Since I live in a large city, my neighborhood is extremely diverse. Residential areas are dispersed, seemingly randomly, between commercial areas, where a variety of businesses are run. Some of these businesses are made up of offices, while others are various stores, restaurants, and places of entertainment. There is no shortage of new restaurants to eat at, or stores to shop in. While some stores are large, well-known, brands that are owned by large corporations, small boutiques are also increasingly popular. They are not only located in various malls, but they also line the streets, which are often in walking distance of neighborhoods that would otherwise be quiet and serene, if not surrounded by so many points of interest. There are also a couple of nearby parks, and I have noticed that people frequent these parks with their young children. Speaking of the people, there’s actually quite a bit of diversity within my neighborhood. In one small location, we have a prominent LGBTQ+ community, an Orthodox Jewish community, and a collection of refugees and immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Spanning a little further outside of my neighborhood, there are many more individuals of various races and origins, although they are sometimes broken up into their own little communities within the city. We have locations known as Korea town, China town, Little Armenia, and many more, which are only a few miles away. However, only a few miles can prove to be a very lengthy drive. Driving a distance of only 10 miles can sometimes span two hours, due to traffic, especially during rush hour. Hardly anyone in my city walks anywhere, though. While certain locations of interest are inevitably close-by, the city is huge, and people do not generally prefer to commute on foot. As a result, we also have some of the worst traffic in the world, and it can be difficult to find parking spots just about anywhere. Ironically enough, there has been a great deal of construction in recent years, as large apartment buildings are being added to the city. It is seems to be a popular destination, but many residents are disappointed by the prospect of even more people moving in, and even more vehicles on the roads. There are many different types of houses in my city, however. Not everyone lives, or wishes to live, in a large apartment building. Residential areas are made up of houses, of various sizes, and smaller apartment buildings and condominiums. Some properties contain single-family homes, while others contain duplexes. This is true even within my immediately neighborhood, so there is also no lack of diversity in regards to housing options. Similarly, the neighborhood is made up of people of varying ages, and to be perfectly honest, I am not familiar with the majority of my neighbors. It is not really a tight-knit community these days, although I have many memories from my childhood of playing outside with my next-door neighbor, and a few other friends from the neighborhood, who were all close to my age.
