April 5th, 2003 I arrived and slept in my old college friend’s walk-in closet. It was pretty comfortable to be honest. I knew one person. I had a backpack, half of which was filled with CD’s (pre-iPod era), a guitar and $300. But I had promise of a job and got my first weeks wages upfront. I could write a book about those first six months, but I can no longer relate to that person anymore.

If I have found a common thread amongst other immigrants, it is this – You only experience New York City for the first time, once. And you’ll spend the rest of your life here trying to recapture it.

I am an American citizen as of January 8th, 2019.

The blessings of liberty.