Q: You seem to jump around not only the geography quite a bit, but also from nature to civilization and history, etc. I thought all this was supposed to be seeing North America for what it really is?
A: What North America "really is" is a continent that has been dramatically transformed in only a few centuries, much of it far more rapidly than that. American Voyages is all about showing people what they have in their backyard, because it is amazing how many people really do not know what is just around the corner from them, what has happened there, etc., to say nothing of what lies further afield, especially in one of the neighboring countries. Part of sharing what places are like involves:
What was this like in its natural state?
What has happened here because of nature?
What has happened here because of people?
What is this place like now?
I like to focus on the first and the last question, but you really can't get from one to the other without the middle two being asked as well. Question one holds a particularly strong interest for me, because in so many places we just have no idea what we have changed, and might never get the chance. Understanding this, especially through the lens of history, is very important in getting to know ourselves better. For that matter, it helps to ground the sciences, such as botany, in something not distanced from humans. Simply put, we are a component of the environment, and a danger lies in ignoring this by either insisting on our dominance of creation or seeing us only as an invasive element within it. Anyway, whenever studying anything, it is important never to do so entirely from within or without a fishbowl. This, of course, leads to another question:
What is my perspective on these things?
I made this blog because I wanted to share my perspective with others so that I may be in turn enlightened by theirs and open our worlds a bit more. I suppose I could say the idea for American Voyages came when I was in high school and shocked that some of my peers did not know much about the world beyond their county. I became aware of the idea when I went to Mexico to learn Spanish and was exposed to a much broader viewpoint of the place than I expected. Finally, as noted before, in my very second post in fact, I became enraptured by the sheer grandeur of the Grand Canyon and knew that I wanted to share not just impressions of my travels and research, but my wonder. Many people could care less about the facts and would prefer to skip ahead to "what is it like?" To answer your question, in considering all of the components of a place, meaning its ecosystem, history, and forces of change, I like to expose both the facts and "what it is like".
Q: Why so much attention on a few places? Why all the focus on Michigan?
A: I live here, and I have taken a lot of pictures of places like here and southern California. I like to present posts that include photographs whenever possible, and I like to make sure they were pictures I or someone I was with have taken just to keep the images pertinent and meaningful in sharing my perspective. Anyway, what's the big deal with Michigan? It tends to not get a lot of good press from the rest of the country, to say nothing about getting much press at all. On that note, just wait until I get some Mexico pictures together, because then you will probably be sick of those too! Don't worry, I have plenty of requests and plans for more variety.
Q: What is corn?
A: A grain often eaten as a vegetable that is native to Mexico and has been cultivated throughout the Americas throughout human existence here. In English it can also refer to grains for making bread in general.
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