The Start Of An Adventure

by Katie Flood

Hi everyone. My name is Katie and I am currently a senior at Hope College studying Communications with Spanish and Leadership as minors. I grew up in Glen Ellyn, IL (about 40 minutes from the city), but my family currently lives in Wixom, MI (close to Detroit). I am part of the UIT (Urban Intensive Track) program, which is a special track of Chicago Semester that focuses on being immersed in the neighborhoods of Chicago.

As a part of the UIT program, I was given the opportunity to have alternative housing. While the majority of the Chicago Semester students live in the Gold Coast, my apartment-mates and I live in Pilsen, a Spanish-speaking community, with vibrant roots and culture. The six of us live in La Casa Student Housing, which is part of The Resurrection Project, an organization that seeks to help build up the communities of Chicago.

Living in Pilsen has been quite an experience so far. Since it is mainly a Spanish-speaking community, the majority of the businesses have their signs in Spanish. I love this aspect because I studied Spanish during my time at Hope, and it’s a great way for me to keep up with the language. There is also a plethora of Mexican bakeries and restaurants. Everything is decently priced (you can get a pretty good meal for around $7) and really yummy. When I moved in, my parents took me to a restaurant called Nuevo Leon and we enjoyed a brunch of Huevos Rancheros, which are eggs, with rice and beans. You then load the eggs, rice, beans, and add a bit of salsa onto a freshly made tortilla. It’s mouthwateringly tasty. Aside from food, Pilsen is covered in murals. These works of art are everywhere from at the EL stop to on the sides of buildings. This area is also home to the National Mexican Museum of Art, which I plan on exploring soon.

As far as internships go, I interviewed with a company over the summer. Most other students go through the interview process once they get here. I accepted a position at Pui Tak Christian School as an After-School Program Intern. Pui Tak is a small school located in Chinatown. It’s very hard to describe Chinatown, but basically it’s very vibrant, colorful, and filled with shops and restaurants. Going to work everyday is like entering into a new world, even though it’s just a 20 minute bus ride away from my apartment.

When I’m not working, I have been spending a lot of time getting to know my apartment-mates and exploring the city. Over labor day weekend, we spent the day at the beach, ate dinner at a Thai Restaurant, went to Jazz Festival in Millennium Park where we listened and danced to various performers. There is never a lack of musical events in Chicago (not to mention that Jazz fest was free).

The past week or so has been eventful, full of excitement, and overwhelming with new learning experiences. I’m enthusiastic about exploring the city while gaining skills in a work environment.