walking with the unknown
Walking with strangers was the weirdest assignment I did in my entire life. It was somewhat of a odd experience of following a certain stranger and what their life is doing. Anyways for a place like Chicago, there are millions of unique individuals across the city and outside of it. Many of these people could have some sort of a mysterious backstory. Perhaps there were other individuals that I missed that could have a amazing backstory. But it doesn’t matter if someone has a unique backstory or a tremendous destination. It’s about the journeys. Even if these journeys mean nothing or despite just normal life things, it can show the wanting and feelings of a any certain human being. So here was my stranger that I picked.
It started around Lincoln park. I found a stranger to follow behind. This young individual was wearing a brown hoodie with shorts, nothing unusual. By the way I covered his face as some sort of sort of respect and a way of being mysterious. And the fact that I’ll never see this certain individual very again. I began to follow him as he walked straight most of the journey. As I walked I began to see Lincoln part leaving and regular commercial building appearing. This transaction from educational buildings to normal commercial buildings shows how cities that are large have many sections and areas. I see this very eccentric because as you walk no matter what the area around you changes differently every single time.
The two images show the stranger heading towards the bridge and on the bridge. Everything seemed normal until at the bridge the stranger put his arm at the edge of it. Though I’ve seen many people who always put their hands at the edge of it, I thought it would be certain to take a photo since it could have some meaning. It could mean many things. It could mean he’s relaxed or feeling sort of ‘’alive’’. Nonetheless it has some sort of meaning and I wanted to show it in this story. The experience in these photos where I was helped me a lot of knowing many local restaurants and fast food restaurants that seemed interesting for me in the future. The bridges mostly can help me figure out where I am and where to go back when I’m done. It also drawn me because the fact you can see the downtown area of Chicago there. What I found out in my mind is how strangers can help you find places that seem remarkable for you and never knew they were there.
After a few traffic light stops and local restaurants later, the stranger headed towards a restaurant called Panera bread. I figured out that the stranger was going to get some food, so I stayed outside to wait for him. After he got his food, he headed to a some sort of commercial building right in front of the right picture where I took. It seems that was the end of following the stranger and headed back to Lincoln Park. In my experience of all of this, it reminded of me of what I am now. I’m now a college student, learning the ways of becoming an adult. An adult that walks everywhere for daily things like groceries, food, luxuries, and more. Adults must learn their surroundings and following this stranger helped me learn where to go whenever I need something for my self. This is clearly full on independence and no parent restricting me. And my experience with following this stranger also reminded that this will be my future as I must travel a lot than how much I did years ago.
Here shows my map from where I started and where I ended, which is at the Panera bread restaurant. It was very straight on path I followed with the stranger which is lucky because many strangers would take many other routes that don’t require you going straight. The route took around 30 minutes. There were many traffic light stops I have to take and how slow the stranger was. While he was slow, it gave me time to enjoy my walks and think about my life and looking at my surroundings and where I am.
