Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened...

I am leaving Chicago tomorrow. It has been an incredible and emotional three months, but I don't regret spending the semester here.

We had our last activity as a program today. We had a lot of laughs and reflected on our experiences this semester. It is really difficult for me to say good-bye to so many wonderful people.

I don't even know how to explain all the emotions I am experiencing right now. I am looking forward to the summer and senior year at Ripon College, but I am also sad to say good-bye to this exciting city and wonderful friends. I have grown so much this semester. I have so much more confidence and such a different outlook on the world.

I will miss Chicago and all of the wonderful friends I've made, but the memories and experiences will stay with me forever.

Thank you to all who have supported me over the past three months. I hope you've enjoyed reading my thoughts.

Time to say goodbye

This week has been bittersweet.

The baseball game was so much fun! I met Chris at his house (which is beautiful). We chatted for a while and then walked a few blocks to Wrigley Field. We were both a bit overwhelmed when we got inside, but found our seats easily. We had really awesome seats- right along the first base line. The best part of the evening- I ate a Chicago-dog at a baseball game!! :) It was the best hotdog I have ever eaten! The Cubs lost against the Brewers, but we still had a great time. There is so much history and tradition at Wrigley Field...what a great way to spend an evening out in Chicago.

I had to say goodbye to everyone at my internship on Wednesday. It was really hard to leave, especially when I had to tell my reading students that I would not be able to tutor them anymore. It broke my heart. My supervisors took me to a Jamaican restaurant a few blocks from the office for an amazing smoothie before lunch!! (It was a good thing that they didn't tell me about this place before.) I cried when I finally had to leave after T-GRO. It was so difficult to say goodbye to these wonderful people who have become good friends after only two short months.

I gave my independent study project presentation on Thursday and then went to Zeva's house for seminar. All of us girls had a lot of fun just chatting after class was over. We were supposed to go on a Mural tour for Core Course. My roommates, Matt, Casey, and I went to Pilsen. It was raining and storming, so we didn't get to finish the tour. I was really dissappointed by that.

Heidi is leaving tomorrow and I am really sad about that. We have done everything together this semester. I am going to miss having her around. It is going to be really difficult saying goodbye tomorrow. After she leaves, a few of us are going to the zoo and maybe some shopping and then Chinatown for dinner (one last time).

I am excited to go home on Thursday, but I am going to miss Chicago and all of the people I have met here. It's really strange to think that I will probably never see most of the students on this program again. I hope I'm wrong about that.

I'm getting married!! :)

I had an amazing weekend in Ripon!!

Here's the story...

So I thought my parents and sister were visiting me in Ripon so we could celebrate my dad's birthday as a family. Well, I was completely wrong. We stood outside in the wind and cold to see Bruce finish the half-marathon with his parents and a lot of our friends (I thought it was really nice that a lot of our friends came down to support Bruce). Zac and Bruce finally finished the race(after beating my time by 14 minutes). I ran over to give Bruce his sweatshirt. He grabbed my shoulders and asked me if I remembered what we had talked about. I shook my head no. He then started to dig through one of the pockets in his camelback. He said, "we talked about when the time was right..." He pulled out a black box and got down on one knee. By this time, everyone had formed a large circle around us. He looked up at me and said, "Eliza Nora Cherry, I love you. Will you marry me?" I said, "yes!" The people behind me didn't hear and someone yelled, "so what's her answer?" I looked at the crowd of people and said, "Yes!" Since my parents, his parents, and our friends knew about this, there were a lot of pictures taken (I'll hopefully get more sent to me soon).

I am the luckiest and happiest girl in the world!! This weekend was absolutely perfect! I was able to see a lot of people, hear Bruce sing with the men's quartet, and see his jazz concert on Friday. Saturday we got engaged and then hung out with our families and friends. Sunday we went to brunch in the commons. Unfortunately, I had to say goodbye, but I really have nothing to be sad about. I will be back in Ripon in just two weeks!

Earth Day

The Cubs are playing the Brewers next Tuesday at Wrigley Field and guess who will be there?! Me!! I am so excited to go to a baseball game in Chicago!

Today was a good day. The weather was beautiful and class was good. We were in Uptown at the Chicago Committee on Worker Issues. We were at the Center for Neighborhood Technology in Wicker Park for Precept. Since it's Earth Day, we took a tour of this building because it is a "green" building. We were able to learn about some programs that are being created to help people "go green." After Precept, we all went to Cold Stone for ice cream. What a great end to a day of class! Heidi and I did laundry tonight...the last time we'll do laundry together. :( I am going to try to get some of my work done so that I don't have to worry about it this weekend while I'm in Ripon!

Baseball!

I am really nervous for a presentation I have to give on Thursday! I'm sure it will be fine, but I'm still worried. I went to my internship today. One of my reading students is doing so well! I am still trying to get tickets for the Cubs game (against the Brewers) next Tuesday. I will be going with Chris Zahn (for all you Ripon people). I'm really excited and determined to get those tickets. I ordered tickets online today, but my order was cancelled due to the high demand for tickets. I called the customer service rep and he found me two more tickets (slightly higher priced, but still in my price range). I hope to receive a confirmation e-mail soon! I really want to see Wrigley Field (and not just from the red line) and eat a hot dog at a baseball game. I'm not sure I care much about the game itself, although this should be a really good game.

I am finally starting to enjoy my time in the city- the weather is great and I am realizing just how much I've learned this semester, not only academically, but personally. I think that I will be sad to leave when the time comes. It will be especially difficult to leave my internship. I've built such good relationships there in such a short time. It will, of course, be great to be back in Ripon with my friends.

Beautiful Weekend

I really enjoyed core course on Friday. We went on a "Toxic Tour" in Little Village (South Lawndale) and then to the Garfield Park Conservatory (see pictures above). What a beautiful place! I went out to eat with my uncles and aunt Friday evening. Saturday morning I went to the Maurice Lenell cookie factory with my uncle and then out to lunch with Amanda. After lunch we went shopping in Logan Square. I bought a pretty new dress from the Gap Outlet...yay for cheap clothes! I was pretty bored last night, but that's okay. Heidi and I went shopping in Wicker Park this afternoon. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!

Busy, busy, busy

A lot has happened over the last two days, so I'll start from the beginning.

I went to my internship on Wednesday. I had a really good lesson with one of my reading studetns. He is really catching on and I am so excited for him! TGRO was fun, too. I got to play outside in the park with my student and another tutor and his student because they got their homework done. It was so much fun to just hang out with my student. I got pizza from a little pizza place on the corner near my internship for dinner. It was so good...and really cheap. I chaired the last meeting of the Planning Committee. Not a very good turn-out, but that happens. I just home someone decides to take over leadership. I've put so much work into the committee over the semester, I don't want to see it fall apart.

