• Why have you chose the place; 

      My place is a bench outside the TRU Science building. I chose this place because of the amount of times I am in the science building and have to walk by it. I really liked how it wasn’t too close to anything or in other words wasn’t a very loud or known place. It was near some buildings but it was like it had its own private area away from everything else. I really like how the Science building is usually pretty quiet and easy to focus, which is another reason why I chose this spot because it is near one of my favorite buildings at TRU and now I have a spot to sit outside in the sun. I also really liked how the bench was surrounded by many trees and if I got there early enough or stayed later on in the day you could see the sunrise or sunset poking through the trees. 

  • What you have enjoyed about connecting with it; 

       Some things I have enjoyed about connecting with my place are the learning of a new place, the development of a sense of belonging, and as well as taking the time to slow down for a couple minutes and take in some needed breaths. I really enjoyed how everytime I went to my place, I always felt a feeling of belonging like I have gone to my place for years as well as feelings of being in a calm or peaceful state of mind. It was very calming and a great spot to connect the course material too. 

  • Which course theme/term idea you found easiest to connect to it and what that connection was;

      One theme or term idea that I found the easiest to connect to was in Chapters 4 and 5 or the theme Society-Nature Relationship. The topic explained the study of how humans and the physical environment interact, transform, and influence each other. This was the easiest topic for me to connect to my place based on how I thought the relationship between my place and I is a two-way relationship. The theme provided a sophisticated lens where I viewed my chosen place as more than just a location, but also as a dynamic partner in a dialectical relationship. We both are very grateful for each other, but we have different perspectives as well as we could both be grateful for the exact same things or completely opposite. While I may have offered my place presence and engagement, my place offered me a sense of belonging. I think this creates gratitude where although our perspectives may differ, we are both components of a unified system. 

  • One thing you are grateful to your place about; 

       One thing I am grateful to my place about is the unveiling of itself. Before I had this assignment I never really knew about my place. I walked by it a lot but I never really took the time to stop and actually sit there. It was just like a normal bench to me before, but now I see this place with more potential than I did at the start. I’m now very thankful for the chance I was given to change my perspective of my place from a utilitarian view to a spiritual view. My place has taught me that beauty and peace is hidden within plain sight, requiring the gift of time to be discovered. 

  • One reason why your place might feel grateful for you; 

       One reason that my place might feel grateful for me, is my engagement. Whenever I came to my place I always made sure to keep it clean and well respected. I would clean up after myself as well as others if I had seen it wasn’t kept clean. I was very well respected of any objects surrounding my place such as the bench, trees, or bushes. 

  • Overall, I am very grateful for the chance of gaining appreciation and a sense of belonging at TRU.