BY LOO THAW AWAR
WITH MAGGIE HINES
Photography Editor

Baldwin-Whitehall School District is home to the largest number of international refugees in the region. In the second of a new series, refugee Loo Thaw Awar, a senior, tells his story. Civil war between ethnic groups in the government forced Loo Thaw Awar and his family out of his home in Thailand and into a refugee camp elsewhere in the country.

My name is Loo Thaw Awar. I am of Burmese descent. I was born in Thailand, where I grew up with my family, until war forced us out of our home.
We were forced into a refugee camp in Thailand because of civil war in the government between different ethnic groups in the government, such as the Karen, Mon, and Kachin, in an effort to gain territory. While we were in the camp, we did not try to leave and we were not allowed to. We simply lived on and waited for the government to call.
Life in the camp was all right. I was able to play soccer and go to school, but I was young and often opted out of education.
Our school was fairly basic. We used blackboards and chalk for most of our writing. The school had a few computers, but not enough for every single student.
My family lived in a small house made out of wood and concrete. It was not the best of accommodations, but it was livable. Luckily, each family in the camp got their own house, so we did not have to live with other people.
Sanitation was pretty bad compared to modern standards. We had one doctor in the camp, but you had to pay out of pocket for services. Other than that, there was no basic healthcare.
Each family received a monthly supply of beans, rice, and other various foods thrown in. My mother grew food in our garden and sold it to the other refugees in the camp to make money.
After about a year of living in the refugee camp, my father, mother, brother, and I left for America. Sadly, we had to leave behind a majority of my family, including my grandparents and most of my cousins, aunts, and uncles.
Since I left when I was 7 years old, I have not been back to Thailand. I have not seen my extended family in person for 10 years. I still communicate with them over the phone and Skype, but it’s never the same.
I plan to visit Thailand this summer to see them. I am really looking forward to seeing my family and having actual Thai food again.
I miss the cultural celebrations most of all, especially New Year’s. In Thailand, we would watch fireworks just like here, but we had more family and friends around.
My family immediately settled down in Pittsburgh and I began school at Whitehall Elementary. I struggled for a little bit with the language and cultural differences of such a new place, especially food like burgers.
One thing that was similar here is my love of sports. I had always watched sports and played soccer back in Thailand and I still play today.
While my past has caused me certain hardships, I feel that has made me open to trying new things, just like I had to when I first moved here.
Having to adapt to an entirely different culture proved to be a challenge, but overcoming that challenge is a part of who I am today.
Learning about other cultures can open your mind and make you see how you relate to other people in the world.
I think that if other students could experience what life is like in other countries, they too would see how big the world truly is.