Dear Chrzlie

Panorama No. 2, 2015 by Liu Wei

Dear Charlie,

It seems like everyone I know is eager to break free from their comfort zones and venture out into the world of independence. About time, I suppose. People must have been feeling suffocated by the familiarity of their cozy homes. Who would have thought that too much comfort could be so agonizing? I share similar sentiments, though. I've never been one to stay in my comfort zone for long. Even before the pandemic, I never had a permanent place to call home or find comfort, as I never truly felt at home in my own house and frequently moved from one place to another. I wonder if the struggle of settling down will always be a part of my life.

Lately, I've been having trouble finding a good enough apartment in Barcelona. Besides the issue on the high cost of living, there are also a lot of swindlers in Barcelona who are out to get foreigners like me. If I'm not careful, I could lose a lot of dough to these fraudsters and maybe even end up homeless. I'm planning on crashing at a friend's house before finding a place of my own. That way, I can save more and get better acquainted with the city. To survive in this bustling metropolis, I especially need to get familiar with the day-to-day activities of people living in the dark underbelly.

Growing up, the best advice I got was that if one day I consider living independently, I should explore the heart of all cities—the ghettos. By befriending or at least getting to know some of the inhabitants of these impoverished areas, I would become more familiar with the ins and outs of the city and gain confidence as I walk its streets. I've met several credible locals who showed me around the streets of Raval—my favorite not-so-friendly neighborhood densely populated with them lowlifes. There's that art dude who taught me everything I needed to know about graffiti, the shady-looking fat tour guide who's weirdly giddy all the time, the gang of street kids with brains baked in amphetamines, and the ugly af gypsy lady who tried to rob me.

I had a really good support system in Bcn. Really. Guess living on my own won't be all fun and games. Care to join me someday, Charlie?

Yours,

S