Life as a CSer by Heidi, Fall 2007

Words of Wisdom

2007-12-06T15:18:00.000-06:00

My Advice for Future CSers

Find a church to worship at on Sundays. A church allows you to find a community outside of Chicago Semester and your internship. I attended the New Community Church in Logan Square (2840 W. Logan Blvd, 60647) several times and heard one of the best sermons of my life!
Beware of scolding water! For Canterbury Apartment dwellers, create a battle strategy against the shower! Waking up in your morning shower at six o’clock in the morning is often painfully disrupted when scorching water beats on your back causing you to nearly break the shower curtain to escape its fury. A tip: if you feel the water pressure “spit,” even if you only think it spits, jump out of the way!
Look for simple ways to bring in some extra cash. I petsat and housesat for a young woman in Ukrainian Village. It was an opportunity to see a different part of the city and make a little bit of money. You can learn about such openings on certain websites.
Schedule an appointment to get your Comcast installed immediately! Comcast can take several weeks to install so make an appointment the moment you sign your lease.
Take advantage of CS community events. They are more fun than you might think.
Communicate with your supervisor. Let them know in your Internship Learning Contract what you seek to gain in your placement. Talk to your advisor about it. This is meant to be a learning experience… not just free labor!
Don’t be nervous about transit in Chicago because you will figure it out and then think of a million ways to make it more efficient.
You can catch a lot of sleep on the CTA…just always keep one ear open to listen for your stop. There were several times when I lay motionless as the doors opened at my destination, causing me to jump with a start and dash out, startling all the other commuters.
There is a catch to the phrase, “Free Shots, No Cover” and the bouncers on Division don’t make good boyfriends, jk.
Run along the lake when it’s warm out. The waves are awesome.
Get a Solheim pass for the winter. The Solheim Center is Moody Bible Institute’s gym and through CS we have the opportunity to purchase a membership. I didn’t get one because I thought I’d never go… but I really regretted not having it as an option.
Send Annie pictures for the final slideshow. It makes her very happy.
Have fun with the Arts in the City course. Go to all the art events, contribute to discussion, and really think about the projects. There is a lot to be gained by that course.
Become a CS monitor. Several nights a week the CS computer lab is open to students. I worked as a monitor on Tuesday nights, and loved it! Since classes are on Wednesdays, my Tuesday shift allowed me to get all my work done and make a little extra cash.
Finally, meet friends that you will have for the rest of your life….awwww…

Opa!

2007-11-30T10:32:00.000-06:00

I can’t believe I just saw some guy riding his bike with shorts on! It is so bitterly cold out that simply to look at him was painful. As much as I wanted to join some fellow CSers for ice skating at Millennium Park tonight, I simply couldn’t be outside all night. Brrrr..

Chicago Semester is coming to an end and its closing curtain is marked by numerous activities, events, and projects. I have a lot of work to complete this weekend, including two five page papers. The only reason I feel overwhelmed is because I’ve been working on grad school applications at the same time, the first of which I submitted (for UChicago) tonight. It makes me so nervous! Everyone should sympathize with CS students who are interning and taking courses while simultaneously pumping out personal statements and securing letters of recommendation.

This week we presented our art projects for Arts in the City. I decided to stem my project on a relationship I established with a panhandler on the Madison Street Bridge. On Monday night I found him and told him I was taking him to dinner as my date. We spoke for almost two hours about stories of his life and advice I’m seeking for mine. I compiled many of his tales into a collection of comical short stories and attempted to present one as a “one-woman show.” It was a good time and a supportive environment even though we were all a little awkward. But who are we kidding? College students are awkward!

The best event of week was our Final Celebration Dinner last Wednesday. It was held at the Parthenon in Greektown where we were treated to a host of courses including delicious appetizers, fresh salad, countless main dishes and sides, and tantalizing desserts! It was so much

more fun than I could have ever expected and I left completely satisfied! I was amazed that Chicago Semester put so much effort into organizing such an outstanding event (thanks guys!). I had a blast taking pictures of my friend Joel as he ate everything on the menu. He likes to takes pictures when he is eating… strange kid.

My internship is busy as usual and I’m preparing for my final evaluation on Thursday. These last several weeks I’ve had the opportunity to work with some very diverse clients. One day I serviced a Spanish-speaking couple and cringed that after 4 ½ years of Spanish I can still hardly communicate! I also serviced a few deaf clients. That was especially meaningful because I am in a club at Hope called Silent Praise that performs ASL to worship songs. I surprisingly knew enough to effectively communicate them…go figure.

Back to work!

