running in the new neighborhood

I went for a run this evening in my new neighborhood. Apparently my neighborhood is (or has been) listed as one of the most ethnically diverse zip codes in America. My apartment is technically in Albany Park, but when I walk over the short bridge spanning the north branch of the Chicago River on the way to class, I walk into North Park.

And it's true that I didn't hear English conversation once while I jogged, despite running by mothers and strollers, outdoor bbqs, volleyball tournaments, and couples hand-in-hand. But what I noticed most was the river and its guardian trees. They overwhelm this part of the city... absorbing the grease and sirens and catcalls into a greenscape all it's own - clearly of the city, but organic and beautiful all the same.