A Taste of Tucson

Tucson

Neighborhood mural of the mountains 

 Tucson is a multicultural city that rests in a valley surrounded by mountains. You can determine the cardinal directions by what mountain range you are facing.  Rated one of the best biking cities in the U.S., I am able to walk or bike most places I go.  I have really enjoyed biking around the city, even in 105 degree weather and wild monsoons. Tucson is often described a city that feels like a small town as it is not uncommon to run into someone you know on the street or at the grocery store.  In addition, the pace of life seems to be more relaxed and the general disposition seems friendly and welcoming.

I live in a wonderful location which is accessible to the lively downtown area, the University of Arizona, and the mainly Latin American city of South Tucson.  This allows for a rich mixture of cultures and experiences.  I can easily bike to a grocery store in South Tucson where most people speak only Spanish or bike to the local college hang-outs.

My housemate Emily taking the groceries home.

My favorites places in Tucson have been when I am not sure if I am in North or South America.  The desert landscape along with the border culture make for places that are infused with Native American, Latin American, and European-American culture.  Last week, the other Young Adult Volunteers (YAVs) and I climbed onto of our roof to see the sunset.  As I looked out at my neighborhood and saw cacti, abode houses, and intricate iron gates, I was reminded that there are many representations of the United States.  Everything from the dry heat to the desert terrain to the multicultural history makes Tucson a rich, captivating place to live in.

A multicultural moment at the grocery store

House Life

My Casita

Note: This is what a front yard looks like in the desert.

I live with four women who enrich my life every single day.  I am so glad that I get to come home to such a supportive and fun community every evening.  My roommates and I are from diverse parts of the US and the world including Baltimore, Connecticut, Alabama, and South Korea. Together, we try to live as an intentional Christian community by living simply, discussing our work sites, and exploring our faith and vocation together.  After meeting to determine house guidelines, we decided that we want to have three community meals together a week, where we cook and eat as a group.  In an effort to be more present, we have established "Without Tech Wednesdays,' where we refrain from using technology during and after dinner.  Without the constant distractions of texting and checking Facebook, we hope to have more time and space to interact with our community.

My housemates right to left: April, Me, Emily, Allie, Hanbyeol
Photo taken by April

We have a YAV site coordinator named Brandon who meets with us once a week, and organizes workshops, and retreats.  Last week, he invited us to have dinner at his home, which is a intentional community where several families share communal space, meals, and responsibilities.  It was a great reminder that there are many ways to live, to raise a family, and to share resources.

At home we are trying to have a lower environmental impact by composting our food waste, growing vegetables, conserving water, air-drying our clothes, and biking to work.  Although these are our intentions, we often fall short, especially when time and money are limiting factors.  In the future, I hope to talk more with my house mates about what local or sustainable food we can purchase on our small budget ($20 per person per week).

Also, we have four chickens in our backyard!  They recently stopped laying eggs so we are trying to figure out what we should do.  We may remake their coop to make them more comfortable or we may kill them (my preferred option, haha) and eat them.  As a meat eater, I think it is important to fully understand the process of taking an animal's life.  My new friends James and Uk have said they are interested in this too so we'll see what happens!

We had a big dinner with guests on Friday.
I cooked pasta with a bolognese sauce and Uk (in front) made Korean beef pancakes.
Photo taken by Uk with a selfie stick (look it up)