Things I've Learnt

When I was one,

I learnt that I was the centre of the universe

By the time I was four,

I learnt that my position as centre of the universe has been usurped by my brother

By the time I was five,

I learnt that raw chinese sausages do not taste nice

By the time I was seven,

I learnt that other little girls may not be as nice as they seem

By the time I was eight,

I learnt that I hated my brother

By the time I was ten,

I learnt that a brother was a handy thing to have around when you needed an ally against your sister

By the time I was eleven,

I learnt how much it hurts to have your forehead split open

By the time I was twelve,

I learnt how scary it is to have someone stalking you from your neighbour's balcony

By the time I was thirteen,

I learnt how terrible it is not to have your period when everyone else has

By the time I was fourteen,

I learnt how terrible it is to have your period

By the time I was sixteen,

I learnt that I am capable of excluding everything else except my studies

By the time I was eighteen,

I learnt that I could speak Mandarin

By the time I was twenty,

I learnt that leaving home is agony

By the time I was twenty- one,

I learnt that I wanted more

By the time I was twenty-two,

I learnt that I'm still learning, and would still be learning for the rest of my life