[Music] my name
my name
my name Rahul is Indian my dad is Singaporean
Rahul is Indian my dad is Singaporean
Rahul is Indian my dad is Singaporean but he was born in India and my mom is
but he was born in India and my mom is
but he was born in India and my mom is Indian but she was born in Bhutan
Indian but she was born in Bhutan
Indian but she was born in Bhutan on a sidenote she could have been a
on a sidenote she could have been a
on a sidenote she could have been a princess there but that’s besides the
princess there but that’s besides the
princess there but that’s besides the point and while my brother and I are
point and while my brother and I are
point and while my brother and I are both American he was born in New York
both American he was born in New York
both American he was born in New York and I was born in Texas I have two
and I was born in Texas I have two
and I was born in Texas I have two cousins who live in the States two more
cousins who live in the States two more
cousins who live in the States two more of who live in India and many friends
of who live in India and many friends
of who live in India and many friends from both Singapore and all over the
from both Singapore and all over the
from both Singapore and all over the world so I can truly say that I’m part
world so I can truly say that I’m part
world so I can truly say that I’m part of an international family on United
of an international family on United
of an international family on United Nations Day when I was seven my brother
Nations Day when I was seven my brother
Nations Day when I was seven my brother and I sat in different sections the day
and I sat in different sections the day
and I sat in different sections the day before we had this big argument he said
before we had this big argument he said
before we had this big argument he said that we should both sit in the US
that we should both sit in the US
that we should both sit in the US section because we were both born in the
section because we were both born in the
section because we were both born in the US but I said that we should both sit in
US but I said that we should both sit in
US but I said that we should both sit in the India section because well our
the India section because well our
the India section because well our parents were both from India he
parents were both from India he
parents were both from India he disagreed so we sat in our different
disagreed so we sat in our different
disagreed so we sat in our different sections but the next year i sat in the
sections but the next year i sat in the
sections but the next year i sat in the US section because I didn’t have a
US section because I didn’t have a
US section because I didn’t have a country to call my own an American going
country to call my own an American going
country to call my own an American going to an American school seems pretty
to an American school seems pretty
to an American school seems pretty straightforward but I still struggled to
straightforward but I still struggled to
straightforward but I still struggled to fit in for the first almost year I
fit in for the first almost year I
fit in for the first almost year I mainly hung out with the new kids which
mainly hung out with the new kids which
mainly hung out with the new kids which sparked this real need to fit in I’ve
sparked this real need to fit in I’ve
sparked this real need to fit in I’ve seen that need persist in and out of
seen that need persist in and out of
seen that need persist in and out of school over the summer I went to the
school over the summer I went to the
school over the summer I went to the Grand Canyon and as I was hiking down I
Grand Canyon and as I was hiking down I
Grand Canyon and as I was hiking down I met another hiker who was hiking up we
met another hiker who was hiking up we
met another hiker who was hiking up we got to talking and I caught myself using
got to talking and I caught myself using
got to talking and I caught myself using really strong American accent using
really strong American accent using
really strong American accent using terms like soccer instead of football
terms like soccer instead of football
terms like soccer instead of football you know all of this just to fit in with
you know all of this just to fit in with
you know all of this just to fit in with this person that I’d never met in my
this person that I’d never met in my
this person that I’d never met in my life
life
life and would probably never meet again the
and would probably never meet again the
and would probably never meet again the same can be said about Singapore if I
same can be said about Singapore if I
same can be said about Singapore if I meet a stranger I use a more global
meet a stranger I use a more global
meet a stranger I use a more global British accent using terms obviously
British accent using terms obviously
British accent using terms obviously like football instead of soccer and in
like football instead of soccer and in
like football instead of soccer and in India well the pattern continues so when
India well the pattern continues so when
India well the pattern continues so when somebody asked me where are you from
somebody asked me where are you from
somebody asked me where are you from what normally ends up happening is I say
what normally ends up happening is I say
what normally ends up happening is I say funny story about me my dad is
funny story about me my dad is
funny story about me my dad is Singaporean but he was born in India bla
Singaporean but he was born in India bla
Singaporean but he was born in India bla bla bla bla bla and most people are a
bla bla bla bla and most people are a
bla bla bla bla and most people are a bit confused and I realized it wasn’t
bit confused and I realized it wasn’t
