Life in the city...

It's been about four months since I (Allison) have moved to Chicago. I have to say it hasn't been the easiest of adjustments. I went from a town of 100,000 to an area of a few million people. And, with it I've changed my marital status, place of living, job, church, and the list could go on and on... My poor husband has had to adjust not only to me but to me adjusting to him and the city he's lived in for nearly his entire life.

I don't feel like I'm a Chicagoan yet. I'm sure Abe could tell you how I drive way more conservatively to be called one. But every so often, like the sun that peeks out from the clouds on winter days, I am able to put my frustrations aside and embrace the difference. I love the diversity in ethnicities. And feeling like our diversity is accepted. I love the options for restaurants from nearly every cuisine on the globe. I love that we can go to Chinese festivals on a whim and order our food in Chinese at restaurants where no one speaks English.

So I'm trying to focus on the positive while I'm frustrated this city is so large that it's tough for us to feel connected to our church that's 30 minutes away, especially since our jobs are another 45-60 minutes in another direction. I get frustrated that housing is so expensive that we have to live a very frugal life just to afford a modest house someday. And I don't know if I'll ever fully get used to the crazy drivers who leave no room for error.

But every so often I catch myself acting like a local. Like yelling at the drivers in front of me who act as though they have to be in the iPass (tollway transponder) lane even though they can use the iPass in a regular tollbooth. I find myself rooting for the (gasp!) Cubs. And, I no longer have to put an appointment on my calendar at work each evening to remind myself to check traffic before I leave my desk.

So here I am. Not quite still a downstater. Not quite a Chicagoan. And, not quite sure if I want to be a stereotypical Chicagoan. But we're here and, Lord willing, we'll be here a while. So this Christmas, I'm hoping that I'll feel at home here in this new city and maybe, just maybe, blend in with the locals.