I didn't go to my internship until 11:30 today, so I had some time to get some work done this morning...I am feeling much less stressed about homework now. My supervisor and I went to parent-teacher conferences...boy, was that fun. I ended up having an interview with a woman from Beyondmedia in Rogers Park after work for my issue project. I had such a wonderful time talking with this woman. She shared her personal story with me and then shared information about her former position at the Chicago Legal Advocacy for Incarcerated Mothers and her current position. She was such an inspiration to me. After the interview she even invited me to Beyondmedia's open house. Sadly, it won't be until mid-May, so I won't be here.

I got a letter from Bruce today, which always makes me happy. I also found out that I will be living in West Scott with Alicia next year! I am so excited about that.

The weather has been really great here. Tomorrow we are going on a "toxic tour" for core course and then to the Garfield Park Conservatory. I am really excited about it. Saturday I am going to visit my uncle and Sunday will be a homework day, unfortunately. I am also very excited to go to Ripon next weekend!

P.S. I will add more pictures this weekend.

Another adventure on the CTA

I had a really relaxing morning...until we left for class. Jessica, Katie, and I left at 8:20 to walk to the blue line to go to Hyde Park for seminar. We actually saw the (dreadful) Fullerton bus, but decided to take the train because we were sure we knew how to get to class that way. We caught an earlier train than we expected and were commenting on how early we were going to be for class. Well, we should not have been so sure of ourselves...once again, the CTA wins. The train stopped on the tracks, but we weren't worried- I mean, the trains stop all the time. This time, though, we heard a new message come over the loud speaker..."we are having equipment trouble." Oh no, I thought, this is not good. The conductor came on the speaker and told us what was happening- a blue line train was stuck in the subway at Clark and Lake with equipment problems. He assured us that there was a supervisor there and crews were trying to work on a single- track re-route. I began feeling a bit claustrophobic at this point. The train was packed and we could not get out. I did some deep breathing and calmed myself down. The conductor came back on the speaker and told us that the train would stop at Grand and there would be a shuttle bus between Grand and LaSalle- right past the stop we needed. Well, we would just take the shuttle bus, of course. No big deal. The train never made it to Grand...we were evacuated at Damen (good thing we weren't in the subway!). Great- now what? We managed to push through the crowd of stranded passengers on the platform and make our way to the street. People were everywhere! We decided to walk a few blocks on Damen to get back to Fullerton to get to the brown/red line station. We managed to get on the Fullerton bus (Amanda and Dana were already on it) and successfully arrived at the train. After we boarded the red line, everything was fine. We somehow managed to get to class only 10 minutes late!

The picture of the Damen stop was exactly where I was this morning. Read the full story here.
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6081958

This morning's adventure really made me realize how much I know about the city and public transportation. I am able to problem solve and stay calm.

After seminar, we took the bus back downtown and ate lunch. I wanted to eat at Jimmy John's, but I have so much trouble actually finding one. I ate at a Potbelly Sandwich Works with Jessica instead. Actually, we got our food and ate at the park near the Art Institute. It was so beautiful out today!

Jessica did something really amazing today. A man came by to ask if we had any money so he could get something to eat. We both said no. The man kept walking. As we were leaving, Jessica looked at me and said, "I'm going to get that man something to eat." Before I even realized what she said, she had dashed off to catch the man. She took him to a Subway across the street and bought him lunch. I really admire what she did today. It was really thoughtful and really helped someone. I am inspired by her actions. I know that I can't help everyone, but even if I can help one person, it will do some good in this world.

Precept was downtown today. We met at the Federal Plaza and Jackson and Dearborn. There were people protesting how our tax dollars our being spent- mainly on the war. My teacher works for the American Friends Service Committee, and it was her organization who was a part of this protest. We chatted a bit with the protesters and then walked back to her office. We had a very informal discussion today, but it was interesting. We talked a lot about the school violence that has been so prevalent in Chicago (23 CPS students have been killed just this year). I really enjoyed our conversation today.

Heidi, Amanda, and I went to a movie tonight...for only $3!! We saw "Juno." I really enjoyed it. We had a really nice evening out tonight. I'm going to hopefully get some work done tonight because I have to work late tomorrow.

Overall, it was a beautiful day in the city!

A busy Saturday

It is still raining...gross! I had a good day today. (Wow! 2 in a row!) Amanda and I went to a panel discussion at the "Race, Sex, and Power" conference. It was held at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The panel was really interesting. Zeva sat in with us and after the conference she commented about how confident and independent I've become over the semester. I have noticed that in myself, too and I think it's a really good thing. I came back to my apartment by myself because Amanda wanted to stay for another session. I stopped at the Subway by the blue line on my way back to get a sub for dinner. I got the $5 footlong and saved half for lunch tomorrow (Yay for cheap food!). I got a start on my seminar paper and did a little work for my internship. I am hanging out with Heidi right now and plan to go to bed somewhat early so I can work on my projects most of the day tomorrow...I hope it's raining again so I feel like staying inside.

Oh, one more thing...I received a present in the mail from Bruce today! It's a really cute teddy bear in a duck costume. I LOVE it! It really made my day and I know it will make me smile, even on the bad days. :)

Chicago Jazz Ensemble

I had a better day yesterday. Actually, I had a good day yesterday. We had core course yesterday. It was actually somewhat fun. We had two teach-in presentations in the morning. We had a "surprise" activity in the afternoon, which we were all pretty nervous about. We ended up watching "12 Angry Men" and discussing it for a bit afterwards. Our teachers even made us popcorn. :)

After class, I went back to my apartment and got ready to go see the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. My cousin was one of the guest soloists last night. I had an AMAZING seat- row M on the main floor (thank you Terell!!). I was even able to attend the pre-concert talk with the director, Jon Faddis. Sometimes it really does pay to go early. The concert was really wonderful and it was really great to hear Terell play with the band. I've only heard him play at the Fox Note in Ripon with a small group. Since this was a "Triumph of Trumpets" concert, all of the guest soloists were trumpet players and they were all really amazing. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see Terell after the concert. I'm sure he was busy.

I am also proud of myself because I went to the concert all by myself last night. I never do that. It was really nice to go on my own. I had a lot of fun and now realize that I don't have to depend on other people just so that I can do things that I enjoy. Yay for independence! :)

P.S. 13 more days until I visit Ripon. :)

This bad dream isn't over yet...

