Growing up in such a small suburb of a town doesn’t give you much space to grow or adventure out of your life. Seeing the same kids through elementary to highschool you become so familiar with everyone and everything around you. Although living in a town like Newbury Park, being so intimate and simple, there is so much to offer around it. The closest beach being only a 20-30 minute drive and in the reverse direction in about an hour, the city of Los Angeles. My town is home to some of my best friends that have stuck by me from the beginning, and also my closest family being just a 10 minute drive from my house. But being so intimate allows everyone to see your flaws. Not a single thing can be done without most of the people around you knowing all about it. There is so much beauty within our small town, from the amazing roads of Hidden Valley where many celebrities have been spotted to the amazing Rancho Sierra mountain trail. The trail that used to be so beautiful and green, beholding all the elegance of the city, only to have it burned down and stripped of all its nature and love. I like to think of the fire that burned the charm and grace of our mountains as a sign of growth and coming together. It brought the community closer and more of a family trying to regrow and regenerate the land. As the mountains heal we heal together, closer and stronger as we fought the fire and did everything in our power to protect everyone. From the beautiful ocean to the remnants of our Rancho Mountains, we are one and such a big obstacle can’t destroy the wonderful intimacy of our beautiful town.