There's No Place Like Home

It is now September and I am just getting ready to leave for London. Although I could not possibly be more excited to begin my semester abroad at City University, I cannot help but feel anxious, a bit nervous, and, yes, maybe even a little scared as well. In all, I will be a mind-blowing grand total of 3958 miles away from where I’ve grown up (yes, I did, in fact, check). The Midwest will always truly be home, however, with a little time, and an open mind, London will become a city, and soon enough, a new home, that will be not so easily forgotten. 

 

Before leaving I dedicated a couple of days doing everything uniquely Chicago… Or to be put in other words, taking a trip downtown to catch a Cubs games with the hopes of seeing a “W” at the historic Wrigley Field, and eating copious amounts of mouth-watering deep-dish pizza and Chicago dogs. For those who aren’t aware, remember: poppy seed bun with mustard, onions, pickle, tomato, and relish - but never ketchup. 

 

First, enjoying a cool summer evening in the park was an absolute must. Just like New York, Chicago has dedicated some of its most prime downtown real-estate for public use. Between The Art Institute of Chicago, Grant and Millennium Park, and events such as Taste of Chicago and Lollapalooza, there is no acceptable excuse for not making it down to the lake front at least once over the summer. 

 

Fun fact: The famous bean sculpture perched up on AT&T plaza in Millennium park, officially titled “Cloud Gate,” is most often referred to (by both locals and visitors alike) as “The Bean” due to its resemblance to the vegetable, even though the original design was inspired by liquid mercury and was intended to bridge the distance between the Chicago sky and the sculpture’s viewers. As a personal rule; you never actually made it downtown unless you took a selfie at “The Bean.” 

 

Other Chicago lakefront park checklist items include, but are not limited to: cooling off with a run through Crown Fountain and checking out the Lincoln Park, which gives you breathtaking views of the city as you look south and just so happens to also have a zoo. “Lions and tigers, and bears, oh my!”

 

Whether it’s taking selfies at the bean, or cooling off in the fountains, catching America’s favorite pastime at Wrigley, or finding yourself mesmerized by the beautiful skyline, I believe we all still have the potential to be tourists at heart, even if still in our hometown. For me, Chicago is my home and I would never trade this city for the world.

 

Now for my next trick, packing!