I fully acknowledge that I should be embarrassed to admit this (I am), but one of my bigger accomplishments thus far this week is becoming, not comfortable with Chicago's "L", but instead, ever-so-slightly less intimidated by it. I successfully rode both the Red and Brown lines by myself and actually feel proud about this. This is embarrassing for several reasons:
1). I am 21 years old. I have been making trips into the city sans adults since I was 14. That's 7 years. And I am only just NOW mastering Chicago's main public transit?
2). I am completely comfortable with EVERY other mode of transportation the city has to offer (foot, taxi, car, bus...even the architectural tour boat).
3). While abroad, I managed not only the Tube in London without breaking a sweat, but also the metros in Rome, Paris, Madrid and Prague: non-English-speaking countries.
As I said, sad.
I think it was an odd set of circumstances that prevented me from jumping in and getting comfortable riding the "L" 5 years ago (I happened to miss the exact trips on which my friends were familiarizing themselves with it, instead of opting for our usual decision to walk?). Also, I think, a lot of our destinations (particularly back during high school) did not always have an easy and direct "L" route. Whatever the reason though, I missed out on getting comfortable with Chicago's metro and since Spain in particular, I have stubbornly managed to hold onto the idea that if a metro was not in Czech or Parisian, I would not understand it. This past week though, I have been downtown a LOT and unwilling sacrifice my hard-earned coat-check tips on cabs. (Side note: in case you were wondering how coat-check tips can be hard earned: try layering four winter coats on one hanger, multiply that one hanger times 50 and rotate the coats over space heaters every 15-20 minutes. Heavy and exhausting. I don't have the arm strength for those kind of physical demands and thus, can't afford to waste the $1-$3 customers reward me for my efforts).
ANYWAYS. I knew I had to dive in and finally (finally, finally, finally...I know) overcome my irrational fear of the "L" and just use it. I did Monday night and...success! For the total cost of $5.50, I traveled to Lincoln Park and then back downtown on Tuesday morning. It was only when seated next to some hipster 12-year old traveling SOLO (how did he know which color line to take without his mom to guide him?) that I realized I will need to continue riding the "L" until I am as comfortable with this form of public transportation as the preteens I will be traveling with.
1). I am 21 years old. I have been making trips into the city sans adults since I was 14. That's 7 years. And I am only just NOW mastering Chicago's main public transit?
2). I am completely comfortable with EVERY other mode of transportation the city has to offer (foot, taxi, car, bus...even the architectural tour boat).
3). While abroad, I managed not only the Tube in London without breaking a sweat, but also the metros in Rome, Paris, Madrid and Prague: non-English-speaking countries.
As I said, sad.
I think it was an odd set of circumstances that prevented me from jumping in and getting comfortable riding the "L" 5 years ago (I happened to miss the exact trips on which my friends were familiarizing themselves with it, instead of opting for our usual decision to walk?). Also, I think, a lot of our destinations (particularly back during high school) did not always have an easy and direct "L" route. Whatever the reason though, I missed out on getting comfortable with Chicago's metro and since Spain in particular, I have stubbornly managed to hold onto the idea that if a metro was not in Czech or Parisian, I would not understand it. This past week though, I have been downtown a LOT and unwilling sacrifice my hard-earned coat-check tips on cabs. (Side note: in case you were wondering how coat-check tips can be hard earned: try layering four winter coats on one hanger, multiply that one hanger times 50 and rotate the coats over space heaters every 15-20 minutes. Heavy and exhausting. I don't have the arm strength for those kind of physical demands and thus, can't afford to waste the $1-$3 customers reward me for my efforts).
ANYWAYS. I knew I had to dive in and finally (finally, finally, finally...I know) overcome my irrational fear of the "L" and just use it. I did Monday night and...success! For the total cost of $5.50, I traveled to Lincoln Park and then back downtown on Tuesday morning. It was only when seated next to some hipster 12-year old traveling SOLO (how did he know which color line to take without his mom to guide him?) that I realized I will need to continue riding the "L" until I am as comfortable with this form of public transportation as the preteens I will be traveling with.
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