Santa Monica Beach, originally uploaded by anthonynguyen.

After arriving California on June 2nd, 2008, and sharing a room with my uncle in my cousin’s house for three weeks, then moving out to share a room with five guys in a house of 13 random strangers, in a neighborhood where apparently O.J. Simpson murdered his wife, I have officially declared my independence. I am now a free soul wandering aimlessly to figure out…life? Find myself? Maybe, but first I must find a place to live without having to wait in line to use the shower, hold my #1s (and sometimes #2) until the “fumes” cleared out in the John, wonder where my food went and why the refrigerator won’t close, and finally remind myself not to lend money to complete strangers who happens to be a meth addict. Like woa.

Before I get too far, let’s rewind back to how I got here in the first place.