Myanmar Report - 12 day trip
Nov 19th, 2011, 11:13 AM
#21
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Hi Gail
Just wondering as well if you gave any gifts/supplies to any of the schools there? If so what you brought or maybe what you wished you had brought. I dont give gifts to people at random anymore, just as a thank you to guides etc but do like to give pencils and supplies to schools if they are in need.
Your thoughts on this? Thanks. Debbe.
Just wondering as well if you gave any gifts/supplies to any of the schools there? If so what you brought or maybe what you wished you had brought. I dont give gifts to people at random anymore, just as a thank you to guides etc but do like to give pencils and supplies to schools if they are in need.
Your thoughts on this? Thanks. Debbe.
Nov 19th, 2011, 04:23 PM
#23
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Debbe,
The school was located in a rural village that we visited while on a trek. Our guide contacted the school for us and asked if we could stop by and also the number of students at the school. The guide suggested exercise books and I also wanted to give pencils or pens. We bought these items at the local market. I think we bought four dozen books and pencils. It was perfect! The kids were happy to receive the supplies and I was happy giving them.
Our guide talked to us about the problems that giving candy, gifts or other things to kids has created. The kids in highly visited areas expect these "gifts" and end up being real pests when you are hiking or visiting some of the villages. He said that giving school supplies directly to the school or teachers was the best thing to do. They will distribute them to the neediest kids or as happened in our case.....allowed us to visit and give the supplies directly to the kids. I think it would be fine to stop in a school and give school supplies to the teachers.
We wrote a short post in our blog about giving gifts of this type. My husband is Buddhist and he said this was a lesson in the fruits of generosity. We got to experience the happiness of giving. And we got to witness the joy of the children receiving these simple gifts. Happiness all around.
Our blog post with photos is at: http://geoasian.blogspot.com/2011/11...enerosity.html
The school was located in a rural village that we visited while on a trek. Our guide contacted the school for us and asked if we could stop by and also the number of students at the school. The guide suggested exercise books and I also wanted to give pencils or pens. We bought these items at the local market. I think we bought four dozen books and pencils. It was perfect! The kids were happy to receive the supplies and I was happy giving them.
Our guide talked to us about the problems that giving candy, gifts or other things to kids has created. The kids in highly visited areas expect these "gifts" and end up being real pests when you are hiking or visiting some of the villages. He said that giving school supplies directly to the school or teachers was the best thing to do. They will distribute them to the neediest kids or as happened in our case.....allowed us to visit and give the supplies directly to the kids. I think it would be fine to stop in a school and give school supplies to the teachers.
We wrote a short post in our blog about giving gifts of this type. My husband is Buddhist and he said this was a lesson in the fruits of generosity. We got to experience the happiness of giving. And we got to witness the joy of the children receiving these simple gifts. Happiness all around.
Our blog post with photos is at: http://geoasian.blogspot.com/2011/11...enerosity.html
