In Asia, it’s not uncommon for young boys to be sent to a temple or a monastery to become a monk from a young age. The children are often from poor families who see this as a way for the kids to get regular meals and a free education.
We met this young boy at our hotel in Bagan. He seemed a little young to be a real novice monk, since they usually start at the age of 7. We gathered that his parents actually worked at the hotel, since he was just quietly sitting around playing by himself. He was quite shy, and had been crying about something immediately before. A teardrop hung on his long lashes for a while before he finally smudged it with his sleeve. He seemed to have a bit too much melancholy for a young man his age though, I do hope that he’s a happier boy now 🙂
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