bit confused and I realized it wasn’t the best answer to their question or
the best answer to their question or
the best answer to their question or mine so I asked
mine so I asked
mine so I asked parents where did they feel at home my
parents where did they feel at home my
parents where did they feel at home my dad said it was India the place that he
dad said it was India the place that he
dad said it was India the place that he was born and now it would be Singapore
was born and now it would be Singapore
was born and now it would be Singapore the place that he lives but my mom said
the place that he lives but my mom said
the place that he lives but my mom said that even though she wasn’t born there
that even though she wasn’t born there
that even though she wasn’t born there she would say her home was India because
she would say her home was India because
she would say her home was India because she created so many memories there that
she created so many memories there that
she created so many memories there that it became home to her armed with these
it became home to her armed with these
it became home to her armed with these two different answers I had to figure it
two different answers I had to figure it
two different answers I had to figure it out on my own and that is what all
out on my own and that is what all
out on my own and that is what all chosen should be able to do they should
chosen should be able to do they should
chosen should be able to do they should be able to figure it out because even
be able to figure it out because even
be able to figure it out because even though your parents make a lot of
though your parents make a lot of
though your parents make a lot of decisions for you when you’re younger it
decisions for you when you’re younger it
decisions for you when you’re younger it isn’t their job to put you in the box
isn’t their job to put you in the box
isn’t their job to put you in the box that they envision for you
that they envision for you
that they envision for you it isn’t your own job to put yourself
it isn’t your own job to put yourself
it isn’t your own job to put yourself into the mold that somebody else has
into the mold that somebody else has
into the mold that somebody else has envisioned for you
envisioned for you
envisioned for you know it’s your job to take the platform
know it’s your job to take the platform
know it’s your job to take the platform and the opportunities that you’ve been
and the opportunities that you’ve been
and the opportunities that you’ve been given by your parents and your peers and
given by your parents and your peers and
given by your parents and your peers and create your own identity around that for
create your own identity around that for
create your own identity around that for me this was a bit complicated because I
me this was a bit complicated because I
me this was a bit complicated because I was born in the States grew up
was born in the States grew up
was born in the States grew up surrounded by Americans but my parents
surrounded by Americans but my parents
surrounded by Americans but my parents my grandparents my blood is Indian to
my grandparents my blood is Indian to
my grandparents my blood is Indian to top it all off I live in Singapore a
top it all off I live in Singapore a
top it all off I live in Singapore a tiny island in Asia that some people
tiny island in Asia that some people
tiny island in Asia that some people think is the capital of China it isn’t
think is the capital of China it isn’t
think is the capital of China it isn’t the point is to figure out where I
the point is to figure out where I
the point is to figure out where I belong I had to lay out all the facts in
belong I had to lay out all the facts in
belong I had to lay out all the facts in front of me I’ve lived in Singapore for
front of me I’ve lived in Singapore for
front of me I’ve lived in Singapore for a long time and a byproduct of that is
a long time and a byproduct of that is
a long time and a byproduct of that is memories Singapore has created so many
memories Singapore has created so many
memories Singapore has created so many memories for me and it’s not just that
memories for me and it’s not just that
memories for me and it’s not just that it’s also subtly that’ll change the way
it’s also subtly that’ll change the way
it’s also subtly that’ll change the way I perceive normal what’s familiar to me
I perceive normal what’s familiar to me
I perceive normal what’s familiar to me and what’s comfortable to me a few years
and what’s comfortable to me a few years
and what’s comfortable to me a few years ago I was at the field at my school and
ago I was at the field at my school and
ago I was at the field at my school and the teacher asked the entire class to
the teacher asked the entire class to
the teacher asked the entire class to name a few things that they heard and
name a few things that they heard and
name a few things that they heard and not one person said cars or traffic
not one person said cars or traffic
not one person said cars or traffic which is very surprising because our
which is very surprising because our
which is very surprising because our school field is at the intersection of
school field is at the intersection of
school field is at the intersection of two major highways the constant hum of
two major highways the constant hum of
two major highways the constant hum of traffic has become so routine for me
traffic has become so routine for me
traffic has become so routine for me that without it something will always
that without it something will always
that without it something will always feel off over the summer I went to the
feel off over the summer I went to the
feel off over the summer I went to the United States the West it’s very remote
