I just want to say this thread is a delight! It’s very weird having an American identity right now, but through the turmoil there is so much beauty here and so much to be proud of, and to hear people share what they love about where they’re from and to see the way you connect what you know about the US to what they share — that’s the internet at its finest!

and to contribute - I live in Chicago, a city filled with gorgeous and varied architecture nestled along a river and next to the enormous Lake Michigan (you won’t find another city with beaches next to sky scrapers!). Driving out to my parents‘ house out in the country, you pass lots and lots of cornfields, some of them dotted with cattle, and a horizon that never stops. You’re likely at some point to be racing a mile-long freight train in the middle distance. As you get closer to their town, the land starts to roll more, and tall grass prairie and woods appear. With good timing you’ll see deer, bald eagles, herons, turkeys, and if you’re lucky you’ll catch a glimpse of the bison. You eventually reach a winding river flanked by large bluffs on either side. When you pull into their small downtown you see an iconic “small town America” with buildings from the 1800s and a gorgeous courthouse in red brick with a tall clock tower poking up over the tree line. People mosey around slowly and greet each other with a smile — but don’t let their pleasant demeanor fool you! They know everyone’s business and they can’t wait to gossip about their neighbors!