Staying Local

Over at Unschooled, Kate posted about the advantages of homeschooling and how she plans to do the same when she has a family. One of the possible advantages would be being able to travel.
I countered that proposition with the idea of staying local. Knowing local. Being immersed in local.

For instance, today was a sunny day (started out mysterious and foggy) when my daughter and I set out on our bikes (for the first time since winter began) and had a wonderful ride down pass the bay, and onto trails that connect our city to another town.
Let's say-it was a mini 'staycation.'

We observed red- winged black birds, hawks, blue jays, and even a woodpecker. B fed chickadees; we observed geese and ducks in their nestling grounds in the Marsh (got frightened off by two really aggressive squirrels of all things).
We had an adventure when we tried to find the historic Easterbrooks (since 1930) and I was informed by my daughter that her great-grandmother carved her name on one of the booths when she was about the same age.  We did find it and we enjoyed milkshakes and French fries.

     B really knows her 'back yard.' All our kids are steeped in the history of place (due to having a father who is a history buff). They are familiar with the geography and the ecology of our City and with its many green places and waterfalls. They are also familiar with the image of the city as Steel Town; industrial, working class, gritty, unpretentious.

They know all the bodies of water that surround the city- the bay where they frequently canoe; or skate upon in the winter. Lake Ontario where they swim (and where their grandmother had her swimming lessons as a child). The trails that connect town to town; the drinking water that we get once a month from the spring.
They know the culture scene: arts,environment, activism, literary, music and all the great people in these movements.
The university corridors they know like the back of their hands. The markets, the best vintage stores, the 'coolest' place to have coffee, brownies and a game of chess; the best place to eat falafel. The best place to get your photo copying done. Our favorite Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner. Best slopes to tobaggon or go cross country skiing. Best swimming pool. The harbourfront trail and where to get good ice cream.
Favourite movie theaters. The list goes on and on.
This is the advantage of leading an unschooled life-we explore and go where our noses lead us and we learn to really appreciate the community we live in.