The place I call home has changed so frequently and dynamically throughout my life that even now, I have difficulty choosing an answer. I was born in Korea, raised in Canada, Japan, Indonesia — yet I sit writing this pre-departure post in Evanston, IL. The choice to study abroad in Singapore was just as natural of a choice as the one to study abroad in the US for my undergraduate education. Having been tossed around geographically throughout my childhood, I’ve long been rendered numb to approaching new change, embracing global culture. Even so, the preparation period as I approach the next few months of my life remains serious. After all, the months would be spent in a completely new academic, social, and physical environment. There was bound to be unexpected changes and developments to arise, ones that I could not possibly plan for, and I was excited to be nearing opportunity for growth.
A lot of what I have thinking about as I prepare for this journey has been rooted in the process of personal development. Being in a different country, where moral tenets, core values, societal tendencies, boundaries and customs shift around you, breeds interesting room for change and growth. It is hard to say that any one person can remain the same person as they did before they travelled and lived in a new country. No matter the personal integrity, if the world and people around you changes, there is no doubt that certain personal characteristics are brought forward or sent to the periphery. I’m looking forward to some interesting change to come over my next few months in Singapore.