I hate it here and I want to go home. There are no simpler words to say what I'm feeling right now. I thought today was going to be okay, but alas, it was just another horrible day in the city. I didn't have to be at my internship until 12, so I got up at 8 and worked on some homework. I ate breakfast and watched the news and then got ready to leave. Well, I missed the bus by one minute and decided that I could just wait for the next one...since it wasn't raining...yeah right. After about five minutes of waiting, it started to sprinkle and then downpour. I waited in the pouring rain for 20 minutes. Lovely. I really love to go to my internship. Sadly, I had to leave early today for class. Another walk in the rain to the Uptown apartment. The train was really slow on the way back tonight. Amanda and I stopped at the grocery store and I got a pizza for dinner- healthy, I know.

I broke down and cleaned the food (that has been there for over a week) out of our drain tonight- it was starting to smell. Oh, I also cleaned the stove and the countertop. I don't know who taught my roommates how to clean, but I am so thankful to my mom for teaching me things like that. Thanks, mom! (And I also now know how frustrated my mom felt when my sister and I wouldn't clean up after ourselves.)

I'm counting down the days until I can leave. I just can't wait to be back with my friends and family. I am ready to be done...this isn't fun anymore.

Relaxing day

It is a bit rainy in Chicago today, but my day has gone well so far. Seminar this morning was interesting. We visited an organization called Mujeres Latinas en Accion. The woman who talked with us was very nice and gave us a good history of this organization. My friends and I took the blue line back to Logan Square, which allowed me to make a stop at the fruit market- it's wonderful to have some fresh produce!! I am trying to get some homework done this afternoon, but am having a difficult time concentrating. Tonight we are going to a blues club on Armitage. It should be interesting.

Long day at Family Matters

So it has indeed been a long day at Family Matters. I did a few random tasks this morning- making a game, cutting out shapes, etc. After lunch I tutored one of my reading students. I came back and worked a little longer before my second reading student arrived. I really love reading tutoring. It is so satisfying to know that I am helping students succeed. I am working 12 hours today. I am covering for my supervisor for evening tutoring. There are only three tutoring pairs here and right now I am sort of baby-sitting a really cute little girl while her mom is tutored in English.

I have seminar tomorrow morning at 9:30 and precept tomorrow night at 9:30. I'm excited for precept because we're going to a blues club! I just found at today that my cousin is going to be playing with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble Friday night...I'm hoping that I can still get a ticket. That would be a really fun Friday night.

I am still smiling about this weekend. It was so much fun to see a lot of my friends from Ripon, especially Bruce. After visiting Ripon this past weekend, I have a much better attitude about everything. I know that I will be fine...and so will Bruce. :)

Perfect Weekend

I had a perfect weekend. I had the opportunity to make a surprise visit to Ripon...and Bruce. I surprised Bruce at Culver's- he made quite the scene. :) It was also really nice to see everyone else. I knew I missed Ripon, but I guess I didn't know exactly how much. We went to Appleton with Missy on Saturday and spent the evening playing Mario Party, my favorite. Bruce had to run 9 miles this morning, so I rode his bike while he ran. It was so wonderful to breathe some clean air and be some encouragement for Bruce. After his run, we went to lunch at Subway. Kelsey had her composition recital today so I (finally) got to hear the men's quartet perform, which Bruce is a part of. It was so amazing! I ate dinner with everyone and then made the trip back to the city. This weekend was just what I needed. I would like to thank all of my wonderful friends at Ripon College for making this weekend so amazing and for all the encouragement they have given Bruce and me throughout this semester. You all are wonderful!

P.S. I love you, Bruce!

Exhausted

The show last night was amazing! The performers were great and the set was really awesome. I highly recommend "Jersey Boys" to anyone who loves musicals.

Today was another one of those exhausting and frustrating days. Since I got back so late last night, I was pretty tired. I got up late and then rushed to get ready (which I really hate). I made it out the door on time only to wait at the bus stop while 4, that's right, people- 4, buses drove right by because they were too full. It was getting late by the time the fourth bus drove on by so I decided to walk to the blue line. Luckily, I managed to catch the purple line express to Howard, which saved a lot of time. I ended up being right on time for my tutoring session. My internship was fine...I was tired, but I really enjoyed tutoring today. I left at about 4:30. When I got off the red line at Fullerton I had to run to catch my bus. Good thing I wore my running shoes today.

Heidi and I did laundry today and I regret to inform you all that I ate 2 donuts from Dunkin' Donuts tonight (I thought I deserved it today). Oh well, carrying my laundry probably got rid of those extra calories.

I am back at my apartment and plan to go to sleep early tonight. I am really looking forward to the weekend...for reasons that I will tell you all later. :)

Better than last week already

This week is going much better than last week already! I went to my internship yesterday and then had a group meeting. The weather was rainy and stormy, but at least it was warm(er). We had class at my apartment this morning, so I was able to sleep in a little. Bruce called me this morning, which I always love. My friend, Amanda, and I are going to see "Jersey Boys" tonight! I am so excited. We are leaving at about 6p.m and we are going to eat at Jimmy Johns (not too classy, but cheap). I plan to spend the rest of the afternoon working on my homework...as soon as I am done writing this. I have a really fun weekend planned and am looking forward to that.

A day out and about

I woke up early this morning and read a book for a while. I didn't actually get up until almost 11a.m. I finished a paper and was just deciding what I was going to do with my afternoon when my roommate, Amanda, asked if wanted to go to the zoo with her today. I decided that I would. We went to the Lincoln Park Zoo (free). It was so much fun to see all the animals and the weather wasn't too bad, either. We walked around the zoo for a while and then decided to do some shopping downtown. I was looking for a spring dress, but didn't find anything I liked enough to buy today. I did buy two pairs of flip-flops from Old Navy, though. After shopping, Amanda and I went to Chinatown for dinner. We also had to stop and buy a box of Koala Yummies (Yes, Bruce, the box I bought is for you) and some chocolate fortune cookies. We got back just a little bit ago. What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon! It was also really fun to hang out with Amanda since we don't get to spend a lot of time together. We are now sitting in the dark in honor of Earth Hour. Many of the buildings downtown are turning off their lights for one hour tonight to save energy.

Tomorrow I plan to go to church. I am going to do some homework in the afternoon and then make salt clay for my tutoring session on Monday. I am meeting with my teach-in group on Monday evening...luckily the project isn't as large as we originally thought. It is supposed to more of a discussion than a presentation, which takes a lot of pressure off of us.

The week is over...finally

This week was THE most difficult week that I've had since I've been in Chicago. I know that I'm getting something out of this experience because I am learning a lot about myself.

There were a whole lot of tears this week. I was frustrated with my group project, angry at public transportation, and just really sad...sadder than I have ever been in my whole life. At one point this week I actually thought about packing up my things and going home. I was also having a difficult time communicating with Bruce this week, which made everything worse.

