By the time this post goes live, I will probably be pretty close to Monument Valley.

As I write this post though, I’m still at home, maybe too excited to sleep even though I will need it with the 7-and-a-half hours drive ahead of me. Honestly, I’m giddy at the moment, like a kid running down the stairs on Christmas day, ready to tear into the presents.

This is my present to myself this year – a road trip to places mom would never go because (her words) there’s nothing to see.

My aunt and uncle decided to tag along but only for two days. My uncle is the one I don’t like. He’s someone worse than my mom, as in he throws a tantrum at a drop of a hat. But whatever, as long as I don’t have to ride in the same car or live in the same room with them, I don’t mind. I’ll still have 4 days to myself.

Beside, as much as I like to be alone, I am starting to get lonely, to the point that I’m willing to talk to anyone and I mean anyone. Maybe it was the reason why I picked up the phone that day. Maybe I’ve lonely all along as mom and I talked less and less.

Yesterday was a special day. It marked the 22nd year since the day I stepped foot in the U.S. How time flies, right?

Mom got very angry when she learned my cousin was heading back to China. “Why?” She asked. “What’s there in China that’s not in the U.S?”

“Everyone’s different.” I told her. “Perhaps he felt something there you didn’t.”

“I don’t see you want to go back.” She snapped. How can she compare me to my cousins? When I left, I was 10 years old. I was a loner in school. I didn’t own anything of value. If I was an adult, I could’ve been one of those individuals that can drop everything and leave. After so many years, the U.S has become my permanent home. Everything I own and have are here and I am absolutely thankful to have a home here.