1 year

so it all began one year ago. well officially, it began in july 2004: my long slow process to chicago.

in june 2004, i started working for my company right out of school. when they offered me the job i was all "awesome, i'm getting paid!" but they threw in a company car and 10 weeks training at the home office in chicago. 'icing on the cake,' i thought. after a few weeks at the branch, i pack two suitcases and flew into o'hare airport.

i had been to chicago once before in the early 90s tagging along with my dad for an AIA convention. AIA = American Institute of Architects. apparently chicago is known for that: architecture. the only things i remember of chicago is that it was windy, the bulls had just won the 3-peat, and my parents left the kids in the hotel to order room service while they went to charlie trotter's.

so in summer 2004, it was a brand new city to me. ok, please don't laugh at me because i was somewhat oblivious in my youth. i didn't know chicago was in illinois, or on lake michigan, or that the sears tower was here. i'm just being honest. i knew where paris was and the gulf of mexico and i'd been to los angeles and new york. i just didn't think much about the midwest. oh, but i was missing out!

that summer i spent every day in a classroom, every afternoon walking around neighborhoods, and every evening on the lake front watching fireworks or movies or concerts. on weekends, friends would come visit and we'd explore the city together. this place was so alive! everyone outside! and it was nice in the middle of summer to be outside! i took the train, learned to navigate the city, had amazing food, and drank in all the beautiful architecture. the city was mesmerizing. i was the only person in my training class really sad to leave and go home. after training, i told my boss "once i pay my dues, i'm moving to chicago." and that was a cloud over his head for the next three and a half years.

i learned a great deal in atlanta and can truthfully say i worked with the best people i have ever known. but in the back of my mind, chicago kept calling. in the meantime, to satisfy my desire to be there, i found every possible way to get up there: training, meetings, presentations, and one girls' weekend in 2006. it was that weekend that i began my earnest search to transfer.

it figures when i decide to do something that nothing happens. i made calls, talked to people, searched the company website for jobs. nothing. and more nothing. i think it was one conference call with former trainees, that someone got a whiff that i was moving to chicago with or without my company. luckily, they wanted to keep me, so they put me in touch with the home office internal recruiter (why didn't anyone tell me she existed before?!?). within a month (november 2007), i had an interview for a position that i honestly wasn't excited about but would have taken just to move. i believe that Someone upstairs knew that wasn't a good idea, so i did not get that job. but i was asked to return as soon as possible to interview for another position. this one was actually in line with my skills and experience. i interviewed first week of january 2008, accepted a week later, and asked for a start date of april 1st (thinking that the city would have warmed up by then... ha).

i put my condo up for sale, found a place to live in chicago, arranged for a truck, and packed everything i own and moved on march 26, 2008.

so 1 year later, my condo is still for sale in atlanta, i still have boxes i haven't unpacked in my apartment here, and i do think upper-40s is warm! i've gone from knowing no one to having a growing group of friends. i've played every intramural sport from kickball and softball to volley ball and floor hockey. saw the cubs and sox play. went to the taste and the scene. been back to atlanta, been abroad, been on work trips, but now chicago is home.