Magnificent Mile, Michigan Avenue, and Marriage?
I come from a suburb of Texas. Growing up, walking is not a primary mode of transportation. Not only are stores, restaurants and public spaces far from neighborhoods, most of the neighborhoods are very homogenous to the point that every third house looks the same. Having been in Chicago for the past 6 weeks, getting to explore the city by walking and observing all Chicago has to offer has been an eye opening experience.
On my most recent walk, I went down to the Magnificent Mile and spent some time on a bridge overlooking the Chicago river. There were so many people, my observations led me to believe that these were fellow Chicagoans. I related to them as a resident by noticing their focusability on their destination, not lingering to enjoy the view. As I stood on the bridge, I was surprised to see a wedding photoshoot in the middle of Michigan Avenue. I felt connected to these strangers by feeling I was part of the photoshoot and their celebration. By watching them utilize a public space in a private manner, I felt they epitomize the essence of being a true citizen of Chicago. I was honored to be a witness to this and I now consider myself a true Chicagoan.
In Krygier and Wood’s Ce n’est pas le Monde A map is defined as a “… proposition in graphic form… affirms the existence and location of its subjects.” But a map is so much more than that. Maps help us discover the world we live in and introduce us to new experiences and possibilities. Each map is different not only in the places shown, but also in the ways we use them. For example, the map apps we look at on our phones are primarily used for getting us from one place to another when we’re lost. Whereas paper maps, nowadays, are used as decoration, oftentimes to showcase where people have traveled or come from. Maps are also used in schools to help students learn about the geography of certain places or perhaps the history behind state borders. At DePaul, I’ve noticed several maps around campus that are used to help students figure out where they are and how to get to classes. These maps are quite similar to ones I’ve seen in malls that show you where you are and what shops you are near. But maps like these don’t depict the entire world around us like the ones in history books or on our phones. Maps cover a range of things from borders, to location, to directions. Maps are as individual as the person who uses them. (228)
