Detournement

The past few weeks have been so busy for me that my intention to write an entry has been consistently pushed to the bottom of my to-do list. I apologize if anyone was checking regularly for a new post only to be disappointed.

First off, I've made it to Chicago!!! I'm going to art school and I am SO HAPPY! Things just fell into place and it all happened so quickly and so close together that my head seemed to be constantly spinning. Oh wow, I am so happy this worked out!

The transition from Toledo to Chicago has been quite a ride. It’s funny how it doesn’t feel tumultuous on a daily basis, but when I look back, I realize just how busy I have been, even just mentally.

Chicago is shaping up to be the perfect place for me at this time of my life. I do miss the advantage of having a neighboring region as open and green as Holland, OH, where I can enjoy the open skies and beautiful stretches of farmland on occasion. Being in downtown Chicago, there’s not much empty space and not much green, but I know when the weather warms up, I’ll be seeking bus routes to take me to metro parks such as the gigantic Chicago Botanical Gardens northwest of here. Don’t get me wrong, I love the city. I love being able to look at this awesome architecture on a daily basis and feel the energy of all the people here. It’s almost as if I’m in a whirl-wind of dreams, with everyone striving to achieve them in the same place. The attitude in this city is actually quite positive. I find that a lot of people here are good-hearted, helpful, and willing to make a joke or chat while waiting for a bus or train. Meanwhile, we’re all making caution a habit without letting it get in the way of making connections with each other. It’s very cool. Hehe.

I had to move into an apartment sponsored by the school because the loan they gave me required I live in their housing until at least June. I’m sharing a studio apartment with a roommate and it has made me realize just how valuable having my own room is. In Toledo, I had a whole apartment to myself. Here, I have only a bed, a desk, a dresser, and a closet to call my own…and actually those came with the apartment, so they are not actually mine. The rest of the space, I am sharing with my roommate in one way or another. We are even sharing a single Ethernet cable for our internet, so we have to switch back and forth, depending on who needs it. Living in such close quarters with another person is quite a lesson in compromise.

I love school so far and though it’s been difficult to meet people, I am having a wonderful time. I do not hesitate to talk to my classmates, nor to ask any faculty/staff members for advice. I met a senior in my major (Animation/Media Arts) and he gave me advice that he wishes he had received when he was a sophomore. There’s an animation software program I’ll be using eventually, and I can actually begin learning it now. Each computer lab in our school has a tutorial for this program on their computers, and so if I can just familiarize myself with the software ahead of time, I’ll have a real edge when I finally need to use it. Another piece of advice was to hang out on the 2nd floor at the school as much as possible because it is the floor primarily for Animation classes, etc. I will more than likely meet other animators there, faculty members, and maybe hear of tech jobs opening up when people graduate. A job in the school, even being a tech for audio/visual equipment is a great opportunity for networking and references. Hehe.

The city itself is amazing, as I knew it would be. I love the public transportation, especially the train. I can get across the city and even visit the few friends I know who live almost an hour away, as long as I’m willing to walk a small distance from the train station when I arrive in their neighborhood. I currently live a block away from the Union Station which houses the Mega Buses, which can take me to Toledo, Cleveland, Minneapolis and many other cities for just $15.00 round trip, with just a couple weeks notice. I live even less than a block away from the Metra train station, which can take me to even more cities in this country. So, basically, it is true that you do not need a car when you live in Chicago…as long as you live fairly close to a train or bus stop. How wonderful!

A couple weeks ago, I finally got into contact with the Chicago Baha'i community and was able to attend a prayer devotional meeting Monday evening. It took me about twenty minutes to get to the place on the train, but so far I enjoy the train rides very much and did not mind spending that time. Train rides give me time to knit or read/study. Hehe. It was wonderful to be at the devotional and to be gathered with people whom I knew would welcome me, whether they knew me or not. This was a great comfort to me since I was discouraged by not having made friends since moving here. With prayer and warm conversation added to the mix, I had a wonderful time. It sort of recharged my spirit so that I felt ready to take on the rest of the week and keep trying to meet more people at school.

So, basically, this was a very good idea.

I hope to post more entries soon because this particular one was just to update in general on how well things are going. Details are more fun. :)