Week 1

           Hello everyone. My name is John Hayes and this blog is a chronicle of my exploration activities in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area. Having lived in this area all but three years of my life, I am eager to go places I haven’t been before and share those experiences with a broad audience. As many people know, Los Angeles is one of the most diverse regions of the world in terms of ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status. These are just a few of the themes that I hope to explore when considering the role that the city plays in social differences.

            My interest in this topic comes largely from the experiences that I had growing up here in Los Angeles County. From the second I was born I was exposed to cultures, traditions, and practices that were far different from those of my own family. As I have gone through school and worked the various jobs that I have, I constantly find myself asking questions as to what role these differences actually play and what ways geography influences these differences.

            I hope you all find the posts that follow to be thought provoking and intellectually stimulating. In my first real post I intend to explore the neighborhoods that fed into the high school that I graduated from. Social difference was abundant everywhere at my high school, from socioeconomic status and religion, to ethnicity and family makeup. I hope to see you all next week!