Being here

"If I had to show a foreigner one English city and one only, to give him a balanced idea of English architecture, I should take him...to Bristol, which has developed in all directions, and where nearly everything has happened."

--Sir John Summerson

Allow me to elaborate on the opening statement in my last post about living in the heartland of the English countryside. It's true that I am, but this may be confusing to those of you who have been told by me that I am living in a big city called Bristol, which is also true.

In the past when I have met Londoners, the mention of Bristol seems to bring on the slightest upturning of the nose followed by a statement of mild disinterest along the lines of, "Oh, that's the west country...." From my experiences here so far, I have been perplexed reflecting on these exchanges because there is no denying that Bristol is, in fact, a big city. It has all the classic characteristics including being a major center for commerce, greatly multi-cultural and diverse and an educational hub with the University of Bristol and many other colleges. However, after several trips outside the city heading in various directions, I have realized that if you drive in any direction as little as a couple of miles, you are surrounded by farmland. Beautiful farmland on soft, rolling green hills that are dotted with cows, sheep and occasionally horses. So in a way it is the best of both worlds.

Here's a little more about Bristol, for anyone interested.

With a population of over 400,000 people, Bristol is England's sixth most populous city. It became a city by royal charter in 1155 and gained county status in 1373. Until the industrial revolution of the 18th century, Bristol was one of England's three most important cities after London, along with York and Norwich. Situated in a valley on the River Avon which runs west into the Severn River until becoming the Bristol Channel, the city originally developed as a port in the 11th century. It's location made it a major trading center for centuries with Wales, Ireland, other European ports on the Atlantic coast and later with New England.

The 17th century saw Bristol become a major player in the slave trade with the Americas. Manufactured goods were traded for Africans who were transported across the Atlantic and sold into slavery for American plantation goods such as cotton, sugar and tobacco. Much as the deep south and all of the states still feel the burning cheeks shame of the ways of the past that cannot be forgotten, it lingers on here in Bristol as well.

Bristol also suffered major damage from air raids by the German Luftwaffe during the second World War, being a target due to the presence of a harbor and an airplane company. Nearly 1300 people were killed during raids that occurred over the course of a year along with almost 90,000 buildings.

I am reminded a lot of San Francisco when I am out and about in Bristol, especially whilst hiking up and down all the hills that make up this city. Both are harbor cities that feel alive and are bustling with culture and activity. Both are filled with little communities throughout but make an effort to draw people together through festivals and events year round. Both are crisp and cool but manage to have fresh clean air despite city pollution thanks to their close proximity to the sea. There are definitely areas here where you feel like you are in a dirty, dingy, possibly shady part of town, but just around a corner you will find yourself in a charming square bordered with beautiful 17th century terraced homes that make you smile.

Despite having been here nearly two months now, I do not feel like I know Bristol very well. I'm not referring to the physical layout of the city, per se, though I still have a lot to learn there too. But I mean more of a sense of Bristol, getting to know the heart of the place. During this transitional time of adjusting to a new culture, waiting to find work and trying to fill my time with productive activities, I wander a lot. I get lost a lot. I find myself pining for home and familiarity in my frustration, disinterested in the novelty of being somewhere new.

Very recently, however, I've noticed a vague sense of familiarity in my feelings towards Bristol. With my few dearest, closest friendships, the beginnings are often marked for me with feelings of ambivalence and sometimes even initial dislike for them or their attitudes. It takes awhile for me to get to know new people and to decide how much I wish to let them know me. Having true intimacy with someone requires that you really know each other, and it is natural for that to take some time and mutual revelation. Gradually, I was able to learn who these amazing people are and out of that develop friendships that shape my life in many ways. I'm beginning to think that this will be the way with Bristol: give and take, a little at a time.