The post-WWII decolonization of Southeast Asia led to new land borders. Overnight, entire communities along the Thai-Burma border found themselves divided by an invisible line that dictated movement. But despite the physical boundaries, their spiritual beliefs remained strong and unchanged.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Take part in a multi-day meditation retreat in a Theravada Buddhist monastery in northern Thailand practicing techniques such as such as anna panna (breathing), metta (loving kindness) and Vipassana (insight) meditation.
• Stay in traditional ethnic Karen bamboo stilted houses and learn about grassroots cultural preservation efforts from respected village elders.
• Meet with NGO representatives working on human trafficking and migrant worker rights.
• Participate in an ethical learning service project that fosters real cultural exchange between Burmese school students and Dragons students.

Students on this semester program explore themes related to human migration, spiritual resilience, and cultural preservation. Starting in Bangkok, we board a train to Sukhothai, Thailand’s first capital and begin lessons in introductory Thai, Theravada Buddhism, and the ethnic, historical, and political landscape of Myanmar and Thailand.

Traveling further north to Chiang Mai we meet with local NGOs and activists working on human rights, and sit with monks and laypeople to unpack the complexities of traditional Buddhist life. The next few weeks are spent meeting and living with several ethnic Karen and Dara’Ang minority tribes who face hardships relating to land ownership, access to healthcare, and discrimination in schools. We take part in unique Buddhist and Animist ceremonies and discuss the importance of spirituality as a form of resilience. At the end of our first month we enter a multi-day meditation retreat to sharpen our mindfulness practice.

Crossing the border into Myanmar, we spend two weeks living in a rural monastic school alongside local students. Here, daily meditation as well as classes co-facilitated by Dragons instructors, local school teachers, monks, and students, foster meaningful exchange. After a rural homestay, we travel to Yangon to see the country through the eyes of entrepreneurs and young activists who aim to redefine the way the world views Myanmar. Concluding in Bangkok, we get a glimpse of the megacity from the perspective of migrant workers living thousands of kilometers from home.