Sense of Place

                                                              YOUR NEIGBORHOOD

" You can't know who you are until you know where you are" -Wendell Berry

In today's world you never hear of someone going on a nature walk, just wanting to sit outside on a beatufil day, or taking a pinic. At least the people I surround myself with say comments along those lines. In today's world everyone is into who has the nicest car, playing with video games, or just doing anything that does not relate to being outside because it is either too hot or too cold. People are not thankful for the beatiful planet we live on and do not advantage of it.




This picture was taken from our sail boat... My family and I were
anchored near a private beach in the Virgin Islands

Where I feel most at home is out in the ocean on my family's sail boat. The boat is kept in Puerto Rico where we travel to several times a year. Being on the ocean and just sailing is the only time I have to clear my mind and think. This is the only place that I can just let go and relax. I feel like one with the ocean, knowing that we are moving with just the power of the wind. 


I think being out on the ocean makes me feel at home because all my childhood memories that I think of are of our family vacations to the beach. Ever since I could remember my family and I were at the beach or on the boat. Just knowing the ocean is so huge and so many different animals and living things live in it makes it incredible to think about. Being on the ocean is so relaxing to me because I am able to get away from all the stress and worries I have. I am with my family spending time with everyone and not having to worry about leaving to go do something or going to work. We can all just be together and that means a lot to me because my family is my rock. I love being out on the ocean so much because it is a place were  my family has always shared time together.

Blue Chip is the name of our boat



 

 I live in an apartment community of college students. Our complex is built near FGCU campus and it has 12 apartment buildings each with 3 floors. We do not have much grass or trees around our area but there are little areas behind the building were I have seen girls sitting and just catching up with their friends.  Our complex does recycle our trash and I always see signs up to remind the students to recycle and to turn of the lights when we are not in our rooms.

A picture of my building from the back and you can see in the picture
the grass where I have seen girls talking laying on the grass

I think our complex as a whole could do more for our enviroment and become more green. I also think my complex could do more because FGCU just bought the complex I live in and FGCU is very green. I know changes take time and I think with time West Lake Village will become just as green as FGCU. For example, I think they could put around our complex the trash compressors that FGCU has all around their complex. Also the complex could plan a once a month trash pick up and that would be another way for people to met each other as well. I think things will be changing around my complex very soon and I hope so as well.



The view from my pinic table along side the lake



Since I can not always be on my sail boat I have another place on campus that actually makes me feel like a sense of place. There are a few pinic tables along side the lake in front of the library and when I am feeling stressed and overwhelmed this is where I like to sit and just think. I like this spot on campus because back at home I live on a cana and we have a good amount of land so when I used to live at home I would go out there just to look at the water and just have alone time. This is why I think I like this lake view on campus.

Also, I like this little spot because I see wildlife. Once I was sitting at the table and when I looked up I saw two turtles catching some sun on the wooden beds students have made for the animals. This reminds me so much of my spot back at home becuase on our canal I would see all kinds of wildlife. For example, ducks, snakes swiminng through the water, manatees on very rare occasions and the list goes on. Being at this spot just makes me realize how beautiful our environment really is and how FGCU is really making a differnce.