Hello there! I'm May and I'm so excited to find a home away from home at Dartmouth, coming all the way from Southeast Asia! Joining such a tight-knit community under the shades of the great trees will definitely make it easier. I love trying new food (especially spicy cuisines, but I do have a sweet tooth!), meeting people through sports, and cozy movie nights. Find me in the soccer field during intramurals, getting coffee at Collis (my favorite), or volunteering at local service projects!
After a 23-hour flight, 2 transits, and 2 delayed check-ins, I finally found myself (plus a recently discovered love for The Office) at Boston Logan Airport. You can imagine how glad and relieved I am as I write this blog post under the comforts of a warm blanket in my dorm which I share with two amazing roommates. For many of us, leaving family and friends for college is always tough and for international students like me, saying goodbye to home doesn't get any easier.
Me with the most adorable 2nd graders at a local school in Shan State, Myanmar, during my gap year
This time a year ago, I had been travelling with a health charity around Myanmar, making stops at several village schools and teaching English to children at monasteries. I'd never have imagined I'd be at the Big Green. Taking a gap year before college was not what I had planned but looking back, it has definitely been one of the better decisions I've made, and I would totally encourage anyone to do so! Not only will you be able to find yourself through whatever activity you dive into beyond the walls of school, you'll come to understand yourself better as a human being, flaws and all. And if you're like me, starting college will be all the more exciting!
The last day of first-year trips at Dartmouth's Moosilauke Ravine Lodge ( Go F64!!)
At the time of writing this post, it has only been a week into the term at Dartmouth — but when there's a will, there's most definitely a way. From DOC first-year trips and pre-orientation to a capella performances and inflatable basketball showdowns, there is always something happening at the Big Green. As a huge foodie, I've been spending time at the Organic Farm and trying out the famed Lou's donuts and Morano Gelato. Yet, as someone who grew up halfway across the world, food touring is as easy as paying a visit to FoCo, our beloved dining hall. So far, I've absolutely loved the clam chowder, three-bean chili, and the occasional sushi!
A snapshot of the night of Fallapalooza featuring COIN (check them out!) and Ivy Sole
As someone who'll also bust a questionable move (I can't dance ☹️but when has this ever stopped anyone?) whenever there's music playing, I've had so much fun at Street Soul, a student-led dance group. Aside from that, I've been playing badminton, hosting movie nights with my friends, and of course, loving the opportunity to share my experience at Dartmouth with you. Feel free to join me as I start my first year exploring the many dimensions of Dartmouth; it'll be a journey of many firsts for the both of us! Geographically, it took me 29 hours to finally get to Dartmouth from Yangon, my home of 18 years. From this point on, I'm hopeful that no amount of time will be able to take away the Dartmouth experience from me.
Growing up with a multilingual mom, I've always had a vested interest in languages. Now at Dartmouth, I can teach myself Hawaiian to fulfill the language requirement for graduation.
I had the opportunity to visit New York City with one of my best friends from high school over winterim and stayed in his grandmother's apartment in the heart of Manhattan...my winterim shenanigans continue!
It's officially 2020, and seeing as I won't be returning to Dartmouth until next September, I thought it would be fitting to reflect back on my past year (most of which was spent on-campus).
These are just my favorites, and most of them tend to be a little more open and loud, but there are tons of different places to get some reading or work done in Hanover.
This is a post for my blog but also a letter to my future self so that I can remember the strategies I used to make my first term at Dartmouth a successful one.
Me with the most adorable 2nd graders at a local school in Shan State, Myanmar, during my gap year
The last day of first-year trips at Dartmouth's Moosilauke Ravine Lodge ( Go F64!!) 
