When I came to London from the US, I did not know what to expect. Would I run into Idris Elba and fall in love? What was a chicken shop? Who do I address as ‘bossman’ when I go to the shop?

I could have made a million and one guesses about my trajectory in the UK and I still never would have seen myself living in empty commercial properties, but here I am. Yes, you read that right.

After living in London for approximately nine months, in the summer of 2022 I was facing the housing crisis and a poor job market head on while still finishing a university degree. As my student housing came to a close I chose to take a leap with my friends and began squatting to save money.