Each of Us is Part of the Community

For most people in the United States, if not all, forming a community around where they live is very significant. Communities are not only formed by the people who live in them, but also by what surrounds them. People often seek communities that reflect their personal beliefs, values, and identities. A community isn’t only formed by the people who live in it and their beliefs or religious affiliations. It’s primarily created by the public spaces, schools, and businesses that surround the community.

Health and medical centers, banks, restaurants, supermarkets, police departments and many others are some of the elements that constitute a community. There could obviously be no community if there’s no one living in it. Living in a community not only offers its inhabitants new opportunities but also fosters lifelong friendships. Communities also allow the people in them to share their thoughts, thus creating a better community for themselves. In my personal experience, Panama doesn’t have communities like other countries. In Panama, your community is your immediate family, school, and parents’ work. Therefore, my community comprises my father, mother, two brothers, and grandmother; my school; and my parents’ work. For many other people, their community includes their immediate family and possibly their entire family, their school, their neighbors, church groups, and a myriad of other things that make up their community.

Since I grew up in a different type of community, my sense of community was not the same as it is now. When I arrived at Loyola, I noticed that the people around me were slightly different from me, as they seemed more outgoing. I was confused because I thought I was a very easy outgoing person but later realized I wasn’t. I wasn’t used to meeting that many people at the same time or living with so many people. After talking with my parents about this, I understood that I was raised in a different type of community. What truly changed my thinking about what a community was and how it could actually define a person was the Community Walk. Here, I was able to get a feel for what a community was like and somewhat how it felt to be part of one. I not only understood that communities were formed by the people who live in them, but also by the businesses around them. It changed my perspective about community because I discovered that communities can actually define a person. Communities are not only a place to live, but also a place to make friends, establish businesses, and, most importantly, a place in which to carve out your future. It made me realize the importance of being part of a community and sparked a desire in me to be part of one. If it now means something to me, what should it mean for a person who has always been part of one?

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