By Frankie
To further our understanding of urban culture, we worked with a program called Civic Wise, an organization that focuses on the impact citizens have in changing a city. They are stationed in an old venerable monastery on the old side of Valencia, across from the notorious Jardines del Turia, the massive park that runs through the city which years ago was once filled with water. Each day when we arrived at the monastery, after being shown a thoughtful presentation about the patterns and structure of a city, we would break into two large groups to perform certain activities to assist us in understanding a city by using other senses than solely our sight. One of these activities in particular required us to walk around Valencia blindfolded, with no assistance besides one partner to help guide us if we fall, and another to take pictures of the various items we come into contact with. For me, this experience formed a new perspective of how to view a city, because without sight, and being someone who learns through visual images, my mind was constantly searching for hints that could determine exactly where I was and how everything looked. When my partners asked me to describe where I thought I was, I confidently stated my answer only to hear them giggle at my response. Hearing this, I realized that it was not important to know what your surroundings look like, but important to be able to feel your way through the city rather than just seeing it. Civic Wise taught us that new perspectives are fundamental towards the prosperity of a city, and for creating a better atmosphere for everyone who is a part of that community.
