Hello Los Angeles. Hello friend.

I'm back in L.A now. Fiona Connor picked me up from Long Beach airport. It was really great to see her. Before leaving NZ I was very conscious of this being a huge solo adventure and I was looking forward to tackling America on my own. But I realise now that having a friend here is so important. Fiona, her friend Sasha and I went down to the beach and had a swim. It was pretty disgusting water (comparable to Takapuna on a bad day) but so enjoyable nonetheless. We cruised around the city, got my suitcases out of storage and cleaned up at Sasha's folks' home in Studio City. Being able to crack jokes and compare experiences as New Zealanders is invaluable, especially since we can relate artistically (and Fiona has considerably more knowledge about the U.S than I do). I am very excited about the future and feel that I am starting to find my footing here.

Today I hung out in the house that Amy Howden-Chapman and Fiona are house sitting for a few months (again, very lovely to meet Amy and extend 'Team Kiwi'). It is owned by a very Christian family who obviously love their home and put a lot of money into it. Everything is big... the oven, the fridge, the milk cartons, the sauce bottles... it is quite surreal to be making myself comfortable in what might be thought of as a quintessential American home when the owners aren't here. I don't belong at all, yet here I am, happily making a cup of tea and cooking a fried egg on toast. Funny how quickly one can adjust to their surroundings. We also cooked dinner which helped me to feel like I am settling in. So far, America is a fine place to be.