Vivo en Chicago?

Amount spent on train in chicago, $4. Bus fair with incorrect diretctions... $4. Cost of taxi... $5, tiping drivieres... $6. homeless man asking for money, $2. Attempting spanish and making a friend with a child on a train...priceless.

True story, and out of my experience in chicago comes some wisdom. First, that make sure you know where you are going in chicago direction wise, because chances are nobody else does. I asked four people how to get to the sheraton hotel and I was pointed in four diffrent directions, only one was right. After a hour of walking I decided to hail a taxi. But how did one do this? and how expensive would it be? Turns out the movies are right, jut put up your hand (like your answering a question in class) to a taxi as it's driving by and it will pull over. As for cost, it only cost me 5 dollars to get to a hotel that was maybe two and a half miles from my location. I heard that some times taxi drivers will take you the long way, so be careful I suppose. Aside from this, presenting at the APS convention in Chicago was worth the work. Last tip for those not native to Chicago, it's best to park outside of the city (like I did at bedford park) and take the train in. It's alot cheaper on marking, which is easily 25-40 dollars downtown. Oh, and my spanish friend? Yes, a seven year old boy with his parents who loved guitar and talking. I talked to him (although he knew more english than I did spanish thankfully)for 30 minutes, and gave him something to remember me by. I have to say, in a society with social norms it's great to have Children around to break them once in a while. Keeps us from taking ourselves to seriously.