Sense of Place Final Project

1. What is sense of place. Define sense of place, using literature we read, videos we watched (at the beginning of the semester and in class).  Cite these at the end of the presentation,.  Define in depth and explain what you mean.  This should be an in depth paragraph or two.  It should be somewhat scholarly written.

A sense of place is having a strong connection or in other words, identity, to a certain place: at a school, a job, a park, or a town/ city. My First Year Seminar class, Developing a Sense of Place Around Salem taught me what a sense of place is and what it feels like to feel connected to a place. In the class, we read several articles on what sense of place. One article that really stuck out to me was "Developing a Sense of Place Through Native Science Activities." This article showed 25 different ways to develop a sense of place. For example, "Giving Back", "Finding Patterns", "Questioning", "Staying in the present", or "Listening to water" (Developing a Sense of Place Through Native Science Activities). Also, in my First Year Seminar class, we took many field trips. We took field trips to parks, around our college campus, and through the town (downtown) of Salem. Developing a sense of place to a new environment or to unfamiliar surroundings is easy when feeling connected to a certain place. 

Depict in depth what your sense of place is in the TOWN of Salem.  Include aspects you wrote about in #1 when you are showing what your sense of place is in the TOWN.  This can  build off your in class experiences, your experiences in town with friends...etc.  For example if you wrote that sense of place is about people and places, then include those.  If you wrote about typology of sense of place, i.e. super rooted or super placeless...then describe those aspects and why.  If you wrote about the type of relationships to place, then include those and name them...This should be in depth and the equivalent of images and writings that are a tad extensive that capture your sense of place in the town. Use photographs, anecdotes, information, nature drawings, history etc

My sense of place in the town of Salem is different everywhere I go. If I were to visit a near by park, my sense of place there would be different than if I were to visit a History Museum. In other words, I would feel connected to different things in different places but overall, sense of place still has the same meaning. In my First Year Seminar Class, we went to a near by park two minutes away from my college campus. I felt as though this was relevant to talk about in this final blog because I felt more connected to the park than really any other place we went too in the class. Here is a picture I took of the park:

As I mentioned in question one about the different ways in the Native Science Article, to feel connected to a place, the one way to connect to a place that stood out to me was "Staying in the Present." This way of connecting to a place includes breathing in the air, being aware of where you are and/ or what is around you. It also is a type of Native Science that helps one recognize his or her past, how one to where he or she is at that very moment, and after all of that, help dictate how ones future will look. It is relaxing and I remember at this very spot this is where I used "Staying in the present". It was relaxing, comforting, and I felt connected.

Overall, my Sense of Place in Salem is my second home. The town makes me feel welcome because of the foundation I have built here just in my first year of school. I have made several friends, met amazing people, met great professors, adjusted/ adapted to living on my own without any supervision or parental guidance and the attachment I have to Salem will always remind me what my Sense of Place is in this town.

Depict in depth what your sense of place is to the SSU campus.  Include aspects you wrote about in #1 on what sense of place is i this depiction. See #2 for examples.  Use photographs and anecdotes.  Explain in depth the places, as well as the reasons why.  

My Sense of Place at Salem State University is different wherever I go. For example, The Dining Hall, different classes, different hangout places, The Salem Diner, The Library, etc. 

Being at Salem State University (as well as this class) taught me what it feels like to be connected to a place and call it a second home. I have developed many memories here I will never forget. I feel connected to Salem State University because I am involved in many classes that I enjoy, have many friends, connect with many professors I have had already in this first semester, and because I feel accepted here. 

Focusing more on my surroundings and environment around me, another way of developing a Sense of Place from the Native Science article I introduced in questions one and two, the way of developing a Sense of Place I used when adapting to the Salem State campus was "Questioning." To be honest, at the beginning of school I had many questions about the campus, sources I could contact if I ever had a problem with something, and/ or social events I could attend. Some sample questions were:

"Who could I go to If I ever had an issue with my health, or I simply was not feeling well?"

