Places of Influence – Geography 210: Geographic Dimensions of Human Development

Theses four places I have been have profoundly influenced me for a myriad of reasons. They have all contributed to my recent development. A question that then needs to be asked is how and why did I decide to go to all of these places.

Gstaad in Switzerland acts as a place I have been based off relationship. My Mum and Dad got divorced when I was young and my Dad moved to Switzerland when I was 10. My life became much more orientated around my mum’s side of the family and naturally they helped construct an unfavorable view of Dad. When I was 18 I decided to see for myself and started visiting my Dad in Gstaad regularly. Being older and wiser I began to judge for myself and discount previous things I had thought. Now I visit twice a year and have a great relationship with my Dad.

Lusaka in Zambia is where I was able to go due to an invitation from a lifelong friend I had been at boarding school with named Lutanga. Lutanga is half British and half Zambian. Throughout the years he had told me so much of Zambia and made me anxious to visit.

Sanya, Hainan province, China, was a hugely contrasting place for me. On a whim spring freshman year I decided to apply to a program called CRCC Asia and was given a choice of Sanya, Beijing, Shenzhen or Shanghai. I decided to pick the place I knew the least about.

Arusha in Tanzania represents a place I have been due to the University of Richmond. Freshman year I spent a lot of time socializing and I am proud of my eclectic friend group that arose from that. Benji invited some of us to Tanzania last summer but only two of us took him up on the offer!

Walid Alatas says:

October 1, 2015 at 2:12 pm

The StoryMap was very informative. Through Max’s StoryMap I was able to fully understand mobility. From the small town of Gstaad to the Safari of Tanzania, Max was able to capture the fact that just in a span of three years he moved a lot. Furthermore, his example also showed the way that different ideas and cultures came together, specially through his trip to Lusaka by working for the National Restoration Party in Zambia to working at a conservationist National Park in Tanzania. Job well done.

Taylor Morse says:

October 1, 2015 at 2:19 pm

Max, first off I am astonished of the diversity of places you have had the opportunity to visit! Your storymap demonstrates how mobility can shape who were are as a person and the experiences we get to endure. Your storymap shows how being a global citizen is not only traveling to these places but imbedding yourself into their culture in order to gain knowledge and experience to a different way of life.