Sense of Place Interview

Unfortunately I didn’t have the chance to interview my grandparents, but I work with elderly people and I had the chance to meet John Dudash. He is a native Naples resident and has live in the town for the past thirty eight years. It gave me the opportunity to discuss the meaning of sustainability, how he found his sense of place in Naples, and also how education has change from his time to now.

One of the first things I ask him was what is his definition of sustainability? He looked at me confuse and then said, “In my younger days life was much simpler moms and pops shops was the only place you could eat or buy thing. An over WW2 my mom had a garden out in the patio, where she grew the greens for us eat and trade with the neighbors. As you know all the supplies need it to go over seas and at the local super market there was only so much you could buy. Everything was use to the fullest and nothing was left to waste. Senses then I have educated myself and family to only use as much as they need and buy only what they’re going to use, also always using resources and materials to the fullest. I still do the same to this day.” After he said this I was shock, I didn’t expect him to give such accurate answer and have such an accurate definition of sustainability life. Also it surprises me that he has such a sustainable life style.

I also ask him how Naples was thirty years ago and why is his sense of place in this town? He close his eyes, took a dip breath, and smile. Then he said, “Naples was the place to be if wanted to escape from society. There weren’t many shopping strips or house developments around and restaurant chains were unheard of at that time. But over the years the town has change and the main reason I feel that it is just like in the old day is doo to the fact we have keep our green areas and nature pretty well preserved. I guess people could keep it secret for long and over the year more and more people has move in. we have become a big city and have a attractive place for tourist to visit. But over all I have grown with Naples and as I came to my old age I would change this town to live any were else. Plus I haven’t had mortgage payment over 27 years and I live in the same street over 37 years”. It wasn’t the first time I heard someone talk about Naples this ways and it shows me the self of place Mrs. Dudash and may other resident have build over the years of seen a town change, without taking away its original beauty and nature.

Then he asks me the nature of my questions and why I had to take colloquium to be able to graduate. I explain to him the mission of FGCU to educate the student about the environment and how to live a sustainable and healthy life style for nature. As he leasing to my explanation he said, “I wish we had that opportunity when I attended school instead of learning how to live efficiency and sustainable by life experiences. Over all I thing is a great opportunity for you to learn what we have cause to the environment and maybe contribute to find a solution before there is no turning back.”

I agree with him thanks to this class I realize there are a lot more things I can do to help the environment and live a more sustainable life style.