Today was good. Class was interesting. We had a seminar on restorative justice, which is a really interesting topic and something I could really put to good use in my own life. I went back to my apartment after class and just relaxed. It was wonderful to have some "me" time today. I am feeling much better about life in general and I am excited to move forward from this setback.

P.S. Bruce and I talked everything out tonight...no need to worry. :)

Home Sweet Home

I spent a wonderful weekend at home with my family and Bruce and his family. I left on Thursday afternoon and came back to Chicago Sunday evening. I really enjoyed being home and it was great to see Bruce.

It was really difficult to come back. I don't really want to be here anymore. I would give anything to be in Ripon right now. I miss my family and I miss my friends in Ripon. I miss walking to class and to the Commons. I miss structured class and adequate time to complete projects and assignments. I miss movie nights and watching silly TV shows. I miss being involved on campus.

I am trying to get back into my routine here, but I am just counting down the days until I can go home...home to my family and home to my friends in Ripon. I don't know as if I will ever think of this place as "home." It is simply a place that I am living for a semester. I hope that I will be able to appreciate the city before I leave. I'm going to try to make the best of my last few weeks in Chicago.

Happy Day!

I had a great day today!! I went to my internship and felt pretty unproductive until I ran the first meeting of the planning committee. The meeting went so well! Only four tutors came, but five others are interested in being on the committee but had other commitments tonight. I even got complimented on how well I ran the meeting by another lady who was in her office working and overheard the meeting. I feel really good about that.

There was a really cute little boy (about 4 years old) on the train tonight. He saw the Dunkin' Donuts box that I was carrying (I brought home the leftovers from the meeting) and kept pointing and saying "donut." I asked his mom if he could have one and she said yes, so I gave him a donut. He was so happy. He was smiling and waving to a man that was sitting across the isle and two women sitting behind the man. They were all smiling and waving back. It is so interesting to see how happy people are when there is a cute child near. Usually people are very quiet and pensive, even angry when they are on public transportation.

I am going to my internship tomorrow and then going home on Friday morning. I am so fortunate that I am able to spend Easter with my family! I also get to see Bruce this weekend. :)

The weather matches my mood...

The concert on Sunday was absolutely AMAZING!! I really enjoyed listening to these powerful women with beautiful voices. I spent the entire day at my internship Monday. I have been working a lot on my ISP lately. I really enjoy having a project that is mine. I am a little frustrated with the lack of direction I am getting from my preceptor on this project. She always asks us (all 9 of us) after precept if we have time to talk about our projects with her. I always ask a question and then 5 other people ask her a question so I never get honest feedback from her. I sent my proposal in a week before it was due and still haven't gotten any feedback! I would really like her to set up individual appointments with us, so we can actually have a conversation about our projects. I have decided that I am going to do my project as I wrote it in my proposal and not worry about it.

It has been really cloudy and rainy today- not very nice at all. I am feeling better than yesterday, though. It's so interesting how my feelings change about being here. Some days I can't imagine leaving and others I'm planning the day I leave. I just can't figure out what I want. I am going home to celebrate Easter with my family this weekend. I feel very fortunate that I have that opportunity. I am hoping that after a weekend at home I will be able to really appreciate the city.

St. Patrick's Day in Chicago!

Heidi and I got up early this morning to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Chicago...and I am glad that we did. We went downtown with Dana and Amanda and got a spot by the river so that we could see it dyed green. We waited for a long time...apparently it takes a long time for the dye to travel down the river. We finally ended up walked toward Michigan Ave a little further and saw the neon green water! We rushed to the parade route and because we waited so long to see the river dyed, we did not get a very good spot to see the parade. We ended up leaving early because we couldn't see and we were very cold. There were so many people downtown and so much excitement. I'm so glad that we got to experience this holiday in Chicago.

We got back to our apartment. I worked on some homework this afternoon and then Heidi and I made chicken parmesan for dinner. (Yes, I am learning how to cook.) After dinner we decided to watch a movie together. It's nice to have a quiet night in the apartment.

Tomorrow, my seminar is going to Orchestra Hall to see "Sweet Honey in the Rock," an all female acappella group. I am really excited about this concert.

Cat on the bus?!?!

I went to my internship today since we don't have precept on Thursday mornings anymore. I got on the bus and a couple of stops later a woman got on the bus with a cat in a pet carrier! I didn't know that you could bring animals on the bus, but what would you do if you had to take your pet to the vet and didn't have a car?? Take it on the bus, I guess. I got on the red line this morning. I found a post office box to drop off my Netflix movie on my way to my internship. I was very excited about that. I worked on a few different projects this morning, one being my ISP. I collected all the tutor surveys and e-mailed the people interested in the planning committee about having the first meeting soon. I am really excited to get this committee going! This is what I do best...plan. We had a staff meeting today. We began the meeting with meditation...nothing at all like any other meeting I've ever been to. We then had introductions for the new staff members (including myself). After the usual business, we celebrated two birthdays in a very unique way. Every staff member had to say a wish they had for the person with the birthday. After everyone had gone, the person with the birthday had to say a with for himself. After this meeting, I finally really feel like part of the staff at Family Matters.

I took the red line back to the office for seminar at 4:30. There was a man on the train who kept talking about how "if we vote for Obama, he will just turn his back on us (African Americans)." He kept talking and talking and talking and really made my head hurt. I was thankful when he finally got off the train. I stopped at Starbucks on my way to class...I rarely do this, so I consider it a treat to myself for almost completing a very difficult week. We had our identity project presentations. We presented briefly on our identity and our budgets and then had time for questions and feedback. I did fairly well. I only forgot a couple of things...which I probably would have never thought about. For example, I didn't realize that the school that "my children" are attending is pretty rough. Dorothy suggested that my 15 year old should definetely have a cell phone. I also didn't budget enough money for field trip expenses. I have the opportunity to revise my project before I hand it in. I am really glad that I took this project seriously. There was only one person in my class who did not take the project seriously. She actually said in her presentation that the project was "stupid." I hope her grade reflects her lack of effort and respect.

I came home tonight and had pizza with Amanda. I then wrote my field notes, which were really easy since I took notes during the staff meeting today. I am going out to dinner with Perfecto and his girlfriend tomorrow night. I am really excited about that. One more happy thing today (besides the beautiful weather)...I received a card in the mail from Sam's mom! That really brightened up my day.

So much to do

I had a difficult day today. I took Bruce to his train this morning. It was hard to say goodbye to him, even though I'll see him in about a week for Easter. Everything is so much better when he's around.

I went to my internship today. I had a few projects to do and got trained for reading tutoring. This afternoon I started as a tutor for the T-GRO (third grade tutoring) program. I am tutoring Enrique. He is so cute! Enrique has a lot of energy, but really tries to get his homework done. After his homework was (finally) finished, we tried to do origami. I'm not very good at that, but he does pretty well.

