I am not away from my family … Thank you SUSI 2015!

Shwe Sin Khaing (Myanmar)

One day of 2014 November, I saw one announcement of US Embassy Myanmar at their Facebook. It was about the Study of the United States Institutes for Scholars (SUSI). I was very interested to apply this. Even I have no confident myself so much but I decided to try it.

I remember, I received a mail about I passed first step for SUSI so I had to sit interview at US Embassy Myanmar in Yangon in 2014 December. I was so happy and I had a hope for this scholar. I went to Yangon from my home town, Mandalay for interview. 

I passed again my interview and I had to wait again for selection from the US Department of States. I got the answer to participate at SUSI in March 2015. I was so surprise and I got a shock. This is my start of SUSI. 

When I heard “you (18 scholars) were selected from over 100 countries, you all were special persons “from Kofi, the officer of the US Department of States, I was very pleased and proud for myself and my country.

My country is one of the South East Asia countries. We have many natural resources and many beautiful places but most of the foreign countries don’t know Myanmar. Now I’m representative of Myanmar at SUSI 2015 so at least 17 countries will know about my country. 

When I arrived in United States, I worried about everything. I also worried about participation this program among the professors of Media and Journalism from other countries. At the first day of our orientation, I thought, I can’t remember their names as well.

Now, all are away from me. I have no worries here. I am interested in my lectures. I enjoy learning from all of professors, editors moreover from our scholars. Some lectures are difficult for me. I knew many new things. Media and journalism is so wide field. This knowledge, I got is very useful for my career and my forward steps.

I am happy my research, my assignments. I am happy our study tours. I have good relationship with all of my colleagues. I can remember their names well till the end of my life. We are becoming close friends.

We come from different countries, different situations, different backgrounds, different situations, and different experiences. But we can understand each other. We can share experience and knowledge each other. We help each other.

I believe, this is the success of purpose of SUSI, to promote mutual understanding and respect between the people of United States and citizens of other countries around the world.

Thank you so much US Department of States, Thank you SUSI, Thank you myself for bringing me here. I can own my new family here, SUSI 2015. Just six weeks in US will be memorable moment in my whole life.