Reflection #1
Reflection on Personal Growth
I had chosen to do only part of the Welland Canal walk due to the weather. For this week’s Service Learning assignment I had walked from, as stated by the posting in OOCLO as the beginning point, the Thorold Tourist Information Center on Chapel St. up through to the Upper Trail. I smelt water, and felt a nice cool breeze. I had taken my dog along for the walk, and being from the city this was a refreshing feeling on my skin. I was able to see a few old buildings to my left that were along the trail. I can tell they were old by the way the bricks on the outside of the house were cracked, browned, or chipped. Close by there I saw rusty old railway tracks running parallel to the Welland Canal. As I read through my guide, these tracks are old, more than a 150 year old to be close. I turned back down the trail as the breeze started to pick up into wind. I walked back towards the tourist information center, heading straight for #8 on my guide, The Return to Lock 7. Along the walk I got to meet some really nice and friendly people. I had met a lady who had stopped to talk to me, find out where I’m from, what I’m doing and even ask to play with my dog. She was an old lady, wrinkly but smiling caused most of her wrinkles. She made me feel a part of a community that I was new to.
This learning experience made me feel a part of a community that’s very new to me. It proved to have so much history, art, and kindness through experiences of walking around and communicating with the citizens of the City of Thorold. I was so happy to meet some people, talk to strangers as if I knew them and they knew me. I felt like I had done some good for my body by taking the walk even though it had begun to rain, and some good for my mind by talking to others in the community who shared their love for this city through the words they exchanged with me. I feel like this is partially what I was looking to feel and therefore I ended up getting what I was looking for. If I had maybe not expected to come out with a personal growth experience and just left it open then I probably may have had another reaction to my experience and felt there was something else that made my experience that much more important. Walking through this guideless tour, made me realize I need to get out more and involve myself with the community in some way, as well find a job in the community. I feel that I should take walks for as long as I could until winter really comes in and that the Welland Canal Walk might be the perfect route.
I have learned that there are many community walks designed throughout many cities that not only help us learn about the city’s history but also let us get involved with our health and our community on a personal level. I learned this when I got the chance to walk alone with nature in Thorold by a Self-Guided tour of the Welland Canal area where I took in nature, the water, the building and also when I got to speak to a random lady who was simply showing me the hospitability most Thorold residents show to anyone they come across in their city. This learning matters because it taught me I need to take some time aside for myself to get involved in the community, meet people with history, and learn about my environment and city I live in. In light of this learning I will continue to keep taking safe walks along unknowns parts of the city so I can explore and learn a little bit each time I walk through the city. I will continue trying to involve myself in the community by stopping and talking to strangers and be a little more welcoming instead of being passive. Overall I really enjoyed this Personal Growth Service Learning experience, It proved to be fun, and it truly put me out there.
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