refugee, they don’t know how to read and write<br />
in the letter, they have a problem: Nelda help them a lot. Yeah, it’s good.<br />
MG: Tell me a little bit about how your home looked like in your home country, and the<br />
difference with your home now.<br />
KE: Oh yes, it’s a lot different because in my country – my house in my country, we just built<br />
with the wood, the roof with the leaf (you know the leaf, the tree leaf, the big leaf) – we<br />
just made the roof of our house. We don’t have any like the wall close every side like<br />
this; we have to like – we can open the wind come through, come and go through our<br />
house. And it was a lot of different because we live style different, completely different<br />
from here because here is we have snow, we have to turn on the heat; in the summer time<br />
we have to turn on the air condition – but over there no, we don’t have nothing: no<br />
electricity, nothing, no internet, no phone, no TV.<br />
MG: Did it get really hot there?<br />
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KE: Because we used to grow up there, it’s not really hot for us – it’s not really hot for me<br />
because we used to grow up there. If the people from the other country go there it is very,<br />
very difficult, very hard for them I think to live there; everything is different.<br />
MG: What would you like people in Logan to know about you and your family?<br />
[27:21]<br />
KE: I don’t know how to call it – to make the people in Logan to know my family?<br />
MG: Yeah, is there anything you would like to let them know about your family and you, or<br />
your ethnic group?<br />
KE: [Laughs] I don’t know because I don’t know how to answer it.<br />
MG: Would you like to go back to your country?<br />
KE: Yes, maybe one day; I have my dream. I still waiting the politic to change over there, the<br />
government change. If they change from communist to democracy, maybe one day I<br />
would go back there.<br />
MG: To live or just to visit?<br />
KE: To live [laughs].<br />
MG: What are you most proud of?<br />
KE: Here or there?<br />
MG: Here, or there – yeah?<br />
KE: Proud of – I don’t know what I’m proud? I’m proud that I am Karen ethnic group (Karen<br />
people), that I came here, I have learned English and the other language (even I can speak<br />
some Spanish right now because in our company they speak only Spanish); that is why I<br />
am very happy I learn their other language and I can speak four language right now –<br />
that’s why I’m proud of myself.<br />
MG: Okay. What are your dreams for the future – for yourself or your children?<br />
KE: Okay, so in the future my dreams are maybe one day (that I told you) I would like to go<br />
back to my country (if the country change everything). I would like to help the people<br />
who need help (like orphan children) – do you know what I am saying “orphan” – that is<br />
the people they don’t have parents.<br />
MG: Right.<br />
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KE: I would like to help them if I have money, if I have my business or my own jobs; if I have<br />
incomes, a lot of income, maybe one day I would go back and help them for the<br />
education for the health to get the hospital or the clinic for them, or the school for them.<br />
Because it is really hard – there are many people over there in our Karen state (our Karen<br />
people) they don’t have receive any education, any health; it’s really hard over there.<br />
Because in our place there are many malarias disease – do you know that malaria? Yeah.<br />
There are many people die every years over there because we don’t have not enough the<br />
medicine, we don’t have equipment to check the disease, to check up everything for the<br />
health – that’s why they have to give their lives a lot every years over there.<br />
[31:15]<br />
MG: Would you like to own your own business some day?<br />
KE: I think, yeah; I think so [laughs], yes.<br />
MG: What kind of business.<br />
KE: Just for my dream, yeah; because I don’t have any – I don’t have my graduate like a high<br />
education – I cannot do the business, like the big business. I just that I can do just only<br />
the agriculture and poultry – do you know poultry?<br />
MG: Chickens.<br />
KE: Chicken – oh, yeah poultry like the chicken, or what about the pig farm to grow the<br />
chicken, pig, goat, cow or something like that, right? With the agriculture – plant the<br />
food, the vegetable, the fruit in our place; that’s why I like to work with like that.<br />
MG: Have you ever thought about going back to school?<br />
KE: Yes, because I don’t have a opportunity, I don’t have a chance right now because I<br />
borrow my house here, I have to go to work. If I go to school, who is going to pay for my<br />
payments here, right? It’s really hard to live here. I would like to go to school to get a<br />
degree or something like that, but it’s really hard for me here. It’s a balance make it<br />
