One Day at a Time

Refugees do not assume they will be waiting for someone or something for years. If they knew how long they would be waiting, they would lose hope. They just take it one day at a time. One Day at a Time The first and probably most important lesson I learned from my Rohingya friends is […]

The 5 Minute Project

All they did was put aside 5 minutes of their time to print something and add it to the binder. Those consistent 5 minutes a day created something beautiful that I can hold onto forever.

Why the Cartoons?

Everyone likes cartoons, especially the ones that look like them.    It’s a good thing I’ve got a lot of cartoons –and stories – to share. Why the cartoons? “Sophie, people don’t know that I’m Rohingya. They just see me as a Muslim, like that’s a nationality or something. They don’t know my story. Maybe […]

Rohingya Reunions: Wisconsin

“Hey Soph, what are you doing this weekend?” “Oh, I’m gonna be out of town. I’ll be in Wisconsin.”“Again?!” I’d be the last person to say that some of my favorite weekends are spent in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in the dead of winter. I’d also be the last person to say that chicken feet soup is […]

Face to Face with Genocide

Not quite sure how it happened, but somehow I was able to integrate myself into a quirky Rohingya family and follow them around the world. Despite the strong language barrier and logistical difficulties, this family has welcomed “Teacher Sophie” into their lives. They’ve taught me what it means to be resilient in a world full […]

Found in the Middle of Nowhere

“Ahhh! Teacher!! Helloooo!” Absolute chaos erupted the moment I swiped to the right of my incoming Viber call. I usually ignore anonymous Viber calls. Most of the time, it’s just another die-hard Burmese fan who’s trying to ask me if I have a “lover” (No really, I wish I was joking). I had no idea […]