In Pursuit of Happiness
Preamble, United States Declaration of Independence:We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
Millions of people have since come to America to pursue their happiness.
Standing below the Statue of Liberty, I ask myself: Why did I come to America?
1. To pursue a dream: to be working and learning at the forefront of biomedical sciences. The TAs, lectures, mid-terms and students have somehow disillusioned me, though I am still hoping that my lab experience here would not be disappointing...
2. To have a different experience, and go home with a different perspective. Yup indeed that is working for me; I have started to realise things which I couldn't have known if I stayed at home.
3. To be under a different system. That is why I still chose to come to the US despite Cambridge is ranked 2nd, NUS is ranked 19th and Hopkins is ranked 23rd. It enabled me to give Ching Hua a lecture regarding criminal law when he brought up the issue of 'wrongful conviction' (and him to me when we were talking about Abraham, Isaac and Faith). It gave me the possibility of double-majoring in History of Science, and taking classes in anthropology and electron microscopy. Though I must admit, I need to always put in conscious effort to make sure that I am better than the rest here in terms of core work in order to keep up the standard...
4. To be independent. I am now fully confident that I can survive on my own, taking every facet of my life in my own hands. And nag back at my mum to get her to consult her doctor for check-ups.
5. To see the world. I have travelled far and wide this year, from Bangkok to Vienna to New York City, taking off from runways 16 times, passing through 10 airports in total. Some friends of mine are in Guatamala, Puerto Rico; some had followed relief organisations to Africa; some are planning to go to Iceland. Further plans already in mind include the UK and Mt. Kinabalu. I am also determined to go to Boston and New York more often. If I don't travel now, when can I travel? Hence, although I do miss home, why go home when I don't have to?
Though all these do come with a price:
1. I have to take care of myself: I have to make my own soup (instead of my mum making it for me); juggle between schoolwork, housework, and others; and I can no longer expect food to be on the table waiting for me when I get back home...
2. I have to pay for everything: from the cheapest bottle of salt to my room. Nothing can be taken for granted anymore.
3. Missing home: home recreated overseas is still not home. You will understand this when you are alone in your room staring at the world map, or walking along Inner Habour while GCS is talking some nonsense to you.
4. A bleak prospect of leaving the S.A.D.: with 3+1+5(3+0/1/2) years all at different places, what propects are you talking about? Though I really respect that prof who proposed inside his tissue culture room. Tk/GCS/Jeff don't laugh. You guys are not any better. And Kx please kindly refrain from elaborating.
The Founding Fathers did not make 'happiness' a birthright. 'Pursuit of Happiness' is. Well, whether or not I succeed in pursuing happiness, only time will tell, and only I will know...
