Jonathan Timothy Su
Professor Nina d’Alessandro
Writing 1, Sect. 103
22 September 2014
Braving Bridges
“Yet I had come here […] to bridge the things here to things there, to rewrite the present so as not to write off the past.”
— André Aciman, Shadow Cities Bridges are structures connecting two separate entities, sometimes extending over vast abysses of things unknown: ravines and obstacles that often frighten the traveler. They provide the crosser with the thought of safety, connecting the terrifying rift conjoining two different places. Similar to the way a bridge connects experiences without endangering crossers with the hazards lying below them, my life until adulthood can be epitomized by its own bridge: Huntington Drive, the main street …show more content…
It is the start of my bridge. After fifth grade ended, I started at Huntington School a couple of blocks down the road from Carver, where I experienced my teenage years—the stage of my life when I cared so much about what other people thought of me, when I was arrogant in consistently rebelling to my parents, but most importantly, when I became more independent. My middle school years turned me into a free thinker. My bridge became stronger and more robust as I grew up crossing it. I then attended San Marino High School a couple of blocks further down Huntington, where I went to my first prom, where I drove for the first time, and where I met my best friends. This phase of my life is comparable to finishing my journey from one side of a bridge to another. I grew up going to schools all lined up on the same road. I saw the same faces everyday for thirteen years. I connected one experience to another and then to another growing up on the …show more content…
Instead of building a new bridge for each experience I have, I realize that every place is interconnected if you look at it through the lens of braving a single bridge. I see the skyline of New York—adorned with skyscrapers such as the Freedom Tower and the Empire State Building. Is it really any different from the library at Carver that towers over San Marino? Is it any different from the Bank of America skyscraper that towers over Los Angeles or even the new condominium buildings that tower over Austin? I occasionally pass by a church in New York, and am reminded of the architectural gems of Roman Catholic churches lined up on the streets Quito such as La Basilica. I walk through Washington Square Park, an oasis over the hustle and bustle of traffic in Manhattan, and am reminded of Parque Carolina in Quito, a complete escape from the noise of taxis and cars that take over the streets. The subway system of Manhattan reminds me of the bus system in Quito or even the bus system in Austin—that if one does not know what they are doing, they could get lost in a convoluted maze. The humidity of New York over the summer reminds me of the hot, sticky weather in Austin, and the coolness of summer changing into
Professor Nina d’Alessandro
Writing 1, Sect. 103
22 September 2014
Braving Bridges
“Yet I had come here […] to bridge the things here to things there, to rewrite the present so as not to write off the past.”
— André Aciman, Shadow Cities Bridges are structures connecting two separate entities, sometimes extending over vast abysses of things unknown: ravines and obstacles that often frighten the traveler. They provide the crosser with the thought of safety, connecting the terrifying rift conjoining two different places. Similar to the way a bridge connects experiences without endangering crossers with the hazards lying below them, my life until adulthood can be epitomized by its own bridge: Huntington Drive, the main street …show more content…
It is the start of my bridge. After fifth grade ended, I started at Huntington School a couple of blocks down the road from Carver, where I experienced my teenage years—the stage of my life when I cared so much about what other people thought of me, when I was arrogant in consistently rebelling to my parents, but most importantly, when I became more independent. My middle school years turned me into a free thinker. My bridge became stronger and more robust as I grew up crossing it. I then attended San Marino High School a couple of blocks further down Huntington, where I went to my first prom, where I drove for the first time, and where I met my best friends. This phase of my life is comparable to finishing my journey from one side of a bridge to another. I grew up going to schools all lined up on the same road. I saw the same faces everyday for thirteen years. I connected one experience to another and then to another growing up on the …show more content…
Instead of building a new bridge for each experience I have, I realize that every place is interconnected if you look at it through the lens of braving a single bridge. I see the skyline of New York—adorned with skyscrapers such as the Freedom Tower and the Empire State Building. Is it really any different from the library at Carver that towers over San Marino? Is it any different from the Bank of America skyscraper that towers over Los Angeles or even the new condominium buildings that tower over Austin? I occasionally pass by a church in New York, and am reminded of the architectural gems of Roman Catholic churches lined up on the streets Quito such as La Basilica. I walk through Washington Square Park, an oasis over the hustle and bustle of traffic in Manhattan, and am reminded of Parque Carolina in Quito, a complete escape from the noise of taxis and cars that take over the streets. The subway system of Manhattan reminds me of the bus system in Quito or even the bus system in Austin—that if one does not know what they are doing, they could get lost in a convoluted maze. The humidity of New York over the summer reminds me of the hot, sticky weather in Austin, and the coolness of summer changing into