"A couple cuts and bruises were easy to hide."
As cliche as it might sound, my excursion to San Francisco has given me a whole new perspective on my life. While I have to admit that (in ways) I'm still more fond of New York City than San Francisco, this trip really had an impact on me. Not only has the experience granted me some insight into my unhealthy habits, but it has also lent some insight into my world in Michigan.
The personal stuff is important. At home, I am more likely to eat meals that are unhealthy in some way. Though it could be easily attributed to the busy-ness of sightseeing, being cost efficient or being slightly uncomfortable in a new situation, I very rarely made poor meal decisions in San Francisco. No eating when bored. Snacks were usually healthy. Portion sizes were smaller. Organic foods were more readily available. The differences were huge.
And I walked my ass off. There wasn't a day when I wasn't out in the sun, walking several blocks or even miles. Were my legs and feet sore? Yes. Did walking everywhere make me cranky? Yes. Was it worth it? Definitely. I wouldn't trade the blisters on my feet, or my sunburned nose, for anything. I might have teased about wanting a hover-board or a Segway during the trip, but I can honestly say that the physical activity was one aspect of San Francisco that I missed immediately.
I can walk around Flint, but it's not the same. The sights to see and places to visit, while rewarding, don't reach me in the same way. In Flint, I don't have access to a library that provides sections dedicated specifically to my field of study or to my communities. The great majority of our art galleries and museums don't bring to light relevant social concerns. The quirky stores, the public meeting places: those things don't really exist here. Not in any noteworthy variation. It frustrates me.
One part of me absolutely loves Flint. The city has overcome a lot of obstacles, and it is very much home to me. Its regular visitors have an undeniable spark, and are generally kind and interesting characters. The other part now recognizes that the Flint area, like my current American Culture professor, is limiting. We are driven into little boxes, rarely given opportunities to do big things, and are expected to accept (with gratitude) this way of life. If acceptance doesn't come naturally, or a desire to change the shape of this box is made known, we are criticized for it and deemed ungrateful.
I need more. Especially now, after I've seen that it exists.
The personal stuff is important. At home, I am more likely to eat meals that are unhealthy in some way. Though it could be easily attributed to the busy-ness of sightseeing, being cost efficient or being slightly uncomfortable in a new situation, I very rarely made poor meal decisions in San Francisco. No eating when bored. Snacks were usually healthy. Portion sizes were smaller. Organic foods were more readily available. The differences were huge.
And I walked my ass off. There wasn't a day when I wasn't out in the sun, walking several blocks or even miles. Were my legs and feet sore? Yes. Did walking everywhere make me cranky? Yes. Was it worth it? Definitely. I wouldn't trade the blisters on my feet, or my sunburned nose, for anything. I might have teased about wanting a hover-board or a Segway during the trip, but I can honestly say that the physical activity was one aspect of San Francisco that I missed immediately.
I can walk around Flint, but it's not the same. The sights to see and places to visit, while rewarding, don't reach me in the same way. In Flint, I don't have access to a library that provides sections dedicated specifically to my field of study or to my communities. The great majority of our art galleries and museums don't bring to light relevant social concerns. The quirky stores, the public meeting places: those things don't really exist here. Not in any noteworthy variation. It frustrates me.
One part of me absolutely loves Flint. The city has overcome a lot of obstacles, and it is very much home to me. Its regular visitors have an undeniable spark, and are generally kind and interesting characters. The other part now recognizes that the Flint area, like my current American Culture professor, is limiting. We are driven into little boxes, rarely given opportunities to do big things, and are expected to accept (with gratitude) this way of life. If acceptance doesn't come naturally, or a desire to change the shape of this box is made known, we are criticized for it and deemed ungrateful.
I need more. Especially now, after I've seen that it exists.