Day 1: who would have thought the RAIN would follow me to Chicago?!
Well, it has been nearly 24 hours since I touched down in the windy city and let me tell you, it has been NOTHING like what I expected it to be.
First off, the rain I encountered upon arriving would have seriously given Oregon rain a run for it's wet money. I kid you not, there was seriously a flash flood advisory for the evening! However, unlike Oregon, the weather was probably 75 degrees--something I was NOT used to. Luckily, I didn't have to spend too much time in the rain because my shuttle driver had arrived on time and was ready to whisk me off to my hotel in the 'burbs.
*here is some free advice: when traveling to somewhere you are not familiar with like, say, CHICAGO, check to see if the airport has a shuttle service--that way you do not have to pay up the wazoo in taxi fares.
After a somewhat awkward ride in the shuttle bus,(while taking a shuttle may be the cheaper option, keep in mind that you get what you pay for. In my case, since the driver was not expecting a tip, he felt no need to censor his expletive-filled conversation with a fellow driver...) I made it to my hotel. My driver literally dumped me on the curb in front of the entrance and peaced out leaving me to try to figure out how to get my 3 pieces of luggage through the NON-AUTOMATIC, SINGLE DOOR entrance to the hotel. Call me crazy, but don't most hotels have automatic doors?! The rest of the night was fairly uneventful (other than the satellite going in an out due to the inclement weather, and making it quite difficult to watch Valentines Day!) and I ended up passing out at 9:30 (7:30 Oregon time!). I woke up at 5 and got my day started with a devotional that a friend gave be as a going away present called Praying the Names of Jesus. Today was all about meditating on the fact that one of the names of Jesus is Immanuel--God with us. That is probably one of my favorite ways to think of Jesus because it is such a sweet reminder that NO MATTER WHAT, He is with us. Even when you are relocating to a new city on the other side of the country and you don't know anyone, He is still with us.
Anyways, I checked out of my hotel. One of the funny little ironies that I encountered concerning my hotel: I stayed in this somewhat cheap-o hotel for one and ONLY one reason--they offered a shuttle that took people to the university. That is literally the ONLY reason that I chose to stay at this hotel. I had never taken a taxi by myself and I wasn't sure how much they'd cost so I just wanted to avoid it completely. Upon arrival, they informed me that the shuttle (the one selling point that this hotel had to offer me) was "out of order". What does that even mean?! This isn't a bathroom stall! It's a vehicle for goodness sake! Anyhow, I was made to order a taxi and luckily the hotel was only 5 minutes away from the school so I didn't have to pay too much money.
So I arrive at school. The first thing that we are supposed to do before we get our room key or anything is to take our ID picture. Now they told us to dress "professionally" for this picture so I took that to mean wear basically the same thing that I wore to the interview--a pinstripe button up, blazer, and pencil skirt. Little did I know that the dress code was a mere suggestion and not necessarily a mandate. Everyone else is wearing casual clothing and I am clunking around in my patent leather heels and suit as if I am from the corporate world. Needless to say, the first thing I did upon entering my dorm room was to change into something more comfortable (aka a wife-beater and some running shorts).
