I think that Che’s reflections on the City of Cuzco in his chapter called “The Navel” (pg. 103-104) are brilliant.  This is how he sets up his descriptions: “There are two or three Cuzcos, or it’s better to say, two or three ways the city can be summoned.”  From there, he goes on to articulate the different sides of the city that he sees, as they reflect different times in history and the different cultures and civilizations that have left their mark on the city.

To me, this way of considering the complexity embodied in a modern city is a marvellous way to think about globalization and the complicated way that history, cultures, and people interact and influence one another.  So, drawing inspiration from this chapter, think of a city that you are familiar with (you can do Bangkok, but you don’t have to), and put together a unique and creative piece of writing that somehow accomplishes a similar goal of this chapter: illustrating the “different sides” of the city you choose.

*Note – Please make an effort NOT to write in the typical “reflective” mode of most of our blog posts, simply answering the question that is asked of you. Have fun and be take innovative risks with these – this is meant to be a creative writing assignment, not a blog post!