Moving to Chicago and my exploration of my new home

Lets start at the very beginning.

My mother and I drove FROM NEW JERSEY to Chicago JUST THE TWO OF US in a SMALL CAR for FOURTEEN hours. And we made it - without killing each other and actually having a really great time overall.

The drive was tough - its long and we only did it in two days - mostly with myself at the wheel. But our first night along our journey we stayed in Cleveland - had a wonderful dinner together and went to bed early. Once we finally arrived in Chicago we had dinner and again went to bed early.

But the next day we spent exploring and laughing and taking pictures and overall having a lovely time. We went to Michigan avenue and walked along the lake. We lazily walked along Navy pear, saw Millennial park and had an awesome boat tour of the architecture in the city. That night we tried Chicago style deep dish pizza and giggled through a bottle of wine. The next morning my mother caught an early flight back to New Jersey and a few hours later I moved in.

I was so nervous - I was nervous about driving there - bringing my stuff in - meeting people and setting up my room.

My first week in the house was really stressful. My roommate (who is probably now my closest friend in the house and in Chicago) got really sick and it was hard navigating my needs and hers that first week. I felt constantly under-slept and a bit sick myself - but she had the flu and then pneumonia and I felt selfish worrying about my needs - but did feel they were being overlooked. I was also missing everyone at home and just not feeling comfortable yet. We were doing really intense sharing and deep thinking with brand new people and I was not ready to share my deepest emotions with strangers, but also felt pressure to be insightful and thoughtful. Avodah does this intentionally but it was hard and exhausting - both physically and emotionally and I was struggling...

And then shabbat came... and it was like a switch went off - it was this really beautiful 25 hours and such a warm environment. We did everything in the house - Kabbalat Shabbat - dinner - lunch - meeting alums - it was all lovely.

Then Monday was a much needed free day and I went swimming with a friend - went out with my roommate for the first time - to target and began to fill settled.

A time I went out with my roommate and her friend (roommate - The lovely Julie Ann
is the one in the center). 

The next day I began work ----
a little about work:

The first week was training - the second week was shadowing - and then by the third week I began seeing clients ON MY OWN!

At this point I have 13 clients - who I have to schedule appointments with - to discuss treatment plans - medication monitoring - discharge from hospitals (in the case of one client) and drive to appointments. It is an exhausting job and I feel somewhat out of my depth but I am learning so so much and I am really enjoying it - overall.

Because of confidentiality I cannot share stories of my experience on the job - but its an intense job and I know already will be one of the hardest things I will ever do.

What else have I been doing?

Most nights someone cooks dinner and we all eat together - its awesome! The food is great and its so nice to be able to talk and detox at the end of every day.

Some of my housemates - out on the town! 

On the weekends we go grocery shopping and I have been trying to do something nice and fun.

I saw avenue Q - which was awesome! I saw my cousins - who I haven't seen in forever, got dinner with fulbright friends, etc. and then Rosh Hashanah!

Rosh Hashanah was weird and different than I am accustomed to - but it was great!

I went to Mishkan - this very alternative synagogue with some people in my house - which was super cool. I went with my roommate to her family friends - they were lovely and incredibly warm and had a meal with many of housemates. Overall it was great even if different.

So much more to say - but as it turns out - all these risks and leaps of faith I have been making are working out and I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow.