Before anything, we are all human beings and that is what matters.

When I was in primary school, I haven't been the most receptive or willing to engage with people from different races. This was due to a mixture of reasons: the lack of opportunity to mix with kids from other races as I went to a Chinese school and also due to certain stereotypes towards them.

However, when I got on to secondary school, I was classmates with an Indian for two years and came to realise that there is literally nothing to differentiate myself and him besides our skin colour and probably religion. Before anything, we are all human beings and that is what matters. We are good friends since secondary school and still are. If anything, I was able to learn more about the Indian culture from being friends with him than before.

Besides, I was on the same debating team as a Malay girl with which we became really good friends. I realised that it is only when you take the opportunity to speak to people from different cultures and open up, then only will you be able to understand and get along with them.

I am grateful to have known them and I would like to thank them for making me open up to different cultures.

It is while I write this that I realise we haven't met up in a while for various reasons. Guess it's time to arrange some reunions.

Ken Lim