So my school is an all graduate studies school so there are NO undergraduate students. Because of that, I opted to live on campus in the dorms so as to meet as many people as possible. This is my second go at living in the dorms (the first being my freshman year of college, 4 years ago) and I have to say it is quite different and not necessarily in a good way (at least not yet). For one, I live in a single. While this was something that I thought I wanted (and am pretty sure I still want), I had the BEST roommate ever my freshman year of college and lived with the most incredible girls my junior and senior years so it is kind of a difficult adjustment living in a single by myself. Also, no one keeps their doors open! Everyone who has already moved in is literally behind closed doors. Not really the most inviting friend-making environment. Lastly, I literally have no stuff. Because I was moving across the country and not just across town (as I did for my undergrad), I was VERY limited as far as what I could bring. I flew so that meant that I could only bring 2 checked in luggages, a carry-on, and a back pack. I have no trash can, no laundry hamper, and NO PILLOW! This wouldn't be a huge deal except for the fact that I have no car. Having no car wouldn't be the end of the world in Corvallis because
a)Corvallis (Oregon in general is VERY bike and walker friendly and
b)We have a phenomenal bus system
So I decided to brave the streets. There was a Target located a mile away and I was going to do some shopping! However, my plans were somewhat thwarted when I realized that there NO SIDEWALKS! What?! As soon as you step off campus, you are basically on a freeway with no sidewalks. So I am awkwardly walking on the lawns of businesses and residences when to my dismay, I realize that I forgot the directions to the Target back at my dorm. Frustrated and overheated (it was like 88 degrees), I decide to turn around. I returned to my dorm room and called my mom on the verge of tears. This was not at all what I expected and it was too late for me to change my mind. I laid in my bed wallowing in self-pity and feeling so alone when I remembered: Immanuel--God with us. Even in my despair and loneliness, God was still with me, and that wasn't going to change any time soon.
Welp, there you have it! Those were the highs and lows of my first 24 hours in Chicago. Hopefully, tomorrow goes a little better than today did. I am missing Oregon and my friends terribly and feeling rather lonely. So if you think of it, please pray to that end!
Sidenote: I shaved my head! My friend Bethany did it for me a few days before I left. More on that later :)
Also, NO I am not in prison, those are the walls of my dorm room...
*here is some free advice: when traveling to somewhere you are not familiar with like, say, CHICAGO, check to see if the airport has a shuttle service--that way you do not have to pay up the wazoo in taxi fares.
After a somewhat awkward ride in the shuttle bus,(while taking a shuttle may be the cheaper option, keep in mind that you get what you pay for. In my case, since the driver was not expecting a tip, he felt no need to censor his expletive-filled conversation with a fellow driver...) I made it to my hotel. My driver literally dumped me on the curb in front of the entrance and peaced out leaving me to try to figure out how to get my 3 pieces of luggage through the NON-AUTOMATIC, SINGLE DOOR entrance to the hotel. Call me crazy, but don't most hotels have automatic doors?! The rest of the night was fairly uneventful (other than the satellite going in an out due to the inclement weather, and making it quite difficult to watch Valentines Day!) and I ended up passing out at 9:30 (7:30 Oregon time!). I woke up at 5 and got my day started with a devotional that a friend gave be as a going away present called Praying the Names of Jesus. Today was all about meditating on the fact that one of the names of Jesus is Immanuel--God with us. That is probably one of my favorite ways to think of Jesus because it is such a sweet reminder that NO MATTER WHAT, He is with us. Even when you are relocating to a new city on the other side of the country and you don't know anyone, He is still with us.
Anyways, I checked out of my hotel. One of the funny little ironies that I encountered concerning my hotel: I stayed in this somewhat cheap-o hotel for one and ONLY one reason--they offered a shuttle that took people to the university. That is literally the ONLY reason that I chose to stay at this hotel. I had never taken a taxi by myself and I wasn't sure how much they'd cost so I just wanted to avoid it completely. Upon arrival, they informed me that the shuttle (the one selling point that this hotel had to offer me) was "out of order". What does that even mean?! This isn't a bathroom stall! It's a vehicle for goodness sake! Anyhow, I was made to order a taxi and luckily the hotel was only 5 minutes away from the school so I didn't have to pay too much money.
So I arrive at school. The first thing that we are supposed to do before we get our room key or anything is to take our ID picture. Now they told us to dress "professionally" for this picture so I took that to mean wear basically the same thing that I wore to the interview--a pinstripe button up, blazer, and pencil skirt. Little did I know that the dress code was a mere suggestion and not necessarily a mandate. Everyone else is wearing casual clothing and I am clunking around in my patent leather heels and suit as if I am from the corporate world. Needless to say, the first thing I did upon entering my dorm room was to change into something more comfortable (aka a wife-beater and some running shorts).
