UNIT 2: HOME AND NEIGHBORHOOD
My name‿ is Tom. I have lived‿ in the same neighbourhood for‿ eighteen years,│ and‿ I have watched‿ it change from‿ a place│ where‿ everybody knew each‿ other‿ into somewhere that‿ is cleaner,│ safer,│ an(d) much less friendly.
When we arrived,│ there were two family bakeries‿ on‿ our street. Both have closed,│ and‿ a coffee chain has‿ opened. The amenities have‿ improved‿ enormously:│ a new health centre,│ a renovated library,│ and‿ a station that was rebuil(t) two years‿ ago. Rents,│ of course,│ have doubled,│ an(d) the young families│ who used tousta live here have moved to the edge‿ of the cityci-dy. The area has been regenerated,│ an(d) some‿ of the people│ who built‿ its community spirit were regenerated‿ out ofoutta‿ it.
What remains‿ is‿ a sense‿ of belonging‿ among those‿ of‿ us│ who stayed,│ which‿ is difficul(t) to explain to somebody│ who has just‿ arrived. My sister lives‿ in‿ a newer,│ more‿ affluen(t) suburb│ where the facilities‿ are‿ excellent‿ an(d) the traffic congestion‿ is‿ a nightmare. She says nobody speaks to anybody. If‿ I were designing‿ a neighbourhood,│ I would put‿ a market‿ in the middle‿ of‿ it. Almost‿ every friendship‿ I have here began‿ over‿ a shopping list.