THE END OF THE BLOGS, THE START OF THE URBAN JOURNEY

WELCOME TO THE URBAN LIFE, WHERE FEELINGS ABOUT THE URBAN IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE BUILDINGS

This is my 12th post and it sadly culminates the end of my blogging adventure for Geog 2007.
I was called to analyse the urban area in which I reside and those that surround me. Everyday I travel these streets, admire these buildings and go on. I never take the time out to examine the mechanics of the urban life. I never took a deeper look at what happens behind the scenes...the motives for the form of structures we have, the reasons why "urban wear" is the popular way of dress, the way urban youth behave the way they do, the role of popular institutions in shaping the urban landscape.
This assignment forced me to look closer and I was shocked by what I saw.

I entitled my blog, "The Hustle and Bustle of Urban Life" because the first thing I noticed on examination is that we do everything too fast. We build quickly, we accept but also refuse quickly, we are quick to forget...and nobody takes the time to slow down...admire...enjoy...
I focused on non-traditional elements of things that convey speed, like how fast our urban youth adapt to foreign cultures, and not only on cars and their role in the urban setting.

But, my other course colleagues took several spins on the urban that contrasted and complemented mine. Most of them focused on the actual form of the city as in the buildings, some on the inhabitants within and a few, like me, on the personal, behind-the-scenes activities.

I'd like to draw attention to the following three blogs:

1.Hannah Sammy's Facets of Urban Life
She broke down the city to its roots. She forced us to pay attention to not only the city itself but to why things are the way they are. Her use of poetry, sometimes from the point of view of a building!, was both intriguing and encompassing, personifying the urban.

2. Sayyida Ali's A Journey Into The Urban
And what a journey it was! She took us through the streets of the urban, mainly San Fernando. She urged us to focus on alternative transport in an effort to reduce vehicular traffic. Throughout her blog, she forced self-examination, making us analyze the principles by which we live and reconsidering for a greener, better urban.

3. Tamara Atwaroo's I am not HOMELESS!
Unlike the city's form, Tamara focused on the city's people. The persons we pass asleep on the sidewalks, those we cross the roads to avoid. The city to us is places of work, school and recreation. To these people, she reminded us that it was home. As much as we may not like to see it, "houselessness" is present in the city but does houseless mean homeless?


We live in the urban, but do we really LIVE in the urban?
Be aware of where you live and what happens in it always! Maybe, you may just be part of a positive change within it.


A.Maynard :)