So my school is an all graduate studies school so there are NO undergraduate students. Because of that, I opted to live on campus in the dorms so as to meet as many people as possible. This is my second go at living in the dorms (the first being my freshman year of college, 4 years ago) and I have to say it is quite different and not necessarily in a good way (at least not yet). For one, I live in a single. While this was something that I thought I wanted (and am pretty sure I still want), I had the BEST roommate ever my freshman year of college and lived with the most incredible girls my junior and senior years so it is kind of a difficult adjustment living in a single by myself. Also, no one keeps their doors open! Everyone who has already moved in is literally behind closed doors. Not really the most inviting friend-making environment. Lastly, I literally have no stuff. Because I was moving across the country and not just across town (as I did for my undergrad), I was VERY limited as far as what I could bring. I flew so that meant that I could only bring 2 checked in luggages, a carry-on, and a back pack. I have no trash can, no laundry hamper, and NO PILLOW! This wouldn't be a huge deal except for the fact that I have no car. Having no car wouldn't be the end of the world in Corvallis because
a)Corvallis (Oregon in general is VERY bike and walker friendly and
b)We have a phenomenal bus system
So I decided to brave the streets. There was a Target located a mile away and I was going to do some shopping! However, my plans were somewhat thwarted when I realized that there NO SIDEWALKS! What?! As soon as you step off campus, you are basically on a freeway with no sidewalks. So I am awkwardly walking on the lawns of businesses and residences when to my dismay, I realize that I forgot the directions to the Target back at my dorm. Frustrated and overheated (it was like 88 degrees), I decide to turn around. I returned to my dorm room and called my mom on the verge of tears. This was not at all what I expected and it was too late for me to change my mind. I laid in my bed wallowing in self-pity and feeling so alone when I remembered: Immanuel--God with us. Even in my despair and loneliness, God was still with me, and that wasn't going to change any time soon.
Welp, there you have it! Those were the highs and lows of my first 24 hours in Chicago. Hopefully, tomorrow goes a little better than today did. I am missing Oregon and my friends terribly and feeling rather lonely. So if you think of it, please pray to that end!
Also, NO I am not in prison, those are the walls of my dorm room...
Eva..you will be continually in my prayers...I wish I could snap my fingers and be there with you! But Jesus is a much better comforter, anyways. So glad you had that reminder that Jesus is with you always...it made me remember that in my times of extreme loneliness and even times verging on depression, I felt Him nearest and He really became my best friend. So I'm praying that His friendship becomes even dearer to you and that each day brings more blessings. p.s. I totally would have done the exact thing, walking to Target and forgetting the directions, ha! love ya, sister.
ReplyDeletep.p.s. LOVE the (non) hair!!
Amen to what Soup said!! You are loved on earth and above <3
ReplyDeletePraying for you all the time. Abba is bringing you to my mind a lot, and then I pray. I pray He would meet you in all the ways, all of them.
ReplyDeleteAnd your hair, is absolutely beautiful. I can't get over how pretty you look like that.
Eva dearest- you make me proud, in so many ways, you make me really proud.
Good 'ol Comfort Inn, haha. Sorry to hear that your first day wasn't too good of a start. I am on campus, and if you need to go grab some things at Target I am more than willing to drive you over. Just let me know and we can work around my work schedule! Hope orientation was better and continues to be better tomorrow! (Oh, this is Morgan, btw haha).
ReplyDeleteEva! First of all - I miss you A LOT already. I just got home from my trip yesterday and it was such a very strange thought to think that you were not on the otherside of town. I literally had already started to think "I wonder if Eva is free - WAIT - oh my gosh!" It's not that I forgot that you had left, it was just that my brain is having a hard time accepting the fact.
ReplyDeleteSecond, you look SOOOO fabulous!! I just knew you would! I don't know if you remember, but starting back in the first year we knew each other, whenever you brought up your hair I would try to throw out the shaving your head idea... I just knew you would look stunning, as you always do :)
Third, I am sorry your first day wasn't so enjoyable. Both my first day at Corban and my first few days in Corvallis felt very much the same. It will get better!! I will be praying for you for sure. Can't wait to hear more updates!
PS - Can we be email pen pals? ;)