Submitted by Dongeun (Jane) Seo; 11th grade 10/08
This entry relates to the past, present.
Categories: Favorite places, coming to Davis.
 
My family doesn't like to stay in one place very long. During the seventeen fleeting years of my life, I've already lived in six different cities, two different states, and three different countries. But Davis seems to be an exception. Davis’ distinction as the most bike-friendly town in the country, its close knit, community-based atmosphere, and even the notorious toad tunnel have all convinced my family to settle in this town year after year. The end of 2008 marks my seventh year as the proud resident of Davis, and I certainly hope to live here until I embark to college. No other cities that I’ve lived in, either in the United States or outside the country, compare to Davis. Sure, the downtown Seoul, South Korea’s biggest metropolis, has flashy boutiques like Louis Vuitton and Chanel, but what about the one-of-a-kind, crafty shops found only in Davis? Sure, the Germans in Frankfurt, a city I designated “summer vacation home,” commute to work in the ultra-slick, high-tech InterCityExpress (ICE), but they certainly don’t build muscles or burn calories as do the Davis residents who bike to work every morning. Sure, Andong, a rural community I was part of for five years, welcomed Queen Elizabeth II when she visited the village for her 73rd birthday, but Davis will greet some of the world’s best cyclists, including Lance Armstrong, as the host site of Amgen Tour of California’s second stage. Sure, the Southerners in Baton Rouge, a place of my birth, delight their taste buds with spicy Cajun food, but I bet they secretly crave the succulent, hand-picked organic peaches sold at the Davis Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning.. In less than two years, I’ll be heading off to college, leaving the town I affectionately dubbed “home” for the last seven years. But I know I won’t be saying farewell forever. After all, who can say good-bye to the 4,000 species of trees and plants at the UC Davis Arboretum, the exuberant Cal Aggie Band-Uh’s performance at the annual Picnic Day, or the giant bag of kettle corns at the Farmer’s Market?