"Where is a good place to go eat around campus?"

"Who could I go to just talk to about personal problems?"

Throughout my first semester here and developing my Sense of Place around Salem, these questions were answered by myself. 

Conclude your sense of place in Salem project with a statement about where you started in September, where you are now and where you think you will be in four years.

I started in September not really knowing what I wanted to do in my future. I was not entirely sure if I even wanted to attend college let alone Salem State University. 

Where I currently am now: content with my life and well being. I am happy being at Salem State University. I went through a tough first couple weeks here switching my major from Criminal Justice to Business with a concentration of Marketing but now I could not be any happier. Feeling connected to the school and developing a Sense of Place really helped me adapt to this school and I will most likely take what I have learned from this class about developing a Sense of Place into my future. 

Where I hopefully will be in four years: I hope to graduate Salem State University and get a full time job. I am not entirely sure what I want to do in my future but I hope to make great money that I will be able to support myself and also in the near future, a family. 

Thanksgiving Blog

Thank you to those who participated in figuring out what you would like to do for an assignment for the holiday blog.

1. Blog about the way you celebrate Thanksgiving.                                                                           1. Share your traditions. Explain them in depth

Answer: My tradition on Thanksgiving is always going to a family friends house that my family and I have been close with for 13 years. They are called the Castelline Family! We have gone of vacations with them and spent basically every holiday with them (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter) for the last 13 years. The Castellines are not blood related, but we call them family. 
     2.Share who you share the holiday with. Describe them.

The Castellines again, are not blood related to my family but we still call them family. Denise is the mother, Micheala, Erin, and Ryan are the children, and Paul was the Father. Denise and Paul are considered my god parents. 

Sadly last year, Paul passed away from ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). Its a disease where a persons nerve functions (standing, breathing, swallowing, walking, etc) fail tragically. Paul had this disease for a year and a half before he passed. This is only the second Thanksgiving without him but each holiday without him is hard but my family and I as well as his family think how he is out of his suffering. 
    3. Draw or photograph your celebrations and traditions.

(My pictures will not load, I will show the class when we come back from break)
    4.Share where you tend to be when you celebrate

We tend to always be at the Castellines house. Either in the living room, kitchen, or dining room laughing and talking about whatever comes to mind.
    5. Share the meaning of the holiday to you, in depth.

The meaning of Thanksgiving changed drastically once Paul past away. It showed me truly what it meant to be thankful for something or someone. Losing someone so close to me really showed me how thankful I was for him. He helped me through math throughout high school, he helped me emotionally, he helped me with jobs, and just was a second father figure to me when my dad was not there. 

The Other Park Trip

1) Please post about what this trip did for your sense of place, and be honest, if it did nothing, then state why.  If it was contributing, state why.

- Answer: This park did not really contribute to my sense of place. This is because I have already been to this park multiple times with friends. 

2)Explain where we were.

-Answer: We were at the park/ bridge right near Marblehead. 

3) Remember sense of place is in the eye of the beholder. Some of you mentioned this in class today, that you were meeting others in class, and connecting had more value than taking pictures, or others took pictures and discussed the value of water and how living by the ocean is unique and that you do not take it for granted.  Here I would like you to explain how this place contributed or did not contribute to your sense of place in Salem.

-Answer: The park did contribute to my sense of place in Salem when I first discovered it, not when I went with the class. I discovered it the first week of school and I have gone there multiple times. So it has contributed to my sense of place because it is a regular place I can go to and introduce it to friends.

Expand on this, and go in depth a bit.

3) State how you liked this trip, and why or why not. Expand on this in a paragraph.

-Answer: I liked this trip mostly because I could share my experiences of the park that I have already taken part in. It is a really warm and welcoming spot that I like to go hike with friends. I have watched the sunset there and the sunrise there multiple times. I feel like a sense of place is a place one should feel comfortable in and I do feel comfortable there. 