I was feeling very overwhelmed today. I kept thinking about all the work I have to do and how much time I don't have. I did my laundry tonight and had some time to just relax. The only project I'm really nervous about is our teach-in discusion. My group really hasn't met to talk about this project and our presentation is April 4. We'll probably talk about this on Friday. I started my internship paper tonight. I'm sure everything will be fine.

We are having some people over on Friday night, I think. Heidi and I are going to the St. Patrick's Day parade (northside) on Saturday. It should be fun. I am going to a concert on Sunday for seminar. We are seeing "Sweet Honey in the Rock." I checked out their website and it should be a good concert. This is an all female a cappella group. I love a cappella! I will tell you more about that later.

I hope that all of you from Ripon are enjoying spring break!!

Love is in the air

I have had a wonderful weekend (and first half of the week)! I went to a ballet with my supervisor on Friday night. It was a medley of different ballets and was wonderful! The theater was beautiful and we had amazing seats- orchestra level. Bruce arrived on Saturday morning. I was so excited to see him get off the train! We went to Chinatown for dinner Saturday night. Bruce was really happy when we found Koala Yummies in one of the small shops. We met up with Jeff, Bruce's best friend, on Sunday. We then decided to spend the rest of the afternoon downtown. It was a good thing we did because we ended up meeting up with a few friends from Ripon. After having a smoothie at Cosi, we all went to Millenium Park. Bruce and I decided to head back to my apartment. I went to my internship for a couple of hours on Monday and then Bruce and I went to Big Tony's for lunch. We had an amazing pizza, right in Logan Square! I took a mental health day today. Bruce and I did some homework here and watched TV. Our friend Perfecto came over and took us to his favorite Puerto Rican restaurant in Humboldt Park. We had jibaritos, which are tasty sandwiches made with fried plantanes for the bread, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and meat (I had chicken and the boys had steak). I'm really glad Perfecto showed me this restaurant; I never would have found it on my own!

It has been really great to have Bruce here. I really enjoyed showing him my neighborhood and some of the other places that I enjoy in the city and just spending time with him. He was really excited to see "real Chicago," not just the museums. I will miss him when he goes home tomorrow. I love him very much. I'm so glad that he got to visit me.

Reflections

I would just like to take a little time to reflect on my experiences in Chicago so far. I have really learned a lot about myself and maybe I have even changed (a little). The past couple of days have really made me think about some things.

Plans change with the wind around here. I am a very scheduled person and I don't like when plans change at the last minute. It has been difficult for me to "go with the flow," but I think I'm learning to accept change...in many ways. Being flexible is a good quality to have and I think I'm finally learning how to do that. I have had many new experiences so far and I have had to think about many difficult issues. This program is teaching me not only about Chicago, but also about myself and what I truly believe.

Some days I really wonder why I chose this program, but at the end of the day I'm really glad I'm here. I have made so many wonderful friends and I've done some really interesting things. This semester is going by quickly and I'm going to do my best to truly "go with the flow" and enjoy everything this amazing city has to offer.

Springtime in the city...for today at least

It is a beautiful day in the city today. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I discovered the purple line express for my commute to work today.

I went away for the weekend and discovered that I missed Chicago. I had a very nice weekend, but I was glad to see my roommates and get back to my routine. This week has been very busy so far. I went to my internship on Monday. I went to Eviction Court yesterday morning. That was very interesting. We heard a lot of cases. Yesterday afternoon my precept worked on our asset mapping project, which we will present tomorrow. We created a beautiful map of Logan Square. I worked on some of my projects that are due next week last night because I would like to have them almost done before Bruce visits (only 3 more days!!).

I am going to see a ballet on Friday night with my internship supervisor. I am very excited about that. I am currently at my internship. I might have to work until 8:30 tonight, which wouldn't be great because I have to do laundry at some point tonight, but I'll survive.

I had better get to work. I hope you are all having a wonderful week so far!

It's been a whole month...

I have officially been in the city for one month. I can't believe how fast the time went by. I've learned so much about public transportation (I can actually get places by myself!!) and about the city so far. I've made some really wonderful friends and I've seen some amazing things. It will be wonderful when the weather gets better...

This week was busy, but very interesting. I had two days of internship (Monday and Wednesday). Wednesday I was on my own because both of my supervisors were away at a conference. I had to supervise T-GRO in the afternoon, the third grade tutoring program. It was quite hectic picking up nine very energetic third graders from school. I started my senior seminar project on Monday, which is a wonderful feeling! Tuesday we went to the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless for Seminar. We watched a very interesting documentary, made by the Coalition, about prostitution and homelessness. We went to visit the Alliance of Local Service Organizations in Logan Square for Precept. They talked to us about a campaign called CeaseFire. This campaign is about ending gang violence. They have a very interesting approach. The organization has hired outreach workers who are former gang members and have spent time in prison for gang related homicide. These men are now out of prison and working to reach out to the gang leaders and other members and to talk to them about non-violence. It is very interesting work and a great example of someone who has made wrong choices trying to reach out to others before they make the same choices. Today for Precept we visited the Alderman. He was very nice and gave us a great lecture about his duties and his background.

Tomorrow after Core Course I am taking the Metra to Bruce's house for the weekend. Bruce will not be there, unfortunately, but I am very excited to spend a relaxing weekend with his parents. I won't have much homework to do, but I'll try to work a little.

The weekend is over...

Yesterday was a homework day. I did sleep in, but I did homework all afternoon. I got quite a bit done; however, I am starting my field notes for senior sem tomorrow so I will have enough to do this week.

We went to Trinity UCC this morning for Core Course. It is an all African-American church with over 6000 members. It was everything I expected...huge choir (all wearing traditional African clothing- very colorful), lots of singing and clapping, "hallelujahs" and "Amens," rousing sermon, and hugs, lot of hugs. Service started at 11a.m. Luckily we got there early and got a seat in the balcony- so we could see everything that went on. Service ended at 1:45p.m...yes, church was almost three hours long! It was an interesting experience and I am glad that we got to go.

Heidi and I made tacos for dinner...yum. We were watching the Oscars and trying to finish our assigned readings...not working out so well. I decided to call Bruce instead. He is going to call me back in a little while, though. I am missing my family and Bruce a lot today. I can't wait to see Bruce in just TWO more weeks and my family for Easter! I am enjoying my time in Chicago, but the "newness" has worn off and now it's just a regular day of going to class and work, except made more frustrating by the CTA. Hopefully my internship will be very interesting and I will look forward to going. I am not looking forward to getting up at 5:30a.m to be at work by 8a.m. :(

A great start to the weekend

After a rocky start to the day (an arguement with my roommate over the dishes), it ended up being a very nice day. For the morning session of Core Cours we went to Boystown and spoke with the unofficial "mayor" of Boystown. We had a very interesting conversation about the LGBT community. Heidi and I went back to our apartment for a quick lunch and then went to the Urban Studies Office for the afternoon session of Core. We had discussion about our morning session and then participated in an activity called "stand and declare." We did this before and I really enjoy. A question is posed and then we must declare where we stand on that issue...strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree. Once we are all where we want to be, we debate the issue. I really enjoy voicing my opinion as well as listening to the opinions of others.

