Michelle Barroga
16 September 2013
RD1
Word Count: 826

Concrete Jungle

We all go through experiences that changes us. The experiences that transforms us the most are the ones we remember in greatest detail. In that moment, we are able to take a step back and reevaluate where we are in our lives. [THESIS]Sometimes these changes in life allow us to learn things about ourselves that we never knew were there.[THESIS]

It was two years ago when I moved to, what most locals call, “the concrete jungle.” It was a complete change-- coming from the quiet, slow-paced town of Lihue, Kauai, to the hustle and bustle of Oahu. I didn’t know what to expect when I moved here. I had a lot on my mind, and being in a relationship at the time, all I could think of was how we were going to get through this big change together.

Remembering the first day walking into my new room, the feelings that flooded me were unreal. I was in complete denial that this bare, white-walled, 12 by 14 feet room is what I would be calling “home” for the next couple of years. It had one window that stretched across from one end of the room to the other and came down from the ceiling to about one-fourth of the way down. The wood floors looked as if the person who put it together didn’t know what they were doing, because there were spaces between the boards. Even though I called it home, it didn’t feel like home. It was in dire need of a makeover. The first few weeks were rough. I had a hard time sleeping with all the thoughts of home flooding my head, which made me homesick. The screeching sound of ambulances passing by 2-3 times every other hour also played a huge factor in my insomnia. The one thing I can’t complain about is my view of the busy street of Piikoi. As I look down from my balcony, I see cars coming and going. To my left I see the mountains of Makiki. To my right it overlooks an elementary school that reminds me of my care-free days where all I worried about was cooties and ukus. In the far distance, between the buildings of Honolulu and Waikiki, I get a glimpse of Ala Moana beach. I also get my very own firework show that the Hilton Hawaiian Village put on every Friday night at 7:45pm. To some, it may not seem much, but when it gets to be around 6pm, the sun casts a beautiful ray over the city of Honolulu that takes your breath away.

Coming to this concrete jungle was a major step for me. In all my 21 years of living at home, I’ve never experienced being on my own. When I required something, my parents were always in arms length if I needed help. Yes, you can say I was very privileged, so this whole idea of independence was a little tricky for me. Living at home, everything came so easy. Cabinets were always stocked, food was already cooked and ready to eat, laundry was done, bills were paid,