Chicago Through Familiar Places
I enjoy thinking by connections whether it be to other people, places, or things. My mind works in relation, so I have found myself walking through Chicago in comparisons. I have never known Chicago till DePaul. All I had heard of Chicago before I came was it has excellent food, a great music scene, and my parents used to take occasional weekend vacations here from St. Louis Missouri in the 90’s. Immersion Week has allowed me to see and compare the different neighborhoods of Chicago. I am glad to have had Walking Chicago as my Immersion Week program because in doing so, I have been able to see and compare the various communities of Chicago to sites I already know.
I have been living and experiencing Lincoln Park the most so far, which has made it tougher for me to correspond because it is becoming a real place. However, I noticed while walking Monday that out of all the neighborhoods I have walked so far, Lincoln Park is the most like my home; it is both overpriced and filled with young families the way Wash Park Denver Colorado is. Also, the feeling of the Lincoln Park Conservatory has brought me back to my Poppy’s (Grandfather’s) greenhouse in Pryor, Oklahoma. I have countless memories of him gardening; he had the ability to name every plant he saw. Although I am not used to walking around in the stickiness and heat of Chicago, I feel comforted by the familiar blanket of humidity that the Lincoln Park Conservatory has to offer.
Tuesdays class of Walking Chicago began in the Gold Coast, which has some aspects that remind me of Europe. The art nouveau fences that lined the wealthy homes made me think of the beautiful metro entries in Paris, and the Wooden Alley had a similar look to the dark cobblestone streets that my feet have seen in Edinburgh.
After walking further down Division street to Wicker Park, I noticed a similarity to Denver’s strip of South Broadway. South Broadway has the same kind of “hipster-feel” to Wicker Park. Both filled with a variety of vintage shops and trendy bars.
The last stop that day was Humboldt Park. Similar to Denver’s Santa Fe Drive, Humboldt Park has a predominate Latinx community, sprawling walls of colorful murals, and authentic Latin cuisine.
To me, what I have seen of the South Side on Wednesday has reminded me of Upper Manhattan around Harlem and Columbia. Similar to Columbia’s neighborhood, Hyde Park benefits from having the University of Chicago. When I first visited Harlem, I was greeted with beautiful brownstones, good food, and kind people; walking through Hyde Park, I felt the same sense of contentedness.
The walk through Rogers Park on Thursday showed me the same emotions and ease that I have only previously been able to find in Hampton Bays, New York. Listening to the emotional connection that Wendy Bright felt to the Rogers Park beach evoked the relationship I have with the West Landing in Hampton Bays. I grew up yearly visiting the Bay it didn’t matter if it was summer or winter, as long as I was accompanied by a jelly filled donut; to me, the Bay is a place of solace and peace. Similar to Bright, I can sense the beaches of Rogers Park bringing me future comfort.
Fridays walk was around Albany Park, and like Queens New York, Albany Park is a very diverse neighborhood. In both neighborhoods, turning a corner comes with the possibility of revealing old bodegas and street vendors. Walking through Albany Park, the many two flats I have spotted have a similar appearance to the homes I have wandered past in Queens.
Although my feet have spent most of the time walking the city trying to recognize the ground below, Immersion Week has aided with my sense of direction and helped me to understand Chicago better. Although this week has come to an end, I am looking forward to experiencing and making new memories of Chicago that will allow me to know the city as its own individual place in the process.
