When I was younger, we lived in an area with moderate gang activity. Playing in the front yard without adult supervision was strictly forbidden. Accompanying my friends to the market on the corner and skipping the bus and walking to school in the morning was simply out of the question - even if we did it anyways. When I moved across the country, the atmosphere was different. I could play outside without my parents watching me through the window. I could go with my friends down to the stream and stay out until dark. more