What 3 days in Atlanta revealed

Katrina Cobb
Sep 6, 2018 · 3 min read

Travel reveals as much about yourself as it does the world.

Atlanta Downtown Midtown by WikiMediaImages on Pixabay

I’ve just spent 3 days in Atlanta, a city I didn’t bother to learn much about or try to understand before I got there.

And honestly I prefer it that way.

I’d rather go in without judgements or preconceived ideas of what I will find to shade my experiences.

All I knew of Atlanta was heat, sprawl and traffic.


What I found were glorious old industrial buildings turned into modern lofts and spaces, great parks and communities with a ton of local pride, houses flying flags representing their neighborhood identity.

I found myself appreciating all the historic buildings made new again, happy to see someone finding beauty in the discarded and creatively giving it new life rather than bulldozing and starting fresh.

The city reflects the lesson that our history is a part of us, and it can be beautiful if we let it. We don’t need to pretend it never happened, even the painful bits. I see my story in the story of Atlanta, coming to terms with accepting and moving on, but not forgetting.

Photo by Eddie Krebs

I marveled wistfully at each neighborhood we walked, with their matching flags or hanging numbered signs. Inman Park, Grant Park, the Old 4th Ward. Each had a visual icon proudly proclaiming their collective identity and belonging.

I’ve never felt my identity to tied to a local group, such a part of its fabric, to ever have a neighborhood flag. Heck, I don’t even introduce myself to my neighbors every time I move. Chalk it up to my army brats nomadic ways or my introverted side, I’ve never felt part of my location, or the civic fabric around me. Perhaps that’s why I like traveling; I’m free to explore when there’s no nostalgia for ‘home.’

Photo by Christopher T. Martin

I smiled at the green spaces and the efforts underway to create a belt line of park space between all the neighborhoods. Here was an unexpected ribbon of nature and pedestrian play space threading through high rises and pavement that is the world of cars and buses and motorized vehicles.

I realize how much I prefer to be walking rather than in a car, how living in cities where you are able to experience things at the pace of your own making is a small joy in and of itself. This lifestyle captivated me in Barcelona and was further cemented in San Francisco; who would have thought, growing up on military bases and in suburbia, I’m actually a city girl at heart.

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

I thought about all these things as I nibbled on some wonderful bread pudding while watching the city lights come on at nightfall from my perch on a rooftop garden. The appreciation for history and historic structures, the love of exploring on my own two feet at a slower pace, and the lack of any strong connection to one geography, and it’s no wonder I’m about to embark on an extended journey to explore Central and South America.

I can only hope that somewhere along my travels, I find a community that feels like home, somewhere I feel connected and willing to meet the neighbors and hang a flag. Until then, I suppose I have many a path to walk and historic sites to appreciate.

Katrina Cobb

Written by

Trying out this digital nomad thing. Writing about travel, life, business, and this grand adventure.

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