Volunteers for the SEA Games Aykare (left) and Zin Wint.They are young, well-educated and have devoted over a year in training to represent their country at the Southeast Asian Games this December in Myanmar.
And the over 5,000-strong army of Burmese student volunteers harbour high hopes of leaving an impression on visitors from the rest of the region.
"Myanmar will be a winner," said Zin Wint Htet, 18, a receptionist at the press centre in host city Naypyidaw. Equally "sure that the SEA Games will be successful" was 21-year-old media liaison officer Naw May Lyar Soe.
Their optimism mirrored that of sports ministry director Htay Aung, who told AFP the country is "100 percent ready" for the biggest sporting event it has ever seen, with nearly 10,000 athletes, officials, media and fans bound for Myanmar over 22 days of competition.
But the lead-up to the opening ceremony on 11 December has already raised "difficulties" over accommodation, security, accreditation and logistics, admitted some volunteers that Yahoo Singapore spoke to.
"There have been mistakes, but we cannot satisfy everyone," said Khai Wittyee Htet, 18, a liaisons officer at the Athletes' Village. "We try our best."
Once-in-a-lifetime
About "95 per cent" of the volunteers are university students or graduates who put their studies and careers on hold, because participating in the SEA Games is "very important", according to Htet Naing Lin, 20, protocol in-charge at the Athletes' Village.
"We haven't hosted the Games in 44 years," said the civil engineering student, who took two semesters off to prepare for his role.
Remuneration is modest at best, with the volunteers paid up to US$100 a month, but most insist the "experience" is worth it. Plus, said Htet, they will receive a letter of appreciation for bragging rights to future employers.
Even then, the greater good seems to remain an overarching factor, with many perceiving the Games as an opportunity for Myanmar to finally make its presence felt after decades of cloistered existence.
"We'll come out (of this) with friendly country relations," said 19-year-olds Ommar Aye and Thin Zar Htet Aung, both English majors who were stationed at the welcome centre.
Another volunteer, Yu Ya, 19, who is a business degree-holder with dreams of furthering her studies overseas, said confidently, "The foreigners will remember us for our hospitality… I believe in Myanmar."
More SEA Games content on Yahoo Sports Singapore.
Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/12/04/myanmar-youth-rooting-for-their-nation-to-shine-at-sea-games/
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