Chicago

I am FINALLY in my bed, in the hostel, in the middle of downtown Chicago with the sound of the train running by. Words can't express how very glad I am to finally be where I belong, after two days of traveling. As I neared the city, I noticed lots more roads - lots more concrete. No more cornfields! Then I saw the Chicago skyline and freaked out just a little bit thinking about getting in there all by myself. Little did I know at that moment what an adventure it would be. Mapquest gave me excellent directions... except it didn't predict that my very last exit to downtown would be closed off! I don't have a GPS, so that led me into about an hour and a half of driving through the city on my phone with a friend at her computer trying to navigate me through. And just when we thought I was almost there, a concert blocked the road I needed to get onto and got me completely lost all over again! Aaargh!! I truly believe I am the WORST at navigation, so this was my worst nightmare.

But I am here. In Chicago. I have no idea what to expect tomorrow when I start training, but I don't think anyone else does either. This is certainly an adventure with lots of new experiences awaiting. I'm pretty sure I got half the city mad at me with my driving... I got beeped at at least twice that I remember when I cut vehicles off. Then I went down a one-way street. Ugh. Parking was an adventure too... well, more of a test of faith. I was told that I would have to give my keys to the attendant and let him park it, but I guess I didn't understand that I wouldn't get my keys back until I leave on Thursday morning. When the attendant said he would take my keys, park my car, and leave the keys in the car for me to get when I leave, I literally thought he might be joking. But he said that was the system here, and my car would be safe. I'm just thinking about all of my stuff IN my car.

Oh my - Jessica isn't in Delaware anymore!