Take a walk
I recently returned from my first writer’s residency. It was two weeks of dedicated work time, surrounded by artists, in a 1800s Chateau in the French countryside. It was nothing short of magical. I applied for the residency with pages from the first draft of my novel, Growing Pains. While I was away I spent considerable time sending out queries to literary agents in hopes of getting representation for the book. I also wrote a piece about my return to France you can read here.
There were so many takeaways from my trip which I’ll write about in posts to come. Today I’m thinking about how there are major differences between walking in Europe versus walking in the United States.
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A week ago I was walking in Paris, a city of just over 2 million people with the metropolitan area swelling to nearly 13 million. Walking in a city like Paris is terrific. You can’t help but feel amongst and a part of something. There are bikes whizzing by you, buses, taxis, and cars making their own lanes and people people people. People running into gourmet patisserie shops, taking photos next to 18th century architecture, smoking cigarettes chicly in alleyways, laughing by the Seine, and drinking espresso at sidewalk cafes.
When I walk at home it feels different. I currently reside in Peru, Illinois. It has a population of 9,900 people and shouldn’t be confused with the South American country (one that I spent a month traveling through at age 25). Peru, Illinois could be described as a “rural-adjacent.” To the surrounding rural communities (like where my parents live) the town is a hub with all the urban amenities including a major grocery store, Target, big box restaurants and a mall.
I recently became a resident of Peru and, but for a handful of runs, have not explored my surrounding neighborhood much. So, on the first warm February day I walked out of my front door, turned left and decided to walk west until I was forced to turn.
In contrast to Paris, my walk took me through residential neighborhoods with lawns and driveways. Kids dotted the sidewalks on bikes. Other walkers only occasionally appeared and were almost always across the street. American streets are wide to accommodate our large vehicles. In Paris you walk amongst people. In America you walk amongst cars.
There is no camaraderie between machine and man in America and that is most obvious when trying to cross a busy intersection. They aren’t made for pedestrians or with people in mind. This challenge– crossing an intersection– becomes too often dangerous and detracts from the myriad of positives that come with a good walk.
And a good walk it was. On that February afternoon, under the wide open blue sky the sun on my skin was a welcome reprieve. Of the 16 days I was in France, there was only one truly sunny day. Otherwise it was gray and often rainy. Despite the weather, it is easy to romanticize the ambulatory European lifestyle. I wonder how suburban America can prioritize people over vehicles to encourage more walkers.
Please, satiate my curiosity. Do you like to walk? What is it like walking where you live?
<3 Cooper
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I can only imagine the walks in Paris based on your vivid descriptions. I would love to go there with you someday! My walks at Lake Thunderbird are peaceful with very little car traffic. More likely a walker her will encounter traffic consisting of squirrels, rabbits, deer and the occasional turkey. You typically hear the crunch of the leaves and feel a gentle wind blowing your hair. Different than Paris or any large metropolitan city bit still good!