Category: Event

by Hla Min

Updated : Apr 2026

Twins

Most twins share the same birthday (Day, Month, Year).
An exception occurs when one twin is born before midnight and the other is born after.
Another exception occurs when one twin is born on New Year’s Eve and the other is born on New Year.

February 29 born

Do they celebrate only in Leap Years?
Do they celebrate every year on February 28 or March 1st?

Same Month

If there are more than 13 people, then at least two must share the Month in their birthdays.
It follows the Pigeon Hole Principle.

Same Month and Day

If there are more than 30 people, then there is a high likelihood that at least two share the Day and the Month in their birthdays.
It follows from Probability and Statistics.

Distribution

In a group, the birthdays are not equally distributed. For instance, my two sisters and I are August born. There are seven siblings.

Freebie

Some restaurants do not charge the Birthday Person (Boy, Girl) if there are three more persons in the group. They will ask and verify the ID.

Happy Birthday

“Happy Birthday” song is one of the most played songs. In the early days, the song received a lot of royalties. It is now in the free public domain.

Different Calendars

Some celebrate their birthday twice : using the Gregorian Calendar and the Myanmar luni-solar Calendar.

by Hla Min

Updated : Apr 2026

Background

• Many universities have “Alumni Relations Department” and “Alumni Association“.
• They have personnel to reach out to alumni and hold alumni events.
• Notable and successful alumni support their alma mater in various ways. e.g. establish new Departments, Chairs, Research facilities, Mentoring programs, Internships

Sad story

• After the fateful Coup D’etat in 1962, all organizations (except BSPP and related ones) were banned.
• The practice continued to the Adhamma Era, when our alma mater was branded as “Thabon Kyaung” and the Swel Daw Bins were destroyed.

Perseverance

• With the dawning of the Pwint Linn Era, steps were taken to bring back the alma mater to former glory.
• In February 2016, U Wynn Htain Oo, U Tin Latt and U Than Htay proposed to U Aye Myint (then Rector of YTU) the establishment of an alumni association. The Rector gladly agreed.
• A core group helped with the registration of RIT-YIT-YTU Alumni Association.

Issues

• Many alumni were not aware of the association and its objectives
• Only a few (mostly members of the “80000 YaThay”) actively participated in the formative events
• There was virtually no fund to operate (let alone assist the alma mater)

Help and Resolution

Then, things started to click

• An office space for the Alumni Association was provided by YTU
• The association received nice Logo and Banner.
• Donations — large and small — were received (mostly for the YTU Library Modernization Project which is a requirement for the Accreditation).
  Donations were received from well-wishers (who are not alumni).
• Membership grew by leaps and bounds.
  Even alumni overseas joined the association.
  Currently, Life membership costs K60000.
• Saya’s Corner was established.
  Wheel chairs are available (especially for use by Sayagyis attending SPZPs).
• Staff and Volunteers helped with the regular and ad hoc projects (such as clean-up).
• The Annual General Meeting (AGM) was attended by alumni spanning three (or so) decades.
  Several young alumni came forward to take leadership roles.
• The association helped with YTU Library Modernization Project, z”Honoring matriculates of alumni” and the vetting of YTU students applying for financial aid.

by Hla Min

Updated : Apr 2026

Ivan Lee (Khin Maung Oo, M69) had hosted IT and UCC mini-gathering in New Jersey for a decade or so.

The timing was chosen so that Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi (Canada) and Saya U Soe Paing (EE, UCC) could participate.

The group photo was taken at the gathering on August 19, 2017.

Enjoyable Vacation

• Trip to the East Coast of US and parts of Canada
• Took United Airlines from San Francisco International airport
• Flight was delayed for more than two hours because the computer system was down
• Our plane was diverted to Syracuse airport in New York to refuel and to wait there until Newark (New Jersey) airport — which had experienced traffic congestion — could handle the incoming flights
• Ivan Lee (M69) was aware of the flight delay. He picked us up at the airport.
• He would be our host & trip coordinator.
• Selected events from the trip are described below.

July 10, 2015

• Ivan took us — Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi, Daw Emma, my spouse & me— on a New York tour.
• We felt like “honored guests” because New York City was lined up with fans — young and old — of the US women’s soccer team which won the World Championship for the third time.

July 11, 2015

• Ivan hosted a gathering in honor of Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi and Saya U Soe Paing (EE, UCC).
• Ivan had hosted the RIT-UCC gathering for several years.
• Attendees include Richard Than Se (ChE62, classmate of U Soe Paing), Fred Thegyi (M69), U Tun Aung Gyaw (EC69), Daw Saw Yu Tint (Alice, T69), U Toung (Tom, EC69), U Sein Myint (EC76, UCC), Daw Sao Mon Sint (Cindy, UCC), U Mya Aung (UCC), U Soe Myint (UCC) and Ivan’s relatives (who displayed their culinary skills).
• There were six 69ers at the gathering.

July 13, 2015 (Windsor, Canada)

• Sayagyi U Aung Khin was delighted to see his former students — Ivan Lee & Fred Thetgyi — drive a long way to pay respect to him.
• Ivan provided his Mercedes & gas for the trip.
• Fred drove most of the way to let Ivan have a light load. Fred also took photos of the trip.
• Sayagyi allowed my spouse & I to spend the night at his guest room.
• Sayagyi prepared “pe kyaw” and “mohinga” for breakfast the next morning for the four of us. He also gave mementos.

July 14 – 15, 2015 (Napean, Canada)

• Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi hosted his former students for two days.
• Showed us around Toronto
• Took us to the Thousand Islands

July 16 -17, 2015 (Massachusetts)

• Despite being busy working on two projects, U Tun Aung Gyaw took two days off to host his former classmates.
• He took us to MIT & Harvard.
• It has become a tradition to touch the “shining” shoe of Harvard’s statue (and make a wish). Fred touched with one hand and made a wish on behalf of his grand kid. Ivan touched with both hands (saying he need to make a wish on behalf of his six grand children).

July 18 – 19, 2015 (Connecticut)

• U Toung (Tom) & Daw Khin Myint (Kim) were our hosts for the Connecticut leg of our trip.
• A photo was taken by Fred in front of one of the 30+ libraries at Yale University.
• Another photo was taken by a waitress (who has a “FRED” tattoo on her arm in honor of her dad) at Table (10) of Frank Pepe’s pizza. Photos of the then young Bill Clinton, who frequented the pizza place, can be seen on the wall. She then checked Fred’s ID and agreed to have a picture together.

Miscellaneous

• On the way to Windsor, Canada we stopped to see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side. On a previous trip, I had seen Niagara Falls from the US side. Many say that the view from the Canadian side is better.
• The speed limit in Canada was lower than that of US. The GPS had some hiccup inside Canada. We ended up late arriving at Sayagyi U Aung Khin’s house.
• We just drove around Toronto on our way to Sayagyi Dr. Aung Gyi’s house. We prefer to be early than late.
• U Tun Aung Gyaw lives in Shrewbury (about 50 miles from Boston). He was working on multiple projects.
• Tom lives in Trumbull, Connecticut. He is retired. He often flew to Hong Kong to see his son & grandchild.
• As a side trip, Fred took us to Pennsylvania (where he lives) & Maryland. We visited Liberty Bell & selected places. U Thein Han is my sole remaining uncle. He lives in Maryland.
• Ivan had two PEs (from New Jersey and New York). He owns some real estate. He loves to cook. He plays accordion and harmonica. He is a Life time Platinum member of US Bridge Association. He is a Golden Sponsor of SPZP-2000 and SPZP-2007. He is a major donor to the 69er Health Care Fund.