Know where this is?
Now that I’m in a new place, I have a lot of ground to cover.
In Madrid, there are parks, museums, bars, monuments, etc. to visit. (If you’re coming anytime soon, visiting Parque del Retiro and Reina Sofia is a must.)
Moving to a new city requires an effort similar to that of learning one’s new apartment, whether it be “Sweet, my shower pressure is like stepping into the kingdom above” or “Erm, Roommate, do you see this giant hole in the shower wall?” (True story.)
You have to explore every nook and cranny, or otherwise you didn’t really live there.
So why is it that I constantly hear of Penn juniors and seniors who have never taken the trolley?
Spending four years in one place implies that one should know said place, including said place’s transit system. Did you know that the trolley existed? Did you know it has stops between 15th and 30th streets, that dark abyss virtually unknown to Penn students?In Madrid, I spend nearly every day walking the city (not the street), visiting both touristy and non-touristy locales. Yes, I have seen the major museums, but I have also seen the sketchy alleyways into which I should definitely not venture alone.
Likewise, it doesn’t hurt to walk around Philly during the day (nighttime is another story). Have you actually been to Old City before, and not just to go to Tangerine?
How about the walk to the Philadelphia Museum of Art via Benjamin Franklin Parkway? You may have been to Zee Bar, but can you find Spring Garden on a map?
While Philadelphia is certainly not my favorite city in the world, I make a concerted effort to get to know it. Finding hidden sculptures, sipping coffee at cozy cafes, and even just learning street names makes a city much more memorable than the sum of its touristy parts.
It seems a shame not to take advantage of a learning opportunity right at your doorstep. When you leave Philadelphia, will you feel as though you’ve left behind a home… or simply a place where you spent the night?
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