Do not darken without pouring, oh! overcast skies. You loom and lour to constrict the home-dweller. Even as though about to pour, you should not thunder from above Myedu Town in the north.
Rapid, incessant heartbeat racing towards the Bagan area Deeply rooted in the bottom of my heart the cultural, religious, historical and architectural heritage of Bagan.
Fascinating, full of wonder and memories, heart-rendering sublime Bagan finally, rightfully inscribed as World Heritage Site O… ancient Temple City where I left my heart.
Every time one looks yonder touched by the whirling, swirling, vibrant Ayeyarwaddy (Lord of the rivers) Misty, dreamy panoramic view O…. my dear Ayeyarwaddy.
Finest culture Treasure of sculpture Architecture galore Countless shrines and pagodas of Bagan Will last for eternity as World Heritage Site to be revered, cherished and appreciated O…. glorious Bagan. ရေးသူ– တက္ကသိုလ် မိုးဝါ
Saya George (U Maung Maung, ChE66) was the first President
Gordon (U Kaung Kaung Oo, M83) : Past President
U Aung Myint Oo (EC84) : Past President
U Tin Maung Win (C86) : current President
BOD Chair
U Stanlislau (Stan, M67) was first BOD Chair
Saya U Myat Htoo (C68) : current BOD Chair
Contacts
Web site : U Tin Maung Win (C86) & team
FaceBook page : U San Lin (M87) & team
Evite : Myint Swe (EP74) & team
MailChimp : Edward Saw (EC85) & team
Finance
Extremely low overhead / expenses (due to hosts, sponsors and donors)
Awards (plaques, certificates)
NorCal RITAA pens donated by Edward Saw (EC85) & U Myint Swe (EP74)
Activities
Face to face Meetings
Meeting
Summer Picnic and/or Annual Dinner
Picnic
NorCal RITAA Scholarships
YTU Library Modernization
YTU Library Modernization
Ad hoc committee to address sharing of knowledge & expertise with alumni in USA & Myanmar
AGM
There have been several AGMs.
Some meetings have Election.
U Tun Shwe (ChE72) recorded a video at one AGM.
2018
Soon offered to the monks at Mudita Shwe Kyaung
Mohinga, desserts … for all attendees
Meeting headed by Saya U Nyo Win (M65) & Saya U Myat Htoo (C68)
U Nyunt Than (M84) acted as Master of Ceremonies.
Saya U Myat Htoo (C68, BOD Chair, Board) gave an Opening Speech. He later handed out awards to Sponsors & Donors.
Gordon (M83) and Lillian (EC83) survived the raging fires in Napa, but they had to wait three weeks before returning to their “Home Sweet Home”. They donated to the Scholarship Fund and also encouraged their Classmates (U Kyaw Myint, Daw Ni Ni Sein …) to pledge or donate.
Saya U Nyo Win accepted the award for Saya U Tin Maung Nyunt (M60).
List of donors/sponsors is maintained by U Ko Ko Zin (M84) & U Myint Swe (EP74).
Annual Dinners
2016
NorCal RITAAU Myat HtooEntertainment
2023
Resumed Annual Dinner Gathering (after the pandemic)
Annual Dinner
2024
Celebrated three Anniversaries
Centennial of Engineering Education in Burma / Myanmar
Wrote about the SPZP-2000 experience in the Post Reunion series.
U Myat Htoo (Right)NorCal RITAA
Founding member of NorCal RITAA.
Chair of BOD (Board of Directors).
One of the hosts for NorCal RITAA meetings. He would invite the attendees to take a boat ride on the nearby man-made lake. Would also arrange a karaoke session.
Past President of Burmese American Democratic Alliance (BADA)
President of Theravada Buddhist Society of America (TBSA) for a decade. Led the procession for the scattering of ashes of Sayadaw U Silananda into the San Francisco Bay near the Golden Gate Bridge.
