We moved!
After trips to Mexico, CA, ID, MN and even Seattle WA this summer we finally left our six years of Provo memories and moved... to Chicago. I want to go back and highlight each trip and the things we enjoyed during each stop after I share a few thoughts on our new BIG CITY home.
Pro: The food here is awe-inspiring. Today we tried lunch at hole in the wall Pakistani restaurant and found ourselves in a curry paved and chili dusted heaven of South Asian cuisine. We smiled as the spicy sauces ate holes in our feverish taste buds and our jaws tore through the slightly chewy naan to relish the last drops of our spectacular meal. It was AMAZING. Food heaven is here, in Chicago.
Con: A rat died in our alley yesterday. (This is where the garbage is taken out so garbage trucks can collect waste through the alleys instead of on main streets). Today, that rat body was finally pancaked to the asphalt and I refused to go within 15 feet of it. Ew. Triple Ew.
Pro: We are entering more rigorous education environments than we have ever been in before. Everyone we are meeting in school is a minority or from a different country. Many people speak multiple languages and some already hold advanced degrees. Our human experiences are literally world class at the top tier university level.
Con: The Chicago road is a jungle. Not only do you have to white-knuckle the steering wheel to maintain fighter-pilot like alertness to avoid collisions with maniacal -but extremely experienced- city drivers, but once you finally and gratefully park the car you have to make sure it is not peacefully stopped in one of these dozens of dangerous police traps: handicapped (pretty straightforward), street cleaning, public park parking (pay here), public school parking (pay here), permit parking (tow zone), construction (tow zone), only park between 4-8pm zone, bus drop-off zone, snow cleaning zone (don't park if snow is on the road), resident moving truck zone, etc. See what I mean about the jungle... watch out!!
Pro: Free fun is everywhere. The other day we attended a free jazz concert in Millenium park. The space was filled with thousands of families, friends, love-struck or dancing couples, all there to enjoy the end of summer and share "good vibes" with each other. As hippie as it sounds, I loved it... and there was something so magical about feeling Chris' warm arms around my shoulders and the sweet, syrupy jazz music tingling in my ears, and the starry sky glistening above us over the Chicago skyline.
Overall, we're learning a lot about our new home. But we are already pretty certain this is an exciting and life-changing place to be.
After trips to Mexico, CA, ID, MN and even Seattle WA this summer we finally left our six years of Provo memories and moved... to Chicago. I want to go back and highlight each trip and the things we enjoyed during each stop after I share a few thoughts on our new BIG CITY home.
Pro: The food here is awe-inspiring. Today we tried lunch at hole in the wall Pakistani restaurant and found ourselves in a curry paved and chili dusted heaven of South Asian cuisine. We smiled as the spicy sauces ate holes in our feverish taste buds and our jaws tore through the slightly chewy naan to relish the last drops of our spectacular meal. It was AMAZING. Food heaven is here, in Chicago.
Con: A rat died in our alley yesterday. (This is where the garbage is taken out so garbage trucks can collect waste through the alleys instead of on main streets). Today, that rat body was finally pancaked to the asphalt and I refused to go within 15 feet of it. Ew. Triple Ew.
Pro: We are entering more rigorous education environments than we have ever been in before. Everyone we are meeting in school is a minority or from a different country. Many people speak multiple languages and some already hold advanced degrees. Our human experiences are literally world class at the top tier university level.
Con: The Chicago road is a jungle. Not only do you have to white-knuckle the steering wheel to maintain fighter-pilot like alertness to avoid collisions with maniacal -but extremely experienced- city drivers, but once you finally and gratefully park the car you have to make sure it is not peacefully stopped in one of these dozens of dangerous police traps: handicapped (pretty straightforward), street cleaning, public park parking (pay here), public school parking (pay here), permit parking (tow zone), construction (tow zone), only park between 4-8pm zone, bus drop-off zone, snow cleaning zone (don't park if snow is on the road), resident moving truck zone, etc. See what I mean about the jungle... watch out!!
Pro: Free fun is everywhere. The other day we attended a free jazz concert in Millenium park. The space was filled with thousands of families, friends, love-struck or dancing couples, all there to enjoy the end of summer and share "good vibes" with each other. As hippie as it sounds, I loved it... and there was something so magical about feeling Chris' warm arms around my shoulders and the sweet, syrupy jazz music tingling in my ears, and the starry sky glistening above us over the Chicago skyline.
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