I was sitting on the ground today during volleyball practice and realized that I had finally managed to catch a glimpse of "the other me."

That is, the me that exists in the world where my parents did not emigrate to Canada, rather, staying in Singapore. I would have been born and raised in Singapore. I would probably know a somewhat useful amount of Malay, Mandarin and possibly Hokkien (at least, in a nearly infinitely greater capacity than I currently do). I would not carry a Canadian accent. I would have no affinity for snow. I would not be studying at the University of Waterloo. I would only be in first or second year university due to NS. I would only know how to drive on the left side of the road, or perhaps I wouldn't even have my drivers license yet.

I would likely be sitting somewhere in Singapore, much like I was doing tonight. Somewhere on campus. Doing something. It's a bit strange when I think about it. How in the dimensions of space and time, if a parallel world were to exist where I was raised as a Singaporean, I would probably now be within 1 km of myself.

Whether or not I would have picked up volleyball is a whole other question, entirely dependent on life choices on my part, and those who I would have grown up with in Singapore.

So I can't say for sure that I would have been sitting on a volleyball court the same way I was earlier this night.

But still, it's funny to think about it.

It seems that who you are is not entirely due to your own personal choices (though in many cases, perhaps it is). On the contrary, it seems to me that who you are can be largely due to the choices and actions of those around you.