Lost Neikan RIT
Wrote a parody on “Pyauk Sone Nay Thaw Neikban Bon” (the song by Sai Kham Leik and Sai Htee Saing).
LA Reunion
Played the Ukelele and sang the song described above at the 2015 Alumni Reunion in Los Angeles.
Ukelele
Donation
Donated Life Vests to 20 teachers in the town of Paletwa in Chin Special Division, Myanmar.
The teachers risked their lives daily crossing Kaladan river to teach children on the other side of the town.
One teacher was killed in a boat mishap in surging waters during heavy rains. A life jacket would have saved her life.
Golden Jubilee
On May 20, 2018, the BOD (Board of Directors) and EC (Executive Committee) members of NorCal RITAA threw a surprise party to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of U Myat Htoo (C68, Chair of BOD) and Daw Hnin Maung Maung (Ma Ku, “Nyima Lay”).
According to Saya, he was the youngest in his family and wanted a younger sibling (preferably a sister).
He found an innocent 9 year old neighbor (and family friend).
Some 69ers hosted a breakfast gathering at “Crystal Jade” to welcome Ko Sein Myint (EP69, Singapore) and me.
Farewell
They bade farewell to Ko Tint Lwin (M69), who had to go back to Singapore to take care of his elder brother Saya U Thein Lwin (EE) and Sayama Daw May Than Nwe (Joyce).
Transportation
Ko Ohn Khine (M70 took me to the breakfast gathering.
During my visits, he also took me to meetings for SPZP-2012, SPZP-2016 & “History of Myanmar Engineering Education (HMEE)” Project.
Attendees
Ko Shwe
Ko Tint Lwin (Daniel)
Ko Sein Tun
Ko Ohn Khine
Ko Myat Soe Lwin (Sai Hwet)
Ko Aung Min
Ko Myint Thein (Kabar)
Ko Sein Myint
Ko Win Maung (“Lake”)
Ko Aung Min — Chair of the 69er HCF and a core organizer for 69er gatherings.
Breakfast at Taw Win Hnin Si
69ers hold a monthly breakfast gathering at “Royal Rose Restaurant (Taw Win Hnin Si တော်ဝင်နှင်းဆီ)”.
Ko Aung Min (M69) & team gave me two mementos: a sports jacket and a Tee shirt with the 69er Logo.
Major donors to the 69er HCF (Health Care Fund) and the 69er Annual Dinner were also given commemorative Tee shirts.
Orders for the sports jacket and Tee shirt were taken from interested 69ers.
The group photo shows
At Taw Win Hnin Si
L to R : Ko Tin Aung Win (Oscar), Ko Ngwe Soe (Walter), Ko Myint Thein (Kabar), Ko Hla Min, Ko Tin Maung Aye, Ko Win Lwin, Ko Tin Tun
EE69er breakfast gathering
EE69er Gathering
The group photo shows :
Standing : Ko Maung Maung, Ko Thein Swe, Ko Shwe
Seated : Ko Hla Min, Ko Than Hla (Cyril)
Ko Shwe is Treasurer for the 69er HCF and the EE 69er HCF.
Ko Maung Maung played volleyball at RIT. He is Joint Treasurer of the EE 69er HCF.
At Winner Inn
Winner Inn
The photo was taken at Winner Inn.
Saya Dr. San Hla Aung (C58) came to pay respect to Sayagyi U Ba Than.
Sayagyi U Ba Toke
U Ba Toke
The photo was taken at Sayagyi U Ba Toke’s house.
Daw Thynn Thynn (Pansy, ChE74, daughter of Sayagyi) sent a car to Winner Inn to pick up Saya U Ba Than, Saya U Tin Htut (M60) and me.
U Ba Than pays respect to Sayagyi U Ba Toke at least once every year.
Sayagyi U Ba Toke is a “Phwa Bet” of Rangoon University and the First RU Students’ Strike in December 1920.
Sayagyi has eight children (of which two passed away), many grandchildren and some great grand children.
