Day 01

I have arrived in the Windy City! Finally.

The trip up was very uneventful thanks to plenty of travel time and an expert driver, my dad. After eating lunch, we pulled up outside the hotel and unloaded my luggage. It was actually the part I was most dreading - whom and when to pay the bellboy for helping with my bags. Dad parked the car and I kind of whispered to the guy at the door, "Am I supposed to pay you now?" He looked at the ground with a confused expression. It occurred to me that they probably can't just say, "Why, yes. Now would be the proper time for you to pay me $1 per piece of luggage." So, I hand over the bills and away I go. Now I know.

After mingling with other CSers and enduring hours of orientation, literally, we got into assigned groups and went to supper. My group went to a Thai restaurant where I ordered Garlic Chicken Noodle. I thought it would be a pretty safe bet. It turned out to be a mix of broth, ramen noodles, large pieces of steamed broccoli and carrots, big hunks of chicken, and cilantro. Overall, the food was pretty good. Not something I would eat for every meal, but definitely edible.

Happy 1: The mystery folders containing our interview sites were distributed this evening. My interviews are with a bank and two financial advisors. Thankfully all of them are located within walking distance.
Happy 2: I rode the 'L' with my supper group. I learned a few things from this experience. (1) To offset the sudden stops and starts - keep a slightly wider stance than usual to help with balance. (2) To remain unharmed by the train doors closing without allowing enough time for safe entrance and exit - be quick.
Crappy: Apparently, the rooms in our hotel are all different sizes. Who got stuck with the littlest one? You guessed it. I wouldn't know any better but people keep coming into our room and saying, "Geesh! Your room is so small! Our room is at least twice this big." Sigh.

Tomorrow we decide who we will be living with for the semester. It's not like I just met these people or anything. Piece of cake.