When I first traveled to the U.S. in 2006, when I was 11, to see family and a friend who had recently immigrated to suburban Philadelphia, there were a lot of things that surprised me. The noise, the crowds, and the scale of things were all a lot for an eleven-year-old to handle. However, when I met my friend and her family, I was surprised at one thing in particular.

When suggesting a trip to a local Barnes and Noble on a retail park around the corner from their house, they hopped in the car. The journey was no more than five minutes. When I asked about why we were driving, my friend explained that they're not allowed to walk past the end of their road.

Back in the UK, in the area we grew up, we walked and cycled around the village, to the local park, and to school each day. While where

See Full Page