11.09 Interview with Molly W. Steenson
Molly is a professor of School of Design. She previously taught at University of Wisconsin-Madison. She moved in Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh last year with Simon, her husband. He lived in Chicago and now is working in Duolingo. They are newly-wed and moved in Pittsburgh together one and half year ago. As a young professional and newcomer of this city, she kindly shared her experience and thoughts.
Placese Where People Get Toghter and Share Their Interests
She mentioned several cool places she patronizes and hangs out with her friends and other residents of this city. First for Lawrenceville, there is an alley nearby her house beautifully paved with white tiles. She often has bourbon in the alley with friends she already knew before moving in here and some of her neighbors. For Allentown, she recommended us to visit a textile shop, Spool. She told that she loves sewing and enjoys visiting there. She also loves music and told that there is a music scene called Mr. smalls in Milvale where decent bands perform. Grist house Brewery is another place in the neighborhood she mentioned. It is low key, dog- friendly place. She and Simon brewed beer and go to there every weeks with their dog Emoji. They start to recognize some people frequently visiting the place and get to know each other.
Built-in Structures Help Get Into Community
When asked about transition, she answered that it washard to move to a new city and make new friends. She told that If she was moving here outside of the academic community, it might be difficult to make new friends and get into community. There is a base structure there, a community to build upon. She had human potals. Some of them are Simon’s friends who he met at CMU when he studied his master course there in 2007 or some people she got to know in other cities. The other group is based on their workplace, such as professors of CMU. Although the structure aided them, they found difficulty in keeping connection with friends that have children as a couple who don’t have a child. Aside from the human potals, they get information happening around the towns from an email news letter call Eat That, Read This.
Criteria For Feeling Home —The chemistry and A Sense of Belonging
When asked what were her criteria for feeling home, she brought up the chemistry with the city — both people of th city and the city itself — and a sense of beloning. She has moved through a lot of citeis including New York, San Francisco, Berlin, and so on. She told that she strongly feels a sense of belonging to the places and misses them so much. But it’s hard to develop that heart-felt sense of community here. She told that she is waiting for that feeling toward Pittsburgh. It reminded me what Erin said and the spectrum of newcomer and local we came up with in synthesizing process. Although Erin has dewelled in Polish Hill for 6 years, she doesn’t feel she’s really part of the neighborhood. I am so curious about what factors — time, life events, relation change , and so forth — shift their perception.
