Seeking its warm spot in the/ Cold soil of the expanse

Drats. I am nursing the onset of a wicked sore throat, with auditions in a couple of days. After all the missed opportunities back home, I've decided not to let this chance go by without a shot at it; auditioning to be in musicals. "Chicago" auditions is on Sunday and the "Copacabana" ones are next week. The week after will also be for the Big Band's singer.

After just barely 2 weeks here, one realises how much greater this global pond is. Or rather how perochial my view was back home. Now, possibly, I have a glimpse of why peeps back home grouse about the influx of foreign talent who unseat their employment; something which I earlier did not sympathise with.

Regardless of it being a sport, a political party, musicals or academics, an average 19 year old student here at Warwick may have done the following:
1. Played at the state level for a sport, and still not make Warwick's team
2. Joined a political party and stood for local elections
3. Done 6 musicals before, and lead actor in all
4. Studied law & politics at A Levels, and spouting statements like "globalisation as a march of imperialism"
The list goes on.

And I, an average 21-year-old from Singapore has barely skimmed the surface of other activities at these levels of commitment. I am definitely not discouting what an avergage Singaporean kid does back home, the O Levels, A Levels SATS blah (the peeps from other countries do those too), but outside the classroom, it is hard, in my opinion, to find avergage SIngaporeans dedicated to a CCA at similar levels of participation and commitment.

Again, this is a sweeping statement, but it is exactly how I feel talking to these kids younger than I. No doubt, I pride our local boys on going to army with the artillery, but here is another guy who has been doing humanitarian work since 13, and acting out his convictions by being an avid activist.

Well, whatever truth that lies beneath the broad assumptions I have made above, this is my opportunity to take in the sights of this greater world that I have long been shielded from through my mundane humdrum back home.

Amidst the Coventry greens
Do I seek the budding hope of
Autumn magpies and hungry
Squirrels.
An alien blossom
Seeking its warm spot in the
Cold soil of the expanse
Of this small Universe.
There is always something
Bigger out there.

Uncle T