Conquistadors were the Spanish and Portuguese conquerors who fought to colonize American land during the Spanish conquest of America in the 16th century. 'Conquistador' is also the name of a small gated community located in the city of Stuart on the east coast of Florida where each year I vacation with family. During these vacations - prime time for solitude and self-reflection - I used the camera as a tool to conquer my state of mind as a foreigner (Brit) arriving in a new country (America) almost two decades ago. Linked thematically more than pictorially, the following vignettes encapsulate my then sense of belonging as I grappled with feelings of home, place, culture and identity.