Intrepid Paths makes visible undocumented everyday experiences that shape the lives of ordinary Burmese women. The intrepid spirits of these women enable them to face the unimaginable choices needed to survive and thrive.  It is a reminder of the values, dreams, and fears that sit within each of us. Sharing and preserving these stories stimulates awareness for this country hidden from the world for 50 plus years.

 

     Through the lyrical, dramatic stories of Burmese women’s lives, Mociulski, a decades-long advocate for women and the mysterious land of Burma, reveals the realities of life behind the iron gates. The uniqueness of Intrepid Paths is its presentation of life in Burma before opening to the world in 2010, during its short period of freedom, and after the 2021 coup. Although written by a Westerner, Mociulski’s engagement with the country and its people presents an informed, credible, unique perspective to this hidden land.

 

     Utilizing an embedded narrative memoir structure, Mociulski links her life story of choosing the unknown paths to the experiences of the women she continues to empower in Burma. The stories embedded in her memoir are fiction, based on real-life scenarios of women known to her. The stories illustrate the intrepid paths followed by Burmese women as they navigate the fragile political and cultural obstacles faced in Burma. To further illuminate the lives of these women and girls, Mociulski intends to include several of her photos associated with the stories.