which way I can do, that’s why I choose the – I have to work to live here.<br />
MG: Okay. You said you’re Buddhist – has your religious practices changed at all since you<br />
came to the U.S.?<br />
KE: Changed, like what?<br />
MG: Is there any like changes you’ve had to make practice wise? Is it hard to be that here, in<br />
Cache Valley?<br />
KE: No, that’s not hard for me, but it depends on the people. Some of the people, if they like<br />
religious, if they don’t have their temple or monastery (we call it monastery in the<br />
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Buddhist), in the Christian they call it the church – it is really hard for them to live<br />
because they love their religion, right? It is for me: I love my religion also, because it is<br />
always in my mind. And Buddhists, they just teach the people if you are the human, you<br />
are the human: if you do the good thing, you will get the good thing; if you do the bad<br />
thing, you will get the bad thing. In America I like, I really like – that’s why I’m [??]: if<br />
you broke the law, you have to go to jail, right? Your mother, your father, your brother<br />
cannot help you; nobody can help you – even the God cannot help you. That’s why my<br />
religion said if you do the bad thing, you will receive the bad; if you do the good thing,<br />
you will receive the good. That’s why I live here, it is easy for me – it’s not really hard.<br />
I can communicate with every people, every religion. That is why we are the human<br />
being. We have to love each other. We need to help each other. If we see the people who<br />
[??], we have to help that people: even the black, yellow, white, or whatever. We don’t<br />
have any discrimination – it’s not good; we need to help each other. That’s why I’m here,<br />
I like America.<br />
[35:28]<br />
MG: Is there a monastery here, in Cache Valley?<br />
KE: No, in Salt Lake City: Thai monastery is over there.<br />
MG: Do you get to go down there?<br />
KE: I’ve never been there. I live here almost eight year, I never been there. Just only in my<br />
mind – if I think the good thing, if I do the good thing, if I speak the good thing, I am the<br />
good people. If I do the bad thing (like to do whatever the people don’t like) – even I go<br />
to the monastery or the church, right – every week you go to the church, you go to the<br />
monastery – if your mind is no good, you are not good people. You go to the church, you<br />
pray, you go the other where you do the bad thing – that is not fair. I live in my house, I<br />
just pray in my house for my family, for the people around all the world. That’s why I<br />
believe. I never been to the monastery; never.<br />
MG: Would you like to go there some time?<br />
KE: Some time, yes – because we are different language; we don’t know how do they speak,<br />
how do they pray, right? [Laughs] If they pray, we don’t want to stand like something is<br />
not fair for me, it is not good for me. But for the religion, they pray every religion they<br />
pray for the good people for around the world: they ask them to do the good thing, right?<br />
But if I go to Thai monastery, the monks (the Thai monks) – they pray in a Thai<br />
language; if I don’t understand, how can I feel the good thing, right? It’s really good here,<br />
but that’s what I’m saying; I don’t understand they pray, because it in Thai language. I<br />
know they are Buddhist, I am Buddhist – I respect them, I like them, but I never been<br />
there. I don’t understand how they pray in their language; it’s different with my language.<br />
Yeah, so something like that.<br />
Cache<br />
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MG: Okay. I think I’m done with my questions. Is it okay if they ask you questions if they<br />
have any?<br />
KE: Sure, sure.<br />
MG: You look like you have a question.<br />
[38:17]<br />
WV: I’m just trying to think. I guess what I would ask is, you know, based on just your<br />
experience and what you’ve been through (both in Burma and Thailand and here), is<br />
there anything that you wish you could help other people outside of your community<br />
understand? Does that make sense? Is there something that you would like if you could,<br />
you know, tell other strangers like us (who maybe don’t know), is there anything that you<br />
would like us to understand?<br />
KE: To help the Karen people?<br />
WV: Either way: here or over there?<br />
KE: Oh okay, yes; I have a lot of things to let you know. I am very happy today to visit with<br />
you, because you are from the university (US University), maybe you have a lot of<br />
experience, you have a lot of education (high education) – I think you can help my people<br />
a lot (more than me). Because maybe one day that I am talking about for awhile when I<br />
go back there I would like to connect with you. And maybe one day if you go to<br />
Thailand, go to visit or go do whatever, or go to work over there I just want to connect<br />
