Tourist In My Own City
If I learned anything from the past week, it is that I am a tourist in my own city. In my entire life, I had only seen a fraction of what there is to see. Chicago is easily known for the Willis Tower, the Bean, and deep dish pizza, but it should be known for so much more. In five days, I saw, tasted, heard, and experienced so much more than I ever thought possible simply because I walked around different parts of Chicago.
Some of my favorite memories from this week were from places I’d never expect. On Tuesday morning, class started at the base of the John Hancock Tower. It was a rainy, cloudy start to the day, and most of my classmates and I were exhausted. I was nervous, knowing we were going to 360 Chicago since I have a fear of heights. Little did I know, my cloudy morning was about to get so much brighter. From the 94th floor of the building, I learned that taking the time to experience a bird’s eye view of things could be calming. While writing my reflection, I found myself getting lost in the view. I felt at peace, seeing Chicago from up high. Of course, it didn’t last because, in no time, my feet were back on the sidewalk below the Hancock, and we began our long, hot, sweaty journey to Humboldt Park. That’s a story for a different time.
On Thursday, we headed over to Rogers Park, where we were guided around the beautiful neighborhood. We followed murals that showed Rogers Park’s history, as well as others that caught my attention. One in particular, however, made me think. “Dig Deep Within.” Three words with one powerful meaning that could be interpreted in many ways. When I saw the mural, I fell in love. The colors, words, and placement were perfect, especially with my current standing in life. I’m starting college, and I have no idea who I really am. I have to dig deep within to figure that out, and that could take days, weeks, or even months. But it all starts with the motivation to do something about it.
The week ended with a group food run. My friends and I headed to Allende, a small Mexican restaurant on Lincoln Avenue. We talked about almost anything you could think of, even though most of it was complaining about how hungry, tired, and sweaty we were. We got to enjoy some inexpensive and delicious burritos and tacos. The experience taught me that food almost always brings people together, no matter how they feel.
Roughly 45 hours, over 100,000 steps, and one eternal sunburn later, Immersion Week ended and I am still recovering from it all. Chicago is my city, yet I don’t know it at all. I got to know parts of Chicago by walking through them, but there’s still so much to learn. Mark Twain said, “She is novelty; for she is never the Chicago you saw when you passed through the last time.” Chicago is an ever-changing city, and even though we walked her neighborhoods last week, they will be different next week, meaning an adventure is always awaiting the tourist in their own city.
