Born on June 30th 1988, I was always destined to leave the island and do something greater…or at least explore the world. I would get lost at Disneyland when I was three years old and separate from my family at any given moment on vacations to just roam around freely and explore.
It was no wonder that when the internet came to pass globablly, I would find even greater things beyond the reach of my local music store. I found Japanese music, Japanese culture, Korean music, and Korean cultre. I found more about myself that I liked than I ever would’ve if I had stayed in the confines of the local industries.
Back in High School I ended up getting really into anime and manga over one summer, enchanted by the drawings of a cute love story based on the Chinese Zodiac. That manga was Fruits Basket and it still holds a special place in my heart. Through that manga I made many friends that have come and gone. By immersing myself into this world, I met more people than I ever thought I would by normal channels.
I would go to Borders so often and chat up so many people that I remember becoming recognized by random strangers. They’d all want to talk to me because they’d heard I was pretty funny and a cool person. I destroyed someone’s vision of a video game in those very shelves. I still laugh when I tell that story.
My best friend and I weren’t always besties. We were good pals and I was dating a mutual friend as we continued to bond. We don’t know exactly how it happened, how we became best friends, but we have no shame in admitting we share the same bond over the Jonas Brothers…and that it’s all my fault too. We went to a concert together and had the experience of our lives, Kevin Jonas saw my sign and the entire band laughed at our signs throughout the whole thing.
We also began to share the same passion for hot guys. We don’t always agree on some of them…but the second time we agreed, was the time I sent her Super Junior’s ‘It’s You’ video. We both fell in love with the group so much that we had to find out everything we could about them. We still share this obsession and catch up on it regularly since I’m more active in the genre than she is.
My family will always think of me as something different from the rest. While my sisters obsess over Spanish Men and British boy bands, I love Asian men and Asian cultire, so much so that I left Puerto Rico to go see them all on my own. My family was terrified that something would happen but I came back safe, much to their relief.
Talking about New York reminds me of that one weekend that will live in infamy for now among me and my friends. I had the experience of a lifetime in New York. I had the most amazing concert experience one could ever imagine. I got to see my favorite celeberities, be unimpressed by a group and luck into finding them almost constanly. Heck, I even got to meet my favorite member! I still can’t get over that. I got one of the most amazing weekends of my life.
Along with that, another one of my friends will always remember me from High School before we met in college. He’d kept his eye on me for the two years we went to the same school together. He saw me perform and knew that I’d be something to be reconked with…I still am.
Michi's World 