with you and to help our people over there to build a school, to build a clinic: just only<br />
two things that I’m really need.<br />
And when I live here, in Cache County (Cache Valley), I just want to let you know<br />
because our refugee from Burma (our Karen refugees here), we are almost 200 people<br />
(before there were over 200, but right now they moved the other state some). And we<br />
have a lot of children here that go to school; sometime they have a difficulty life here:<br />
their mom and dad cannot speak any English because their mom or their dad go to work.<br />
And that what I am saying sometime they have from the school, they have school<br />
conference, parent conference (or whatever, something like that), or the other things is<br />
really hard for them sometime.<br />
That’s why from the university can help them some way (like to read the letter, if they<br />
have time to apply for Medicaid, to apply for food stamp), because they have a better<br />
chance. In U.S. I know we have equality rights – every people, we have equality right –<br />
because our refugee don’t know anything (mostly) they don’t know anything about it,<br />
how to apply that: where we have to go to apply for this; that’s why they need to know. I<br />
say, “If you have some day you want to go to do this, you can go this building or that<br />
department,” or if you can like a direction for them it will be better. For example, if you<br />
print the paper like this – if you lose your social security card you can go apply this place;<br />
Cache<br />
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if you need driver license you can go apply this department, this place – something like<br />
that. You can contact if you want to do whatever (how can I say?).<br />
But we have a lot of opportunity here, for the people. If you want to go to school:<br />
agriculture school or nursing school – mostly they don’t know anything about it, which<br />
program better (which one is better). If you mostly here we have high school student,<br />
they already graduate and they will continue their higher education (go to college) –<br />
mostly they don’t how to apply for the scholarship, the grant or something to go for their<br />
school. If you can have the children like that will be better for them.<br />
[43:39]<br />
BH: I have a question –<br />
KE: Yes?<br />
BH: So I know right now we’re downstairs, but upstairs I saw there’s a lot of stuff on a wall –<br />
KE: Uh-huh?<br />
BH: Of like a flag –<br />
KE: Uh-huh?<br />
BH: And I saw a picture that I think –<br />
KE: Me.<br />
BH: Is of you – is it of you in a uniform?<br />
KE: The soldier uniform?<br />
BH: The soldier?<br />
KE: Oh no, that’s my uncle.<br />
BH: That’s your uncle?<br />
KE: Yes, that’s not me [laughs].<br />
BH: So I guess I’m just curious about that photo?<br />
KE: For what?<br />
BH: Is your uncle here? Is he in –<br />
Cache<br />
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Project:<br />
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KE: No, he’s in Burma.<br />
BH: In Burma?<br />
KE: Yes. He is not here. I just respect him, because right now he is a soldier.<br />
BH: Um-hmm?<br />
KE: Karen soldier – fight for democracy, fight for our Karen to have a equality rights. He<br />
fight for everybody to have equality chance, equality rights, to have like a democracy, to<br />
get democracy in Burma. He doesn’t want to come here; he told me that he will die there<br />
– he will fight for freedom, for the equality rights. That’s why I brang his picture here<br />
and just put it and remember him. I miss him. He’s a really good because he suggests me<br />
always whenever I call him, he suggests me, “When you go there you have to do the<br />
good thing, you have to love your friend, you have to help your friend. If you have some<br />
that are like education, or if you have experience better than your friend, you need to help<br />
your friend who need help.” That’s about him.<br />
BH: Thank you.<br />
KE: You are welcome. Anything else?<br />
[45:56]<br />
MG: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us that we haven’t asked you.<br />
KE: No, [laughs] I have no idea. If you have a question, I can answer you; if you have a<br />
question.<br />
MG: I think we’re good; thank you.<br />
KE: You are welcome.<br />
MG: For meeting with us.<br />
KE: Yes.<br />
WV: Thank you.<br />
BH: Thank you.<br />
KE: I’m also a pleasure, I’m very happy to be able to converse with you.<br />
MG: Okay.<br />
[End recording – 46:28]]]></dcterms:description>
    <dcterms:creator><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Kyaw+Eh">Kyaw Eh</a>]]></dcterms:creator>
    <dcterms:creator><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Van+de+Water%2C+1988">Van de Water, 1988</a>]]></dcterms:creator>
    <dcterms:creator><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=N%2FA">N/A</a>]]></dcterms:creator>
    <dcterms:source><![CDATA[Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives, Cache Valley Refugee Oral History Project, FOLK COLL 63]]></dcterms:source>
