Teacher Khin Khin Thein

Teacher Khin Khin Thein was my class teacher when I was in fifth grade – VB. With a pleasant smile and charming demeanor she became a favorite teacher to all of us. It was rare to see her get very upset. Many a time she would just calmly talked to us if we did something wrong. Tall and elegant with her graceful movement every one would stop and see when she and teacher Sally walked down the hallway. 

Even after I jumped class to the  seventh standard, I still had an opportunity to see teacher Khin Khin Thein. My good friend Pe Than Chit lived in the same street as I.  Because he wasn’t good at Maths he would take a tuition at teacher Khin Khin Thein’s house on the 50th street. I would go along with him at times and while she was teaching him, I would spend talking and playing with her sisters Ramona and Tina. By the way, Tina is a very good artist. 

After I graduated from medical school and migrated to US in Maryland, I happened to meet Saya U Maung Maung Tin again. If you recall, Saya U Maung Maung Tin had been our dean at MEHS for, I think, a year. He was living in Maryland when I arrived, and every year the Burmese diaspora in Maryland -Washington area would have a Thingyan festival at U Maung Maung Tin’s house. It happened that Saya U Maung Maung Tin was a brother of Teacher Khin Khin Thein.

Through him, I was able to get in touch with  teacher Khin Khin Thein, Ramona, Tina and Ida who all live in Arizona. I have been communicating with them every now and then since. I am also glad that she is healthy enough to come to almost every of our MEHS reunion.

Myo Thant (Michael Tin Hla)