Moon: Teacher, Storyteller and Exile ^{CEFR B2}

Moon is an educator and storyteller from Karen State whose approach challenged the old school system in Myanmar. She began teaching in Kawkarate District in 2014 and became acting principal at a middle school in her hometown by 2018. Her classes were lively with debate and laughter because she rejected the idea that school is only about obedience. Officials argued students must “learn obedience,” but Moon insisted that education should foster critical thinking and values. She said the system required that “Every word must be obeyed, every command followed.”

When the military seized power in 2021, Moon tied a red ribbon to her uniform and joined street protests. She became a visible leader of the Civil Disobedience Movement in her small town. Soldiers circulated her photo and sought her out, and her father, who had been a soldier, decided to send her away to protect her. She fled to Lay Kay Kaw, later worked in migrant schools across the border, and endured exploitation; she said she earned less in a month than many labourers make in a week. Despite hardship, she kept teaching because she valued food, shelter and the chance to work.

In Mae Sot she joined Exile Hub, a partner of Global Voices in Southeast Asia, and entered new media work. She received training in Thai language, podcasting, storytelling and documentary narration. She produced an episode of Resilient Voices about an LGBTQ+ youth in exile and co-created a documentary episode called “Freedom of Religion and Belief.”

Moon describes herself as stronger and more practical now: “I’ve always believed that learning never ends, so I keep working to fill the gaps in myself.” On hard days she tells herself, “It’s only today that is hard. Tomorrow can be different.” Her long-term dream is to return and open a small bookstore café on family land, while she continues to teach in ways her old system never allowed, using storytelling to reach and inspire her community.