    <dcterms:publisher><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=45&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Digitized+by+%3A+Utah+State+University%2C+Merrill-Cazier+Library">Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library</a>]]></dcterms:publisher>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2015-05-16]]></dcterms:date>
    <dcterms:contributor><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=37&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Gill%2C+Meagan">Gill, Meagan</a>]]></dcterms:contributor>
    <dcterms:contributor><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=37&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Gross%2C+Susan">Gross, Susan</a>]]></dcterms:contributor>
    <dcterms:rights><![CDATA[Reproduction for publication, exhibition, web display or commercial use is only permissible with the consent of the USU Special Collections and Archives, phone (435) 797-2663;]]></dcterms:rights>
    <dcterms:relation><![CDATA[Cache Valley Refugee Oral History Project]]></dcterms:relation>
    <dcterms:relation><![CDATA[An inventory for this collection can be found at : http://nwda.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv67613]]></dcterms:relation>
    <dcterms:relation><![CDATA[Cache Valley Refugee Oral History Project Digital Collection]]></dcterms:relation>
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</rdf:Description><rdf:Description rdf:about="https://exhibits.usu.edu/items/show/5347">
    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[Kyaw Eh interview, May 16, 2015]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:subject><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Karen+State%2C+Burma%2C+Refugee+camp%2C+Immigration%2C+Family%2C+Languages%2C+School">Karen State, Burma, Refugee camp, Immigration, Family, Languages, School</a>]]></dcterms:subject>
    <dcterms:description><![CDATA[Kyaw Eh describes his life in Karen State, Burma. Along with his time in a refugee camp in Thailand, how he came to the U.S., the languages that he speaks, his family, and life here in Cache Valley, Utah.]]></dcterms:description>
    <dcterms:creator><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Kyaw+Eh">Kyaw Eh</a>]]></dcterms:creator>
    <dcterms:creator><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Van+de+Water%2C+1988">Van de Water, 1988</a>]]></dcterms:creator>
    <dcterms:creator><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=N%2FA">N/A</a>]]></dcterms:creator>
    <dcterms:source><![CDATA[Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives, Cache Valley Refugee Oral History Project, FOLK COLL 62]]></dcterms:source>
    <dcterms:publisher><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=45&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Digitized+by+%3A+Utah+State+University%2C+Merrill-Cazier+Library">Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library</a>]]></dcterms:publisher>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2015-05-16]]></dcterms:date>
    <dcterms:contributor><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=37&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Gill%2C+Meagan">Gill, Meagan</a>]]></dcterms:contributor>
    <dcterms:contributor><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=37&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Gross%2C+Susan">Gross, Susan</a>]]></dcterms:contributor>
    <dcterms:rights><![CDATA[Reproduction for publication, exhibition, web display or commercial use is only permissible with the consent of the USU Special Collections and Archives, phone (435) 797-2663;]]></dcterms:rights>
    <dcterms:relation><![CDATA[Cache Valley Refugee Oral History Project]]></dcterms:relation>
    <dcterms:relation><![CDATA[An inventory for this collection can be found at : http://nwda.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv67612]]></dcterms:relation>
    <dcterms:relation><![CDATA[Cache Valley Refugee Oral History Project Digital Collection]]></dcterms:relation>
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    <dcterms:coverage><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Karen%2C+Burma%2C+Thailand">Karen, Burma, Thailand</a>]]></dcterms:coverage>
</rdf:Description><rdf:Description rdf:about="https://exhibits.usu.edu/items/show/5494">
    <dcterms:title><![CDATA[Kyaw Eh Hopes and Dreams for the Future Bite; Kyaw Eh interview, May 16, 2015]]></dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:subject><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Karen+State%2C+Burma%2C+Refugee+camp%2C+Immigration%2C+Family%2C+Languages%2C+School">Karen State, Burma, Refugee camp, Immigration, Family, Languages, School</a>]]></dcterms:subject>
    <dcterms:creator><![CDATA[<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Van+de+Water%2C+1988">Van de Water, 1988</a>]]></dcterms:creator>
    <dcterms:date><![CDATA[2015/05]]></dcterms:date>
</rdf:Description></rdf:RDF>
