A Five Senses immersive experience of the Desert Southwest
The Desert Southwest has been home for my family for well over six generations. Although we have lived everywhere from West Texas to Southern California, and from just outside Denver to Northern Mexico, our more recent roots have been in Glendale, Arizona. However, out of my family I am the first person to willingly move out of the Southwest, and since coming to Swarthmore I have had four years to reflect on just how much of an impact the Desert had on my identity and worldview.
(I wrote this poem on the plane ride to Swat before Freshman Move-In)
Dear Brutal Desert,
Over the last 18yrs you have proven time and time again that you are the most inhospitable place on earth. I’ve struggled to survive off the little sustenance you provide and have been tricked too many times by the tantalizing mirages that just seem to get further away. The morning sun is supposed to be a promise of hope, not more suffering. Through all the pain I finally began to recognize the beauty that surrounds me: the solidarity of the mountains, the staggering beauty of the unique saguaro and the sweet peace of the scarce rain. You are and forever will be my home.
Dear Sweet Desert,
you have my heart.
The culture shock of the East coast was easy to adapt to but I do not think I have yet to adapt to the physical environmental differences. At home you can never escape the sun’s warm embrace, but at Swat my body is desperate for heat. In September of my Freshman Fall I wore pants, a hoodie, and a beanie to class and the professor asked if I was feeling alright – as if 70 degrees wasn’t chilly. In Phoenix the mountains guide our every movement, but here we are confined by the crowded horizon of trees. At home there are always little rocks and smooth stones that greet you with every crunchy step. Here you don’t have to watch out for scorpions or snakes when you go for a walk – which might sound nice to some people, but watching out for them made me feel like I was never truly alone.
I chose to cover the topic home and community for my capstone project because over the last four years I have split my time between the two (as most college students do). Everytime I tell people I am from Arizona or Phoenix or the Desert Southwest I can tell that they only picture what they see in movies about the Southwest. Most of the responses that I get from people who are not from the Southwest are either about the unbearably hot summers or Scottsdale (a rich and white part of Phoenix on the opposite side of town.) I am sure that many people have misconceptions about every place they have not been, but I wanted to have people experience Phoenix and the Desert Southwest the same way I do. Through the uses of the five senses I hope to offer a better understanding of why the Desert Southwest is so special to me.
Touch:
Fine dirt and rocks from around my neighborhood that have been warmed through steam to give the impression of a hot summer touch
Smell:
Creosote bush oil diffuser
Taste:
Various mexican candy from a local grocery store
Hearing:
When I think of the Southwest one of the first memories that comes to mind is the sound of the rocks crunching beneath my feet as I walk across my yard
Sight:
VR headset of various panoramic pictures around Phoenix and the desert outskirts
The Desert Southwest is and always will be my home – I have absolutely no attachment to the east coast. However, the community of friends and mentors I have built over the last four years is here at Swarthmore. This may be a very similar case for a lot of seniors either going home or starting a new chapter outside of the North East. Below I have included a couple questions that I have considered burning this project and I hope you will consider too.
- When you think of the word “home” what comes to mind? Is it your physical house or a special place? A city or a landscape?
- What is something you find beautiful about your home area?
- What are common misconceptions that come out when you tell people where you’re from?
- If you could change one thing about your home to better the livelihoods of your community what would it be?
- Are home and community in the same place for you? Which is more important? How do you reconcile choosing one over the other?