Over Thanksgiving break I visited my home town of Pittsford, Vermont. Pittsford was discovered in the early 17th century and is located within the Rutland county. I would describe the natural setting as rural, as Pittsford has quite a small population and the center of town consists of a few establishments, such as gas stations, a library and a handful of other buildings. The demographics of the town have stayed relatively consistent over the past several decades. The majority of the population consists of white, older generations that have lived in the town forever. There’s definitely a lack of diversity in Pittsford, regarding economic, cultural, and social values. The uniformity of the town is reflected in the environment and man made landscape.
I would describe the natural landscape as bountiful. Because the setting is so rural, I’ve always been surrounded by nature. When I wasn’t in school, I spent the majority of my free time outside skiing, mountain biking, canoeing, camping with friends, and cliff jumping. I would consider myself in tune/strongly connected to the outdoors, a characteristic which I recognize has developed with time. I credit my small town for developing and strengthening my sense of place and admiration of nature. Besides the limited amount of development in the center of town and the human interactions with nature through outdoor activities, a strong human presence does not and has not existed historically in Pittsford.
Since I’ve come to school, my perception of home has changed. Compared to Pittsford, Burlington feels like a city, with a diverse spectrum of economic, cultural, and social values. I haven’t lost appreciation for where I grew up, but the difference in settings has made me reevaluate my sense of place. Coming home almost feels like a break from the chaos in Burlington. When I arrived home I felt a sense of relaxation that I have never felt anywhere else.
My sense of place is the strongest at my house. I think this is because all of the memories that I have here. I remember playing hide and seek with my brothers in the woods. I remember cold mornings in the woods hunting with my dad. I remember skiing in my backyard with all of my friends. These memories are a huge part of me and they would not be the same if I grew up somewhere else.
My house is right across the road from Sugar Hollow Brook which allows me to cool off in the summer time and also go fishing. Sometimes I like to go to the brook just to relax and watch for wildlife.
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