4) I will, on Thursday, make those pictures and movies into a slide show or combined movie for each. You can post a link to that too if you want. In addition, please talk about that experience and why you thought the ipad experience and the trip  was valuable or not valuable. State what you thought about taking the pictures and movies on the ipads. What would it make it better as an experience?  I experimented with this for the first time and your input on this would be great. I thought integrating art might be a different way to connect.

-Answer: I liked the experience of the iPads, pictures, and making movies! I felt as though it made the trip more fun then standing around in a circle and giving a lecture on it. 

5) Look at the movies I post and tell me what you think looking at them afterwards. They will be available on Thursday.  Explain your thoughts...You can also post them here.

-Answer: The movies were great 

Triad Expirience

Blog about your triad adventure!

1)  Post pictures of your trip here!  

We were not allowed to take pictures on the tour, so here are a couple from the Salem Witch Museum's Website. 

2)  Let us know where you went and why you and your group chose this spot

My group and I went to the Salem Witch Museum. We chose the museum because we found the history behind Salem witches interesting and wanted to learn more about it. 

3)  Share what you did to contact or set up your appointment or meeting time.

My group and I just walked into the Salem Witch Museum and were included in the 25 minute tour.  

4)  List the questions you prepared for your contact and/ or experience

1. How were witches punished? 

2. What were the "symptoms" of being convicted of being a witch?

3. Was it mostly woman who were accused, or men too?

4. Who was the first witch accused of being a witch. 

5) Write a reflection on what you learned, what you found most interesting and why.  This should be a couple of paragraphs. You can also include what was not interesting and why you thought that too.  Demonstrate critical thinking skills here from the SHUSHAN book.  Explain explicitly what strategy you are using.

Personally, I found visiting the Salem Witch Museum very interesting. Being able to be included in the 25 minute tour for free because we were Salem State students and learn about the history of certain witches that were the first to be accused of being a witch was worth it. 

What I learned most about was how witches were punished after being accused of being a witch. They were kept in a sell until it was there time to be hung, stoned, crushed by stones, etc.

What I found most interesting that I learned throughout the tour was learning about the little girl who was one of the first accused of being a witch. Elizabeth Hubbard was one of the first girls accused of being a witch. After being convicted, she was detached from her parents and went to live in Salem, MA with her aunt. She was a servant with limited privileges. Later on she went to court and was testified against the grand jury too dictate if she was guilty of being a witch. She manipulated the jury by throwing huge fits in the courtroom which made them believe her when she said she was not a witch. History can never tell what actually happened to Hubbard after the trials.  

6) Write about how this contributed to your sense of place in Salem or did not contribute?

This contributed to my sense of place because it introduced me to another level of history I never knew about. I enjoy learning about deviance or crime and I found this interesting because it is similar to what I like to learn about. I personally hate history but this level of history I felt connected too and I found it interesting. 

7)List off new questions you have and what you wanted to learn more about.

1. Was there actually witches in 1692 or was that just a simple diagnosis people put on the individuals being accused. 

2. Was there just bad witches or also good witches?

8)  What did you choose for a topic for your research 2 pager paper?

I chose to write about Abigail Williams, another young girl who was convicted of being a witch. 

Sense of Place by the Near by Park

1)  Do a nature journal drawing of some of your observations while in the park, it can be the whole thing, or of a small thing you noticed (Like someone said they saw squirrels hiding food in rocks, you could depict this).

2) Take a picture and upload your drawing.

3)  Reflect on the interconnectedness of you and the trees and living beings who reside in the park.

I connect to the trees and the living beings who reside in the park because we all live on earth. We all breathe the same air, live on the same planet. Trees give off the oxygen we breathe and the living beings make this world lively. 

4)  Reflect on how you value the park

The park makes me feel warm and welcomed into it because of the peacefulness of the park and the things surrounding it. 

5) Reflect on how this park plays a role in your own sense of place in Salem.  Explain.

