My name is Isana Pillai, and I was born on the sunny island of Singapore, a tiny dot down in South East Asia. Barely visible unless you zoom in really closely on Google Maps, it’s a city-state packed with over 5 million people from many different countries and walks of life. It’s crowded, lively, overwhelming, noisy, and always smells of good food. It’s home. And so it was sad to have to leave for university, even though I’d left before, to complete my Grade 12 in Ontario. Just thinking about it right now makes me feel incredibly homesick. But the one thing that stood out to me the most about UBC when choosing where to go was the one thing that we just didn’t have back home – mountains. Scenery. Breathtaking views right from campus, the great outdoors at your doorstep. It’s something I, as a city-girl, have never had the chance to experience. Which is why despite how difficult it was to pack my bags and prepare for four years away from everything I loved, there’s still a spark of excitement in me to discover what Vancouver has to offer; a spark that will definitely never diminish throughout my time here.
Life has its ups and downs. It’s not easy, nor was it ever meant to be. There’s always that one part of something you’re writing that makes you want to leave black inkblots all over it, that ends with teardrops staining the page. We all have our struggles. What particularly interests me about life narratives that I’d like to pursue in this course is how some people are able to pick themselves up and keep going, despite how downtrodden they may be. Take Oprah Winfrey for example. Now, she’s unbelievably successful, with a talk show said to be the best of its kind to have ever existed, and the title of the “world’s most influential woman” from many – even the President of the U.S. shares this sentiment. It’s difficult to imagine how she got to where she is today, considering the traumatic childhood she underwent, involving a history of sexual abuse, being raped as a child and becoming pregnant at fourteen. She suffered unbelievable emotional pain that would have crushed anyone’s spirits, but yet pulled through to become the inspirational figure she is today. To me, being able to fight one’s demons and come out on top is a truly admirable feat. Stories like these make me curious about how people are able to find hope even in their darkest times- it’s a question I’d love to find an answer to.