Robert Campbell '10 - Wow; just wow. If I could express what the first two days in Chicago have been in one word; “wow” would sum it up quite nicely.

For starters, I had never ridden an Amtrak train, and for it to be National Train day was an added plus. It was a long, yet comfortable ride and safe arrival to Grand Central Station in the heart of downtown Chicago. After a brief struggle to find the Hostel International of Chicago, our place of lodging, we dropped our stuff off and began exploring.

 After strolling up (and down) Michigan Avenue, we met back at the Hostel to take the Red Line train up to Addison, just behind the famous rooftop bleachers of Wrigley Field, and then took a bus to Dr. Iazzeto’s house where we were given a public transit map and directions on how to get to our individual schools. After which we cooked some burgers and brats for a late lunch/early diner. This is where the real fun started for me. Joby Turner and I took the Red Line all the way down to the South side of Chicago to catch a White Sox game. For only $20, it was a pretty solid outing. We sat around some pretty hard core White Sox fans that were definitely very passionate and very knowledgeable about the game.

Today was an adventure from the start. Around late morning, we arrived at the Maxwell Street market, a staple of Chicago Sunday mornings for 100 years. This was an amazing cultural experience. There were several different cultures; Hispanic, Italian, Polish, Indian, and Chinese, all speaking in their own individual dialects. It was truly an experience I will not soon forget. After this, we made the trek across town to Millennium Park, where we met Art Howe, a Wabash Alum class of 1982. He gave us a great history of Chicago Architecture and of the city’s historical background.

Thus far, this has been a great experience. I am really excited for the rest of the week; to get in the classroom and to see more of the city. That’s all for now. Peace.