There’s this place called Chicago…

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When I was trying to find an apartment before my first quarter at Kellogg began, there was no question about where I was going to be living. Evanston. Our building? Evanston. Most of the student body? Evanston. Wednesday morning softball games between sections? Evanston. Honestly, I didn’t know when (or if) I was going to have a chance to explore Chicago. Sure there’s the El and the Metra. There’s also the intercampus shuttle. But I was skeptical of ever overcoming the initial inertia of leaving Evanston. But it does happen, and I’m proof of that!

At the end of April, the Chicago French Market (http://www.frenchmarketchicago.com/) was having the 2nd Annual Pastoral Artisan Producer Festival. What is that? Basically, you have a four-hour window to try cheese, bread, wine, beer, charcuterie, and other goodies for free. Totally awesome, and totally in Chicago.

Later in May, I was part of a private tour of the new children’s hospital set to open on June 9th, 2012. This is a 22-story hospital in Chicago that has an exceptional focus on the patient and family experience. You can tell by the giant whales hanging in the main lobby, a firetruck cabin built especially for the hospital, and the colorfully decorated hallways. Again, totally awesome, and totally in Chicago.

So don’t worry. All the assurances you’re getting about how easy it is to get down to Chicago are true. If you want to know Chicago, you will.