Author: Hla Min (Lifelong Learner)

by Hla Min

Updated : Aug 2025

Video Broadcast on January 19, 2021

• I am indebted to Thin Saya, Myin Saya and Kyar Saya.
  They taught me all I knew.
• I would like to thank my mentors who directly or indirectly taught me Communication (Oral and Written) and Languages (English, Burmese, …)
• Last but not the least, a million thanks to my “Let Oo Sayas” (my beloved parents).

Studying Languages

Studying English

I fondly remember the days that I had to read / study

• Tom Thumb’s Essays
• A Student’s Companion
• Oxford English Dictionary” (OED — various sizes and editions),
• Chamber’s Dictionary (used in Scrabble tournaments)
• Rhyming Dictionary
• Word Power/Vocabulary in [six weeks, 21 days, …]
• Idioms (book present from my cousin uncle)
• They helped me improve my writing and communication skills.
• Thanks to all the authors, who are my implicit teachers.
  
• Still learning (especially during the “Shelter at Home” due to the COVID-19 Pandemic)
• Listen to the daily offering by Blinkist.com
• Listen and/or read Merriam Webster’s wotd (word of the day) pod cast

Miscellaneous

• See posts on “Myanmar Sar“
• See posts on “Pali“
• See posts on “Languages“

Studying Computers

Dr. Chit Swe (GBNF)

• Sayagyi was my mentor at UCC.
• He invited over renowned computer scientists [led by Professor Harry D. Huskey, Pioneer in Computer Hardware, Software and Teaching] and mathematicians [e.g. Professor Frank Harary, Expert in Graph Theory] to Rangoon to hold seminars and to design courses in computer science and applications.
  Michael Stonebraker (then at UC Berkeley) gave a short course on Ingres (an early Relational Data Base Management System) at UCC. A few years back, he won the prestigious “ACM Turing Award” (which is considered as the equivalent of Nobel Prize in Computing).
  
• He taught us to use CPM/PERT (Critical Path Method/Programme Evaluation and Review Technique) for the various projects.
  
• Saya asked me to assist in several of his projects.
  To name a few,
  I was a translator/ reviewer for CTK (Children’s Treasury of Knowledge)
  I served as an editor for “High School Mathematics”
  I was a member of TOSS (Team Of System Specialists)

• Saya passed away in November 2019, but his Legacy as Pioneer for Computer Systems, Application and Education in Burma will last forever.

U Soe Paing (EE, UCC)

• Saya was my mentor at RIT and UCC.
• Together with Saya U Myo Min and Saya U Ko Ko Lay (GBNF), they taught degree and diploma courses in computer science, and also conducted courses in computer programming, computer orientation, to name a few.
• The sayas asked me to be their assistant.
• Saya U Soe Paing also allowed Saya U Aung Zaw and me to co-author texts, guides and manuals used at UCC.

Publications

• Guardian
  Thanks to U Soe Myint (Chief Editor)
• Working People’s Daily (WPD)
  Thanks to U Ko Lay (Chief Editor) and Daw Khin Swe Hla (Editor)
• Forward magazine
  Thanks to Bohmu Ba Thaw (Maung Thaw Ka, Chief Editor) and U Sein Hla (Editor)
• Pan magazine
  Burmese publication
• Veda magazine
  Published by BARB
• Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung
  Commemorative Issues for SPZP-2002, SPZP-2007 and SPZP-2010 in Singapore
  Thanks to Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War)
• Swel Daw Yeik Magazine
  Commemorative Issues for SPZP-2012 and Shwe YaDu (2014)
  Thanks to Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War)
• RUBC magazine
  Commemorate issue for 90th Anniversary of the founding of RUBC
• BAPS Newsletter
  Contributing Editor
• Dhammananda Newsletter
  Contributing Editor
• Paying Homage to Sayadaw U Silananda
  Contributing Editor
• Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife
  Contributor to the Burmese American section of the 3-volume encyclopedia
• National Foreign Languages Center
  Language Expert for the Burmese Language Project (Reading and Listening Comprehension)
• RIT Alumni International Newsletter
  Contributing Editor for 21 years
• hlamin.com
  2600+ articles
• Facebook
  Owner, Admin or Moderator of selected Facebook Groups
• Video Broadcasts
  Archived in Facebook and my You Tube Channel

Volunteering

I gained experience by volunteering as

• Several organizations in Myanmar and USA
  
• EC, Joint Secretary and Secretary of RIT EE Association
• Contributing Editor of RIT English Newsletter
• Treasurer and Vice Captain of RUBC
  
• Translator / Interpreter at Meditation Retreats
• Organizer, SPZP-2000
• Coordinator, World wide SPZPs in Singapore and Myanmar
• Docent at the Computer History Museum (at Mountain View, California
• Contributing Editor of the materials taught at the Summer Dhamma Camp at Dhammananda Vihara (at Half Moon Bay
• Area Governor, Club Coach, Contest Chair, Test Speaker, Club Ambassador at Toastmasters International
• Editor of several publications by Sayadaws (e.g. U Jotalankara) and friends (e.g. U Aung Zaw)
• Language expert at National Language Center
• Administrator and/or Moderator of selected Facebook Pages
• Owner and content creator of selected web sites (e.g. hlamin.com)

Parents and Ancestors

Last but not the least, my heartfelt thanks to my beloved parents and their philanthropic forebears for instilling me the passion to help humanity in general and to my alma mater. They believed that “Any thing that’s worth doing is worth doing well.”

Pay Back

• My beloved spouse told me that I should pay back to my alma mater, mentors and my beloved land.
• She reminded me that I should take care of my health to enjoy quality time with our Life Savers : Chit Sa Noe and Po Lone.
  
• I had paid back to my alma mater RIT where I studied from 1964 – 1969 by volunteering as Messenger and Organizer for 21 years.
  e.g. For SPZP-2000, I wrote 64 “Countdown to the Reunion” and 36 “Post_Reunion”.
  
• In 2018, I wrote “Memories of UCC” .
  I wrote a Summary for the magazine to commemorate the 30th anniversary of ICST.
  
• To commemorate the 19th anniversary (in April 2018) for “RIT Alumni International Newsletter” and the 45th wedding anniversary (in June 2018), I wrote several hundred posts covering a variety of topics.
• Since then, I have completed 2600+ posts.
  I have revised most of them with the feedback provided by my readers (including Dr. Khin Maung U, Dr. Nyunt Wai (Victor), Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint, U Khin Maung Zaw).
  
• In April/May 2019, I celebrated 20th Anniversary as Founder-Editor of RIT Alumni International Newsletter
  
• In November 2019, I was invited as a Panelist to the 5th ILF (Irrawaddy Literary Festival) held in Mandalay.
  
• In December 2019, I attended the SPZP and Reunion Dinner of RIT 69er’s Golden Jubilee of graduation.
• I was invited to attend the 6th Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe of ICST / UCSY and the Annual mini-gathering of UCC Alumni.
  
• In January 2020, I was invited as a Special Guest for the 2020 PSA (Public Speakers’ Association) Tour to six cities in Upper Myanmar.
  
• I am continuing with adding / revising posts for hlamin.com and share some of them via Facebook pages (e.g. Life Long Learning, RIT Updates, RU Centennial) and my You Tube Channel.
  
• I am a Dreamer.
  I believe, “If one can dream, others will fulfill.”