After class today, I met one of Bruce's best friends from his high school (also a friend of mine), Anthony, and his girlfriend, Ashley. I met them at Navy Pier. We walked around a bit and then went to dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp...what a great restauarant!! It was really nice to see Anthony and to meet Ashley. I really needed some time away from the people in the program and to connect with someone who knows people I know and knows something about me, before I moved to Chicago. I've actually only met Anthony a couple of times, but tonight it was as if we had been friends forever. Anthony is such a nice guy...he even paid for my dinner tonight. Thanks, Anthony!! I have really wonderful friends...

Not going as planned...

Today is not going as I expected at all. I woke up at 5:30a.m in order to make my bus at 6:37a.m to go to my internship. I was on time; however, my bus never came. After waiting for almost 20 minutes, I decided to walk to the blue line station and try to transfer to the purple line train going north. I got stuck behind a man on the escalator and ended up missing the purple line by just a few seconds. I was trying to wait patiently on the platform, but got a little anxious when I saw so many other trains go by. I've never taken the purple line so I didn't know how many trains actually run. I was thinking about taking the brown line back to Fullerton to get the red line, but decided to wait a little longer. While I was waiting in the cold, I got a phone call from my boss. She is sick today and told me I didn't have to go into work until noon. At that exact moment a purple line train came by. I didn't get on and instead waited for another brown line train to take me home. Luckily, there was a bus waiting at the stop when I got off the train, otherwise I would have taken a cab.

I am really frustrated. I am NEVER late for important things, but I have to rely on public transportation that may or may not come. I planned to be early to my internship today so that I could show them that I am reliable and responsible, since I was almost late to my interview. I hope that my next trip to my internship will be better. I plan to leave at 10a.m to allow plenty of time to get there.

It is Amanda's birthday today so we are all planning to go to the House of Blues for dinner. I hope I get off work in time to go with everyone.

Shedd Aquarium...for FREE!!

Besides the rain, yesterday was a beautiful day! Church lasted for two hours! It was amazing, though. I really enjoy going to the Humboldt Park United Methodist Church. Everyone is so friendly and helpful...and I'll learn Spanish if it kills me. The services are all in Spanish and those few who only speak English must wear a headset to hear the translation. Going to this church really makes me feel like I'm home in Logan Square.

I found out this morning that the Shedd Aquarium is free this week only. Heidi and I decided to skip our homework and go to the Aquarium instead. We had so much fun wandering around. We saw so many neat fish. My favorite (of course) were the seahorses. I'm really not sure why they fascinate me, but they do. :) One of the best exhibits was the huge ocean reef. There was a huge sea turtle and even a shark! I plan to go back when Sam visits...we'll buy tickets and get to see the whales and dolphins, too. The free tickets today were only general admission.

On our way back from the Aquarium we stopped to buy a cake mix and frosting for Amanda's birthday on Wednesday. It will be fun to celebrate her birthday with her.

Check out all of my Chicago pictures so far by following this link...
http://ripon.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2011379&l=50315&id=113800241

A weekend downtown

The end of the week was almost as good as the beginning. We had an interesting speaker yesterday in Core Course. He spoke to us about immigration. In the afternoon we all went to the Mexican Fine Art Museum. It is a nice museum, but a lot smaller than I expected. I was glad that we didn't have a tour guide; we just got to wander around. I planned to stay home last night and work on some homework (lame!!), but later in the evening, around 9:30, Dana called to see if I wanted to go over to the other Logan Square apartment and watch a movie. It took some convincing, but I went and had a lot of fun. We watched "Mean Girls" and chatted. Gladis and Amanda walked me home at about 12:30a.m. Much too late!!

Amanda and I went downtown this afternoon. We went to the Field Museum first. It is a very interesting place and we probably didn't see half of it. The really great thing was that it is free all through February! After the Field Museum we went to Millenium Park to see the ice sculptures. It wasn't what I expected, but it was still a neat thing to see. Also, I had never been to Millenium Park, so it was nice to see that area of downtown. After we were finished at Millenium Park, we got on a bus to go back to Washington Street. Amanda pointed out the Tribune Building, so we decided to get off the bus and check it out. It is a really interesting building and I'm so glad we decided to take a little detour. The Tribune Building has bricks and stones from buildings around the world and all over the United States. Each of the bricks or stones stick out from the main building and have a plaque near them stating where they are from. I found a brick that was from the White House and a stone from Paris! It was so amazing to see pieces of buildings from all over the world on one building!

After we were finished looking at the Tribune Building we got on another bus. We were actually trying desperately to find a Jimmy John's for dinner. The bus we got on did not stop before going on Lake Shore Drive so we accidently ended up in Wrigleyville. On our way to the red line station we found a Jamba Juice, my favorite! Of course we had to stop there. Dana had called us earlier asking if she could meet us for dinner. She called to tell us that she was downtown waiting for us while we were getting our drinks so we had to tell her what happened. We finally made it back downtown and finally found a Jimmy John's. Thanks to my wonderful boyfriend, my dinner was free tonight. :) After dinner, the three of us wandered into a couple of stores. Dana decided it was time to leave for the theater (she went to see "RENT") and called a cab. Amanda and I took the train home.

I had such a nice day. It was beautiful outside- sunny and not too cold. It was also really nice to spend time with Amanda outside of class. What a fun day we had together!

My thoughts and prayers are with the students, staff, and faculty at NIU.

What a day...and week

This week has been very interesting. Monday I had an interview with Women and Girls CAN. I'm not sure if I was actually even offered an internship with them, but it just wasn't a good fit from my perspective. My seminar was supposed to attend eviction court Tuesday morning, but the courts were closed because of Abraham Lincoln's birthday. We ended up riding the blue line all the way to downtown and then all the way back. I had a very unproductive day yesterday. Last night we met with a woman from Iraqi Veterans Against the War. It was actually a very interesting discussion.

