Curiosity, and the Distance Between Us
In cities shaped by difference, curiosity is often assumed rather than practised. Here, we consider what it means to move beyond proximity— toward attention, conversation, and the slow work of understanding.
by Cholwe Shilukobo · 3 min read
There’s a particular kind of intrigue that comes from living in Amsterdam.
It happens in small, mundane moments: waiting in line and hearing a blend of Sranan Tongo, Dutch and Turkish, before you reach the counter. Standing in a shop where the music, the food, and the people don’t quite belong to the same place but somehow still make sense together. Sitting on a tram where conversations overlap, none of them yours, all of them close enough to follow without fully understanding; some of them occupy space in the city only for those few minutes, before disappearing for good. The city doesn’t explain itself, nor does it translate. It places you among difference and lets you decide how far you want to go with it.
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