Chicago's famous theatre

Soon after purchasing a king size mattress in the local second hand shop for our otherwise empty apartment, we learned that the delivery man was busy. Faced with only one other option (the floor), we began our short but arduous journey. Luckily Carmen came to the rescue. “Girls, you know I could carry that with one hand!” (in a strong American accent).

I watched in awe as the biggest black ‘”lady” I had ever seen, strolled down the footpath (sorry sidewalk) carrying a king size mattress above her head and weaving in and out of mildly confused looking Americans yelling
“Four Ladies, a mattress and a Drag Queen coming through”. And so my J1 experience began.

Chicago is an amazing city where skyscrapers tower over beautiful beaches and buskers make waiting for the train a treat. The people of Chicago are the friendliest I’ve ever met (you will eventually get over your Irish suspicion and accept their niceness for the sake of niceness) and there is always something to do. If you want city life, beach life, fun in the sun and one crazy summer, then Chicago is the place for you.

Navy Pier, Chicago's tourist hub

Accommodation

Look for somewhere on the L (Chicago’s subway system), preferably along the redline. Belmont, Addison and Sheridan are near the city centre and all the good nightlife! Stick North as the South side of the city has a rough reputation.

Jobs

The best places to look for summer jobs are Navy Pier (Chicago’s tourist hotspot and the cheesiest place on earth) and the city centre (try the Water Tower Shopping Centre). Check the jobs section of craigs list when you get there as most places do walk in interviews and just advertise online a few days before. You will have one big advantage in this area- they love the Irish, so turn on the charm, big up your freckles and embrace your bogger accent.
 

View of the city from the beach

Where to go?

For Beaches: North Avenue is the largest and most popular beach, especially with young people. Think volley ball courts and live music. It is lined with skinny, big boobed, six pack clad, tanned all over American beauties. For something a bit more secluded, try the little beach beside Navy Pier. And for the adrenaline junkies, there is jet skiing on Montrose.

For Nightlife: Three words- Big City Tap, Belmont’s finest haunt, this is where we and the majority of the J1 population spent our (messy, messy) nights. Before long they copped onto our scabby Irish student ways and stopped serving minerals. They still threw us a big party night before we left though, what’s that I hear, the luck of the Irish?

If you like dancing till the early morn and dodgy dance tunes, head to Rush and Division, where you’ll find hardcore “Irish” clubs like Shenanigans, however, be warned, these places tend to be strict on I.D. Addison (home of the Chicago Cubs stadium) is great for bars and if the Cubs are playing a home game there’s always a great buzz around! 
 

Cubs Stadium

For Shopping:
Head down to the Water Tower in the city where you’ll find Abercrombie and Fitch, American Apparel and the likes. If you’re willing to go further afield, take the train to Gurnee Mills, where you can find discounts on loads of big brands.

Must See:

A Baseball Game: Decide whether you are a Cubs or Socs fan (this will cause rows), get dressed up (go all out, we even painted our faces!) and go to a game. The stadiums are amazing and the songs are cheesy, add in a big bunch of J1ers and a few sneaky drinks and your in for a really great day/night!

The bright lights of Chicago

A Millennium Park: Admire the art installations like the famous ‘Cloud Gate’ by British artist Anish Kapoor, play in the weird and wonderful fountain or have a picnic while listening to music from the main stage. There is always something going on in Millennium Park, from music to food festivals and it’s a great way to spend the day.

Cocktail in the John Hancock Signature Lounge: Sip a Long Island Ice Tea while gazing out the window of the 96th floor of one of Chicago’s tallest buildings. It will cost about $15 dollars each, but it’s worth it to see the views of Navy Pier, the coast and the entirety of this outstanding city. Go at twilight and watch the city transpire into a sea of twinkling lights. 
 

By Lucy Cefai