I had an interview with Family Matters Chicago today. My interview was originally at noon, but I got a phone call from the office (while I was already on the train) that my interview was pushed back to 1:30. I got off the red line and transferred to the brown line and went to the Urban Studies Office to kill some time. I left with plenty of time to make it to my interview. I took the red line all the way to the end (Howard). I got off the train and began walking to my interview. I got so turned around and ended up blocks away from the building. I frantically called the office and Mary was nice enough to guide me over the phone to where I was supposed to be. She also called the internship to tell them that I was going to be a little late. I felt like crying as I wandered the streets looking for the particular street. I finally made it to the building. I apologized when I walked in and the ladies I met with were very understanding (luckily for me). I was asked a few questions in my interview and they pretty much knew I wanted to work for them. My main project will be with the Parent Room. I will be recruiting parents for the programs that are offered through this organization. I might be doing some tutoring in the school and also at their office after school. I will also be putting together publicity. I think I'll be doing a little of everything, which is fine with me. I was feeling really good when I got done and yes, I made it back to the train station just fine. I boarded the red line to go back and was sitting comfortably when a man entered my car from the car behind us (I was facing his direction). He walked into my car and stood right behind my seat facing the way I was. He asked everyone if they knew what had happened on the other train. Of course, he had my attention. Then he introduced himself and said he had just been released from a ten year sentence at the state prison. By this point I literally thought I was going to die. I thought for sure he was angry about his situation and was about to take it out on everyone on this train. He began to ask for money- I gave him a little change just so he would leave. I was so scared. I made it to the Fullerton stop safely and boarded the bus. Well, I was going back to my apartment the same time that schools were being dismissed. I ended up sitting next to this bratty middle schooler who kept elbowing me while he was eating Doritos. I began to get annoyed and was thinking about what I would do to him if he got Doritos on my new jacket or nice pants. Luckily, we got to my stop before any of that occurred.

Heidi, Amanda, and I did laundry at the laundromat. We just missed the bus on the way there, but I prayed that our bus would be outside when we left the laundromat and it was! Prayers really are answered! I am a little annoyed with one of my other apartmentmates. She asked me if I was going to watch movies with everyone in Uptown Friday night. I told her I might not go just because I have a lot of work to get done since I now have almost a two hour commute each way to my internship. That doesn't leave a lot of time to actually do anything productive on those days. She told me that I should go because my roommate, Jessica, is having her fiance up this weekend. Katie thinks that Jessica should have the entire apartment to herself. Actually she told me that I should leave because everyone else would give me the same respect when my boyfriend comes to visit. I really think that I should not have to leave if I don't want to. I live here, too and I have a lot of work to get done. It just annoyed me that she would say that.

Overall, I've had a really good day. I have experienced many emotions today, but I got an internship!!! And, I don't have class until 10:30 tomorrow, although I do wish I could spend Valentine's Day with my special someone. :) (SEE BELOW)

Brutally Honest

Okay, I am going to be brutally honest. I am having a difficult time transitioning to my new city life. I have some really good days and some really not so good days. This weekend was especially difficult. I had nothing to do...I know I really shouldn't say that since I am living in Chicago. The weather was awful today so I couldn't really go anywhere, not to mention the fact that I don't feel confident enough in my ability to use the CTA by myself to actually have the urge to go anywhere. I don't really have any homework yet. I did the readings for my classes, but I can't start my senior sem until I get an internship, which will hopefully happen this week. It is hard for me to sit around all day and have nothing to occupy my time. It is so much different than being in Ripon. I am also really missing my friends and family today.

With all that said, I am going to have a good attitude about this week. There are new and interesting adventures that await me...I just have to bundle up and get out there to find them.

Field Trips Everyday??

Classes are much different here than on campus. We rarely have a "normal" college class. Most of our classes take place around the city. For Precept yesterday we went on a walking tour of Logan Square. It was nice to finally see our neighborhood. Last night my Seminar went to a "Women in Hip-Hop" performance/lecture sponsored by Columbia College. I'm not really a hip-hop kind of girl, but a performance by Soulflower really spoke to me. It was really interesting to hear the performers speak on women in hip-hop and the messages that hip-hop sends to the world. Today was Core Course. We went on a bus tour this morning. We saw many landmarks in the city, such as Barack Obama's house, the housing projects, and the church that wouldn't allow Martin Luther King, Jr. to enter when he was in Chicago. After the bus tour a few of my friends and I went to a small restaurant in Hyde Park call the Dixie Kitchen. We had some really amazing Louisiana cousine. For our afternoon session, we took a guided tour of the DuSable Museum. This museum gave us a look at African American history. After class, Heidi and I took the red line and then the bus back to our apartment. We went over to the other Logan Square apartment to visit friends this evening.

I also found out that I got two interviews for two different internships. I am happy to finally have an interview; however, I was a little sad when I found out that neither of them were ones that were on my list. I am going to keep an open mind and maybe one of these will be better for me anyway (I'm feeling much better after talking to my mom about this).

Tomorrow, Heidi and I are going to the produce market, the bakery, and a new grocery store. We plan to have a quiet weekend, which will be nice with the nasty weather we're going to get. Good thing I have my winter boots!

A new home

I know this is my third post today, but today was my first "all good" day in Chicago. Tonight's church service was amazing. Heidi and I went to the Humboldt Park United Methodist Church. We were warmly greeted by everyone and it really felt like home. The services are mostly in Spanish, but the Pastor translated to English just for us tonight. I am so happy that we have a place to feel welcome and safe in this new neighborhood.

On my own

I woke up this morning and decided that today would be the day that I finally would venture out by myself. I called my uncle and took the bus to visit him. I am so proud of myself for not getting lost. I also got to see my uncle and he took me out for lunch. Besides the blizzard, today has been a pretty good day.

Waiting

Waiting is the new word of the semester. I seem to wait for everything here. I waited for 35 minutes in the rain last night for the bus to come. (FYI: Buses= Bad, Trains= Good.) I am still waiting to hear about an interview for an internship. Patience is not one of my strongest skils, so I'm having a very difficult semester so far. I have been very stressed and not in the greatest of moods lately. Hopefully things will get better very soon.

P.S. I have realized that I am NOT a city-girl and I won't pretend to be one anymore.

Weekend Adventures

My roommates and I have decided to try to see one neighborhood each weekend. This weekend was Chinatown and it was amazing! We spent all Saturday afternoon exploring the shops and then had an awesome dinner. I bought a wok in Chinatown and made stir fry in it for dinner tonight. Actually, that was probably the main reason we went. It was really nice to hang out with my roommates and a couple girls from the other Logan Square apartment. I slept in on Sunday and then went to a Superbowl party. We had lots of good food and watched the game. (I had to cheer for the Giants because they beat the Packers). For class today, we all went to the Chicago History Museum. It was very interesting and I learned a lot. Probably the best part was the exhibit about the World's Fair. I read a book entitled "The Devil in the White City" which was all about the World's Fair. It was really cool to see things that I read about. After the museum, Heidi and I went to the laundromat to do laundry. It was my first experience paying to do my laundry and it went better than we planned. It's a block past the California stop on the blue line, so not too far to walk. We did take the bus to the laundromat, but walked back to the apartment. It ended up being much cheaper (and took much less time) to do laundry there than in our apartment. We only have one washer and dryer and they're in the creepy basement. Heidi and I have decided that it's worth the walk. We have a CAPS meeting tonight for precept. It's a neighborhood meeting where residents can let the police know what kinds of things are going on in the neighborhood. It should be interesting. I still have not gotten an interview for an internship and it makes me kind of nervous. Hopefully I'll hear something soon.