United States the West it’s very remote
United States the West it’s very remote and it took me an extra 30 minutes to
and it took me an extra 30 minutes to
and it took me an extra 30 minutes to fall asleep because my lullaby the
fall asleep because my lullaby the
fall asleep because my lullaby the traffic was missing most places I go in
traffic was missing most places I go in
traffic was missing most places I go in Singapore I have memories of doing
Singapore I have memories of doing
Singapore I have memories of doing something there too
something there too
something there too if I go past Boogie’s I think to myself
if I go past Boogie’s I think to myself
if I go past Boogie’s I think to myself that’s the place that I did Taekwondo
that’s the place that I did Taekwondo
that’s the place that I did Taekwondo when I was little or when I go passport
when I was little or when I go passport
when I was little or when I go passport canning I
canning I
canning I to myself that’s the place that my best
to myself that’s the place that my best
to myself that’s the place that my best friend had a seventh birthday and that
friend had a seventh birthday and that
friend had a seventh birthday and that is the most important part about finding
is the most important part about finding
is the most important part about finding home it combines people with places and
home it combines people with places and
home it combines people with places and adds memories into the mix the longing
adds memories into the mix the longing
adds memories into the mix the longing is also the hardest part about finding
is also the hardest part about finding
is also the hardest part about finding home because yeah I felt like I belonged
home because yeah I felt like I belonged
home because yeah I felt like I belonged with with the people at my school and at
with with the people at my school and at
with with the people at my school and at my school but did I feel like I belong
my school but did I feel like I belong
my school but did I feel like I belong the outside of my little bubble in my
the outside of my little bubble in my
the outside of my little bubble in my everyday life I don’t get to interact
everyday life I don’t get to interact
everyday life I don’t get to interact with many local Singaporeans so how was
with many local Singaporeans so how was
with many local Singaporeans so how was I supposed to find the people that I
I supposed to find the people that I
I supposed to find the people that I connected with even though I didn’t know
connected with even though I didn’t know
connected with even though I didn’t know it then three and a half years ago I was
it then three and a half years ago I was
it then three and a half years ago I was given this amazing opportunity though I
given this amazing opportunity though I
given this amazing opportunity though I was kicking screaming and admittedly
was kicking screaming and admittedly
was kicking screaming and admittedly crying I went to this free drama
crying I went to this free drama
crying I went to this free drama workshop that my parents forced me to go
workshop that my parents forced me to go
workshop that my parents forced me to go to I still go there and I do stay
to I still go there and I do stay
to I still go there and I do stay because I love theater but I stayed
because I love theater but I stayed
because I love theater but I stayed because of these amazing wonderful
because of these amazing wonderful
because of these amazing wonderful people that I met at the beginning of
people that I met at the beginning of
people that I met at the beginning of the week I had no idea who any of them
the week I had no idea who any of them
the week I had no idea who any of them were but by the end of it I was able to
were but by the end of it I was able to
were but by the end of it I was able to share my fears with them I was able to
share my fears with them I was able to
share my fears with them I was able to make a fool of myself in front of them
make a fool of myself in front of them
make a fool of myself in front of them and that is the most important part
and that is the most important part
and that is the most important part about finding home yes I felt like I
about finding home yes I felt like I
about finding home yes I felt like I found I found people who resonated with
found I found people who resonated with
found I found people who resonated with me and I found people that I resonated
me and I found people that I resonated
me and I found people that I resonated with we can see from all of these
with we can see from all of these
with we can see from all of these examples that home isn’t just a place
examples that home isn’t just a place
examples that home isn’t just a place it’s memories and people it’s a story
it’s memories and people it’s a story
it’s memories and people it’s a story it’s my parents it’s my brother
it’s my parents it’s my brother
it’s my parents it’s my brother it’s my cousins it’s that one drama
it’s my cousins it’s that one drama
it’s my cousins it’s that one drama workshop I told you about I’m still 15
workshop I told you about I’m still 15
workshop I told you about I’m still 15 so I’m still on this journey I’m still
so I’m still on this journey I’m still
so I’m still on this journey I’m still figuring things out but don’t ask me
figuring things out but don’t ask me
figuring things out but don’t ask me where my home is because it’s not just a
where my home is because it’s not just a
where my home is because it’s not just a place instead ask me what’s my story
place instead ask me what’s my story
place instead ask me what’s my story thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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