University of Evansville freshman Hlawn Kip Tlem mixes in quite well with her fellow students. She graduated from an Indianapolis area high school, majors in civil engineering and is enjoying her first taste of college life.Tlem's road to UE, though, is unlike that of anyone else on the campus. She and her family fled military rule in Burma (Myanmar) and went to Malaysia, were granted refugee status and then came to the United States in 2008.
So, one would think Tlem has some interesting stories to tell in the dorm room over pizza — a dish that she said she has come to really enjoy while living in the U.S. But Tlem said she remembers little about her distant past in Burma. She also is does not publicly discuss her views of the political situation in the country, where the United Nations, U.S. State Department and other organizations have said that violations of human rights are commonplace.
"It was just like a normal life. Go to school, study, play around," Tlem said of her upbringing in the country in Southeast Asia.
While growing up, "I didn't really think about going to another country. But my parents had to leave, and we had to leave ... I was really young."
The family of five children belongs to the Chin ethnic minority group, primarily found in western Burma near the country's border with India. It's been identified by world media as one of Burma's most frequently persecuted populations.
While in Malaysia, Tlem's family was granted refugee status by the United Nations. Those fleeing persecution may apply to live elsewhere in the world, but the screening process is lengthy. According to UE, only one half of 1 percent of those who apply are eventually relocated to another country.
UE says the United States admits 70,000 refugees each year, and many of them, including the Tlems, are helped by organizations such as Church World Service. The Tlems came to Indianapolis in 2008 and were assisted by Exodus, a nonprofit refugee resettlement organization affiliated with Church World Service. Exodus helped the family secure its most basic needs.
Learning fluent English was Tlem's biggest challenge in the U.S. "I spoke a little bit of it, word by word," she explained. "I was really afraid to question or ask people will be you please slow down."
But she picked it up quickly and excelled academically at Southport High School. While honing her language skills, she earned a full-tuition Lilly Endowment scholarship to attend UE. Her immediate family remains in the Indianapolis area.
Tlem has been given some big platforms from which to share the story of her family's journey. She spoke recently at the Church World Service 65th anniversary celebration in New York.
While there, she was interviewed for a CBS documentary called "Refugee Resettlement: Faith Communities Making a Difference."
"I only knew I would be there to give a brief speech (in New York)," she said. "Then I found out CBS wanted to interview me about the challenges I faced as a refugee, how difficult it was to adjust, and how I got involved with my community. At the time, I didn't realize it would be nationwide. I was nervous but excited."
The program also will feature stories about refugees from other countries. Locally, it will air on WEVV-CBS44 at 5:30 a.m. Oct. 2. For those who aren't awake at that hour, it will be available online at cbsnews.com/religionandculture.
Since the school year began at UE, Tlem has met a couple of a local Chin families and has enjoyed settling in, just as she did during her high school years in Indianapolis.
Students from nearly 50 countries are enrolled at UE.
"I love the people in Evansville," Tlem said.
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