As a child growing up in the sticks, I was always fascinated going downtown and realizing that folks actually lived in the man made canyons of skyscrapers. I couldn’t imagine living among the noise, the bustle, and the anonymity of Chicago. However, since Sean’s been living downtown while going to UIC, I’m realizing that people don’t live in Chicago, they live in Greektown, Little Italy, Chinatown, and the dozens of other neighborhoods that fill Chicago.
Sean’s world is bordered by Greektown, Little Italy, and Printer’s Row and each of these is its own distinctive place full of its own culture and vibe. Since living at UIC, Sean’s managed to find the Target that’s a few blocks from school, the World Market (where they have the best cookies in the world), Whole Foods, and all the other essentials of college life. As he’s found his way around the town, he’s discovered the little out of the way places that only someone who’s a native could find. He can tell me the local restaurants that have the best food, where to buy good quality shoes for cheap, and which bus lines go where. Having grown up in Suburbia where everyone drives everywhere, Sean was amazed when he moved downtown and realized that few people had cars because public transportation or pedi-transportation will take you everywhere you need to go and because having a car can be really inconvenient when it comes to finding a parking space.
When I visit him and we go shopping, I’m struck by the sense of community that exists in what I once thought was a scary urban jungle. The clerks at Whole Foods know their regulars’ names, the people walking down the street call each other by name, and the restaurants offer specials that cater to their crowds. In a lot of ways, I think Sean’s urban community is a lot more of a community than the suburbs we live in now because people walk most places so they get to know the folks at their local businesses and they get to know the people they see on public transportation each day. It’s difficult to get to know your neighbors in suburbia, because no one lives where they work and we spend so much time commuting that when we get home, we hole up in our homes, turn on the TV, and turn out the rest of the world.
I’m not naive enough to think that all of the neighborhoods in the city are warm and fuzzy communities full of folks who want to get to know their neighbors. There are a few neighborhoods in the city where outsiders risk their lives visiting, but most of Chicago’s neighborhoods are diverse and exciting communities that offer their residents all the comforts of suburban living and more.
Through Sean’s eyes, I’m seeing that what I once thought of was a cold and impersonal city, is full of warm and welcoming neighborhoods. It’s pretty blissful to let go of my preconceptions about city living and to take a step back and realize what a mature and self sufficient kid we raised.
Cairn by Cairn 