At Dhammananda Vihara
Half Moon Bay
Ko Sein Myint’s daughter and son-in-law offered soon to the resident monks of the Dhammanda Vihara, Half Moon Bay (in Northern California, USA) for the first birthday of their daughter.
Ko Sein Myint has five children and four grand children.
Attendees include Ko Tin Myint (John Lee, M69) and Ma Lyo Kyin Sein (Mabel Lee, T69).
Updates
U Ba Toke, U Ba Than, U Thein Lwin, Daw May Than Nwe, Kabar, Ko Thein Swe & Ko Tin Myint are now GBNF.
One may study Uniform Distribution in Probability & Statistics.
Some schools may mandate their students to wear uniform on specified days (and may be every day).
Bogyoke Aung San and U Thant had a debate on Uniform during their University days.
SPHS
SPHS Uniform
During our younger days, we had to perform drill at the School Sports and at the Aung San Stadium for specified events (e.g. Education Day Celebration). We had to dress up in uniform.
The full uniform consisted of
Kakki pants
Long sleeved white shirt
Necktie
Badge
Coat
SPHS Blazer & Badge
Burmese Dress for Males
Pasoe ပုဆိုး (or Longyi လုံခြည်)
Taik Pon တိုက်ပုံ
Gaung Baung ခေါင်းပေါင်း
The formal dress may be worn at functions (e.g. Award Presentation Ceremony).
U Nu
PPBRS Concert
Sailor
Aung Myint (later Thamankyar Ko Myint) & Toe Nyunt were wearing Sailor uniform
Engineering College
C58
Sayagyi U Ba Hli is seen in photos wearing a uniform.
U Ba Hli
UTC
Those joining UTC (Universities’ Training Corps) were two sets of old uniforms. Most prefer to buy or order their own.
UTC
RUBC
Rangoon University Boat Club (RUBC) awards Half Green, Full Green and Gold. RUBC specifies Dress Code for the award winners.
RUBC 1RUBC 2
Graduation
The Admin, Staff and graduates dress up in specified uniforms (e.g gown & cap)
USA Sports
In the USA, sports team have at least two sets of uniforms: one for playing at Home, and another for playing away.
There is a saying, “Speech is silver. Silence golden.”
It does not mean that we should stay silent all the time.
If one does not have meaningful things to say, it is better to remain silent rather than rambling or engaging in frivolous talk.
Duration of speech
The length of a speech varies.
President Abraham Lincoln was requested to give a “few appropriate remarks” at Gettysburg. His address consisted of ten sentences. It was delivered in less than two minutes (which was not long enough for the official photographer to record the historic moment).
Typically, Elevator speeches last 30 – 45 seconds, Impromptu Speech (e.g. Table Topics) last 1 – 2 minutes, Prepared Speeches last 5 – 7 minutes, TED talks lastless than 18 minutes), Keynote speeches last 45 – 60 minutes with Q&A.
Message
It is usually more important than the messenger.
The speaker should provide a “take away” or an “action item”.
Training / Aids
I had a book of the 40+ speeches given by notable people (e.g. Winston Churchill).
Rotary Club, Kiwani’s Club and Toastmasters International provide guidance and training for communication (Public Speaking and Leadership).
I am a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM).
Hla Min (DTM) 1 koHla Min (DTM) 2Toastmaster 1 Toastmaster 2
Speeches
Inaugural address by Abraham Lincoln
John F Kennedy’s speech about Moon Mission
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is known for “The Last Lecture”, where a Professor presents to an audience (e.g. those present for his forthcoming Retirement). Randy Pausch, who was diagnosed with Cancer, gave an up-lifting “The Last Lecture”. It can be viewed on You Tube. It has also been made into a book.
Steve Jobs gave a Commencement Speech at Stanford University. It can be viewed on the Internet. In three parts, he connected the dots (e.g. taking a Calligraphy course to the aesthetic Font designs on Apple Computers.
HlaMin 