Inner Journey

I am a descriptive person because I am an observant person. When I am walking down a street, I pay attention to those around me because I feel safe making sure those around me are not doing anything abnormal. I really, really enjoy Chicago. In fact, I may move there after school to work in a hospital in the city. With my childhood home being roughly 45 minutes away, it would be nice living there and visiting home often.

I suppose I was so descriptive because of the countless times I have been up there. I have seen so much and watched the city slowly change over time. When I was little, I went up there for school trips and we strictly saw the museum we were touring and that was about it. My sister actually moved to Chicago when I was about 16. I would take the train to visit her since parking in the city is almost non-existent, unless you want to pay ridiculous prices. I never really got to dive into the streets and heart of Chicago until I was a bit older and I saw A LOT. I have driven in the city, taken cabs, Ubers, and simply walked. I have also taken the train many times into the city and observed those on there. Most of them were simply working in the city, but they definitely did not seem happy. They always had a sad face on, which always made me curious as to why they would be sad when they get to work in such a beautiful city. I don't think they were sad about the city though, but rather sad that they have to deal with all the people. I have never seen Chicago not busy, unless it is the middle of the night on a week day. If you have a 15 minute trip to work and you're driving, you might as well leave 45 minutes to an hour early to make it there on time. If you think I'm joking, I'm not. The traffic in the city is horrid. I suppose I forgot to mention the noise in the city when you're walking down the street. You will hear car horns (a lot), you will hear bits and pieces of conversations of those walking past you, and you will hear the buses with their screechy brakes that never seem to get fixed. Another big thing in the city are the homeless people. It really is a sad sight to see.

These descriptions I have been giving you are all from my own personal experiences. I think the assumptions I have made about the sad people on the train are not just assumptions though. I have a close friend who takes the train to Chicago, Monday through Friday for work. She will send Snapchats to me from the train and she looks sad. She has told me personally that she loves the city, but hates taking the train because of the people that are on it. She tells me things that they do while on the train and she is disgusted by it. I would give descriptive images, but I don't think it's necessary. All you need to know is that some people can be very gross and not care about the others around them. When my friend tells me these things, it is hard not to believe her because I have seen some pretty nasty things of those around me.

Outer Journey

So, this Chicago girl is heading to the city known as New Orleans soon. When I hear the word "city," I think of Chicago with the skyscrapers, deep dish pizza, and oh, definitely can't forget about the traffic! I live in a small town roughly 45 minutes south of Chicago, but I have been there countless times for school trips. So whenever someone says "downtown" or "the city," I visualize Chicago and that beautiful skyline that no city will ever compare to.

One of my best friends lives in Chicago, so I visit her constantly. We have gone to festivals like LakeShake, Lollapalooza, Chriskindlmarket, countless concerts, Cubs, Sox, Bulls, and Blackhawks games. There are so many events that no matter what part of the city you're in, you will have something to do. Something else I think of when I think of Chicago are the people. Now, I have been to Europe and traveled through some of the cities like London, Paris, Rome, Florence, and Athens to name a few. With a different city, comes different people. These people can range from friendly to insensitive. Now, Chicagoans can be rude and harsh people, but that is only a minority of the people. There are lots of tourists in the city, but when you meet people who actually live there, they are not so bad. Most Chicagoans that you see will be well-dressed. They look as if they are going to a nice dinner or brunch with friends. Having brunch in the city is a very popular thing to those 21+, and it is quite fun.

Now to put an image in your head, when you walk down any street in Chicago, let’s say the Magnificent Mile. Just walking down the street, you will pass many different races and ethnicities. They can range from wearing workout clothes to business clothes to fancy dresses. During different casual visits to the city, I have seen many different wedding photos take place in the city down by the river. I have been down streets that they have closed down due to filming. There are just so many events that take place in Chicago that it is impossible to get the full experience in one day.

Now, I have never been to the city of New Orleans in my life, so the fact we will be there for a week makes me happy. I am a history nerd, so this trip is going to be really fun for me. My parents and some friends have been there, and they both describe it as a really fun time. When I think of New Orleans, I think of Mardi Gras and lots of beads. When my parents went, they came back with so many beads it was ridiculous. They said everywhere you go, there’s always something around the corner. When I think of New Orleans, I think of friendly people and good food (which I'm really excited to try!) I am really excited for this trip and cannot wait to see what's in store!