Very New to UNIX guys.

How do I make a UNIX box? I wanna have a UNIX box of my own. What do I need and how do I begin to set it up. I need to practice and can't lelnet into work or school UNIX boxes.

Please give me as much info and resources as possible.

If UNIX costs money, which Linux distribution is closet to the HP-UX? and where can I get it?

Thanks in advance to all....