Small Victories

We had our first core course yesterday. I think I am really going to enjoy classes here because they are so hands-on and interactive. After we got home, my roommate Jessica and I went to a small produce market right off the blue line (only a couple of blocks from our apartment). We were surprised and so happy to find amazing produce for so cheap! The Dominick's that we usually go to has awful produce and it's very expensive. Right across from Emilio's, the produce market is a Mexican Bakery where everything is very inexpensive, but still very good. We spent a little money there and will probably return. I was happy to find this because I went to one in Pilsen when we went on our field trips on Monday, but Pilsen is quite the train ride away. We ate dinner and then Jessica, Katie, Amanda, and I went to Uptown to hang out with people from the program. We ended up staying a lot later than we expected and didn't get home until 12:30a.m. We are going to Chinatown this afternoon and I am really excited!!

Stop Required

Since it was so cold outside we did not go on our scheduled tour of Logan Square for Precept this morning. It was a little sad, but I'm sure we'll get to do that sometime. My roommates had their internship meetings canceled this afternoon, so we ended up all staying in today. It was nice to have a relaxing afternoon. When we finally decided to look for something for dinner, we realized that we had nothing to eat. Katie, Jessica, and I decided that we would go to Dominick's to buy food. On the bus on the way there a man got on who had an expired CTA card. He ended up arguing with the bus driver for quite a while before the bus driver finally made him get off. We were going to get off at that stop, but decided that we would just go to the further Dominick's to be safe. Grocery shopping is difficult here for a couple of reasons. The Dominick's at the bus stop nearest the brown line is two stories. Of course, they put everything that people actually need (cheese, bread, snacks) on the second story. So here I am carrying this tiny basket FULL of groceries up and down the stairs. After I finally get through the check-out I still have to manage to board the bus and take a seat (luckily I got one, although it was almost 9p.m) without dropping my bags, purse, or CTA card.

One more quick story...Yesterday, when we were on the train on our way to Michigan Ave, a man was walking back and forth between cars asking for money. I, of course, sat with my mouth wide open while I watched him open the door that said "do not open unless in case of emergency." Such adventures.

Tomorrow we have class pretty much all day. In the evening we are going to have a hotdog bar potluck and I am so excited for that! I absolutely love hotdogs and have been looking forward to having real Chicago-style hotdogs! More adventures coming soon...

It's the little things...

I feel like a million dollars each time I successfully board the bus or train and manage to help my roommates find our destination. We weren't even late for class this morning! I went with my roommates, Jessica and Katie, to find Katie's bank downtown. We got a little turned around, but managed to make it back to the Urban Studies Office in time for my internship interview with Dorothy. We plan to pick up a few groceries when we get off the train at our stop. Conveniently, there is a Dominick's right across the street from our bus stop. I am excited for tomorrow because my precept will be hearing a speaker and then taking a walking tour around Logan Square. It will be nice to finally see the neighborhood. I am having a great time in the city. It is a little overwhelming sometimes, but I'm doing well so far.

Stop Requested

I moved to Chicago today. It was quite the experience moving in...we were parked illegally on a very busy street in order to unload my many boxes. We made it, though. Our apartment is HUGE!!! I will post pictures soon. I am sharing a room, but we have so much space that it should all be fine. We had our first precept meeting tonight at our apartment. There are nine girls in our precept and they all seem really fun. After precept a couple of my roommates went to the store. I had a chance to really get to know my roommate, Heidi. We made a pizza tonight for dinner and then went to Uptown with the other Logan Square aparment to meet everyone. It was my very first experience riding the CTA. It wasn't too bad, but I was very confused as to what direction we needed to go. Luckily, my roommate Amanda has been here for about a week and pretty much knows her way around the CTA. We made it to Uptown by taking a bus and then the red line. On the way back to our apartment we were a little confused as to what bus stop we had to get off on, but we made it. The bus driver was really nice and actually let us off the bus on the side of the street, not at an actual bus stop. Tomorrow begins our week of Orientation. We have things to do from 9:30 until 4:30 tomorrow. I'm very excited about this semester and all of the adventures I will have with my new friends.

Housing Details!

I am excited to move to Chicago in about one week! My apartment is on Sacramento Avenue in Logan Square. I've heard that this apartment building is quite nice (three bedroom apartments and air conditioning). My uncle lives in Chicago and I will not be too far from him. I have been in contact with my roommates (all four of them) since last night. They all seem very friendly and excited to be in the city. The topic of cooking came up in one conversation today and I felt obligated to let them all know that I am a terrible cook. They seemed to take that rather well. I'm so excited to meet my roommates in person and get moved into my apartment.

A friend here on campus gave me a tutorial on public transportation this afternoon. It doesn't seem too difficult in theory and I'm sure I'll catch on quickly. The remainder of my time in Ripon will pass quickly and the time will come to say good-bye to everyone, but until then I have one class to attend and some errands to run.

~Eliza

Frustration and Anxiety

The past couple of days have been quite frustrating. I STILL have not found out where I will be living, even though I was told I would know mid-week. The "not knowing" makes me extremely nervous. I am trying to stay positive about everything, but it's becoming more and more difficult. I am in Ripon for another week so that I can go to my sociology senior sem class and have another meeting with my advisor regarding my senior sem project, which I will be completing while in Chicago. I am happy to be here, but I am getting anxious to leave for Chicago so that I can start my own routine. Hopefully I will know the details about housing and roommates soon...until then, I will try to be patient.

Update:
Just a couple of hours ago I found out where I will be living. I will be in Logan Square and I have four roommates. I have been placed in the "Women in Chicago" class. I am feeling much better about the program and am glad that I know a few more details.

~Eliza

23 days to go...

Hello everyone!

While a lot of my friends have left, or are leaving soon, on their adventures, I am still waiting to begin my own. I leave for the Chicago Urban Studies Program on January 27th. I am so excited, but at the same time very nervous. It will be a whole new experience for me to live in an apartment in the city. I have never taken public transportation by myself either. It will be quite the adventure, I'm sure. I will be sure to share all of my adventures with you here!

~Eliza