This park plays a role in my own sense of place in Salem because it is right by campus and I can go hangout there with my friends or do homework. It is a very peaceful park to go to just to get some fresh air as well. 

6) Reflect on the field trip in general and what you liked most about going there.  Reflect on what you did not like.  

I really enjoyed this field trip. I liked how we left campus and explored a different environment. It was peaceful and I would go there again in my free time.

7) Reflect on whether or not you would like to do more little excursions like this one

I would do more excursions like this one because I like the fact we left campus and got away from the school. Its more fun to go to different places other than around campus to get a better and different sense of place.

Option 2

OPTION 2)  If you did not do the homework before Monday's visitors, how do you think that impacted the resource experience and your engagement?  

• What meaning did the speakers have for you personally and your sense of place and beginning college?  What made the speakers effective?  What could have been better? I appreciated Kylie and Jim taking their time to come in and talk to us students about their experiences in Salem, MA. Their speeches opened my eyes to a whole new idea of Salem that I never really thought of. Personally, I am really excited to explore Salem, MA for the next four years of my life and to call it my second home. What made the speakers effective was the fact they both had very interesting stories to tell. For example, Jim told us how he had no friends when he first moved here and now after living here for so many years he has many friends and friendships that will last a life time. Another example is when Kylie shared her story on how she started getting involved in the arts & volunteering. She developed a passion for helping others and the organization she runs seems to be perfect for her. 
• Last, how did it impact your engagement?  Also, what did you rate yourself as far as engaging with our resource experiences?  1-5 1 being totally engaged and 5 not, and explain your rating. This impacted my engagement pretty solidly. I say on a scale from 1-5 I was at about a 2. I did not ask questions but I was really into Jim and Kylie's stories/ experiences they were so awfully kind to share with us. I felt as though I would much rather listen to what they both had to say and tell us students, then ask questions and potentially get off topic. 

Jim & Kylie Seminar Advice

1) Post about the visitor and what you learned about Salem that you found interesting. Explain it and why it struck you

The individual that stood out most to me during the seminar was Jim. I loved Jim story about how he knew absolutely no one when he first moved to Salem, MA. I also thought it was entertaining how he had to find a place to live within a three hour time span. Jim explained how when you move to a knew environment and/or surroundings, one needs to create connections with others. Jim made a valid point that if you make connections with other individuals, the future will be easier. For example, Jim told us a story about a woman he met that helped him find countless jobs he enjoyed. He is still friends with her today! 

2) Did you ask a question and if so, did they answer?  If you did not ask a question, whose question and answer was interesting to you.

I personally did not ask any questions during the seminar. I am a type of student that likes to listen to the open seminar. A student asked a question to Kylie about how she know she wanted to be the leader of the Farmers Market Organization. Kylie gave a very interesting answer. She started out as a music major in College. Later down the road she felt as though Music was not in her favorite interest so she began getting involved in art & volunteering. She ended up being the leader of the Farmers Market Organization and to this day does not regret any choice she has made because the decisions have gotten her where she is today. 

3)  What do you want to learn more about?

I want to learn more about the History of Salem. I probably will visit some of the Museums with my friends during my first semester at Salem State University. 

4) Search 1 thing on line about Salem that you hear the visitors talk about.

I searched the Salem Willows

A) Share the link on your blog

http://www.salemweb.com/willows/B) save an image that relates to their talk and upload it into the post

C) Write about what you learned more about this aspect of Salem from research and if it is interesting or not and why.

"Salem Willows is renowned for the European white willow trees planted here in 1801 to form a shaded walk for patients convalescing at the old smallpox hospital. Later the area became a park." This was the most interesting fact I found about the Salem Willows because I feel as though if someone went to the Willows for the first time, that person would have expected the Willows to have one been a hospital. The Willows is a beautiful place to go sit by the beach near the peer, play arcade games, go for a walk around the park, and possibly get some ice cream.