Flat Feet

When I was about three or four years old my doctor discovered that I had flat feet, that is why I couldn’t walk so much because It was too painful for me. I’ve went to plenty of doctors since then and I have done a lot of therapy to fix the shape of my feet so walking wouldn’t be as hard and painful like it was when I was little. That is why I had a hard time choosing the right discover class that was suitable for me. But since college is a new journey for me, I decided to try something new and get out of my comfort zone. And that choice has been the best one that I’ve made thus far. I have learned so much about Chicago in just one week and I can’t wait to learn even more in the upcoming weeks.

My journey in this class began by walking Lincoln Park. We walked throughout the zoo and into the lake. The view of the skyscraper in the lake was mesmerizing. I noticed things I’ve never seen, heard, or smelled before. Even though I was feeling hungry, exhausted, and sweaty, the walk was still very enjoyable and it taught me a lot.

The one tour that I will never forget was the walk through Pilsen. The neighborhood made me feel like I was back home in Algeria. Everyone was friendly; everyone knew one another and greeted each other. Walking around Pilsen made me feel like there was a sense of community, a sense of history, a sense of art, a sense of religious beliefs. Every mural in every corner had a deeper story behind it then met the eye. I especially loved the first mural we saw on our walk. The mural of the man whose pants resembled the water, the man who was surrounded by bars that resembled the boarder of Mexico, the man who was surrounded by fields he was working at as an immigrant to the US because immigrants weren’t allowed to have actual good paying jobs so they worked very hard on the fields. That is just one story behind one out many murals that represent culture, beliefs, history, passion, and life.

Our week ended with a walk through Albany Park. Though I have been there many times before, I never really realized what was around me and how each individual building, each store; each restaurant had a history behind it and how they all became a little piece of a bigger puzzle.