Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Just A Drifter in Chicago

I am now officially a vagabond, living on the streets of Chicago with my suitcases in tow.  I have a new appreciation for the homeless people with shopping carts - genius. I may just have to tackle one and run off with it. Dragging a menagerie of bags around as I move from place to place, isn't easy.

Fortunately, I'm not actually homeless. I'm staying with friends until I leave next week.  I turned in the keys to my apartment on Sunday. All of my furniture and belongings have been somewhat carefully packed away in storage. Unbelievably I fit almost everything I own in a 5x8 foot storage unit. There was much cajoling and manuevering involved, plenty of help, and more than one swear word, and a complete break down...but it's done.

I lived in my tiny studio for 3 years and 7 months of my life - the longest I've lived at a single address address since I moved to college almost 12 years ago. It was definitely bittersweet as I left. (My former studio apartment is pictured above. Note: the objects you see are not larger than they seem - it really is the size of a postage stamp, but I liked it.)

I'm now losing a lot more sleep, between not having my own bed to sleep on and trying to figure out questions that don't have answers (Am I doing the right thing? Will I make friends there? What if I hate it? What if I don't and I don't want to come back?).  Can I just start the trip already?  I want to get to the part where I'm having fun and not so tormented.  My only consolation is that the next blog I write will be from the other side of the world!!!

Personal Goals:
- Avoid tears on my last night out in Chicago this Saturday
- Get to Auckland safely and with some sense of sanity left
- Get some sleep!

3 comments:

  1. Another question that should keep you up: How much are my friends charging per night to sleep in their house?

    ReplyDelete
  2. you are doing the right thing and the decision is already made, so enjoy the journey

    ReplyDelete
  3. Safe travels Jess!

    ReplyDelete