Turkey Time!

2007-11-12T12:52:00.000-06:00

There have been so many fun things to do this November that I hardly have time to catch my breath!

Earlier in the month a large group of CSers went to the Bulls opening game of the season. Chicago Semester is intentional about organizing several social events for its students and the Bulls game was definitely a big hit. Although the Bulls lost it brought me back to when I was a little girl and dreamed of being the first female player for the Bulls. It was strange how much smaller the United Center seemed after all these years.

Only a couple days later I frequented the United Center again to see “So You Think You Can Dance?” on tour. I must admit I didn’t watch the show this summer but my roommate, Jackie, got tickets to go for her birthday and invited me to be her date. Afterwards we hung around by the tour busses and got pictures with several of the dancers. Neil was my absolute favorite and was runner up in the contest. Awesome!

Saturday was one of the busiest days of my internship. It was our Befriend-a-Family Thanksgiving Drive! I was the first person each client saw as they walked through the door to receive their blessings. It was fun because the clients all remembered me and were so excited when they said, “Hi Miss Heidi!” Many of the other volunteers that do not have such a direct relationship with our clients do not experience this. My responsibility for our Christmas programming is to assist with the clientele component and another group of volunteers manages the benefactor component. My only disappointment was that there wasn’t as much organization as there should have been on the benefactor side, which made it difficult to ensure all participants were appropriately serviced for gifts. It was definitely a good practice run before Christmas!

Immediately after the Thanksgiving Pick-up I drove up to Michigan to spend the remainder of the weekend at Hope College. One of my greatest anxieties is my transition from Chicago Semester back to Hope College next semester. The two learning environments are so different but I trust it will go smoothly. The big event of the weekend was a Thanksgiving Dinner we hosted at our apartment on Sunday afternoon. I was in charge of the green bean casserole because green beans are my favorite food. We had such a spread of food there was no possible way we could eat it all.

Oh, and I had another pleasant surprise. A former CSer that I shared a class with last year invited me out for coffee a couple weeks from now. She had a fabulous experience at her internship through Chicago Semester and was hired by the site! I could tell by her voice that she is very excited about the work that she is doing and I look forward to seeing her again!

I can’t believe there are only a couple weeks left?!!

BOO to YOU!

2007-10-31T09:28:00.000-05:00

I love Halloween! I have never devoted so much time to the holiday but this year I felt that the entire month of October was all about Halloween.

A couple weeks ago I started the celebrations by going to a haunted house in the suburbs. It’s the infamous Jay Cees, which operates several top-notch haunted houses in the Chicago area.
Characters wove in and out of those waiting in line, revving their chain saws when least expected and sliding on the ground at your feet. I screamed a couple times, I must admit, but before I knew it I was asking them for pictures and even for hugs! It was great.

But the best Halloween activity was with Chicago Semester. Halloween fell on a Wednesday, which is the day that students have class. We were told there would be a costume contest, and while I didn’t put too much into a costume some of my friends did. My roommate, Stephanie, went as Pippy Long Stocking and my buddy, Nate, floored everyone with his costume. He had the crazy idea to dress up as one of the workers from our apartment building! He needed help with the wardrobe and makeup and we were happy to assist. Nate calmly took the CTA to class at 8 o’clock in the morning looking absolutely monstrous! His lipstick didn’t smudge all day and he easily won our costume contest. It was exciting knowing that I had contributed to his greatness.

I have had some new and invigorating opportunities through my internship recently. In my mid-term evaluation my supervisor inquired more about my specific goals and interests. She quickly realized that she could provide me some valuable experience in those areas. I have discovered that I would like to learn more about working with ex-offenders as they re-enter society. Toni, who works in the Employment Resource Center around the corner from our services, invited me to accompany her to a board meeting discussing housing discrimination and the recently released. There were numerous speakers and representatives of various agencies that work with the population and several ex-offenders were there to speak on their experience. I learned that in order for an individual with a criminal history to be eligible for public housing they must have a clean record in the last three years. For instance, if someone was released from prison and was then on probation for three years they could not apply for public housing for six years, three years after their probationary period ended! That’s crazy! I am so grateful that my Chicago Semester internship has allowed me to take advantage of such opportunities.

Love is in the air...

2007-10-19T09:33:00.000-05:00

This is a very busy time with Chicago Semester—it is the time for neighborhood visits! As part of Chicago Semester each practicum group explores a different Chicago neighborhood which will later be presented during our Community Dinner.

My group is visiting Logan Square, which is where our supervisor lives. I was already slightly familiar with the area because I have gone to a church in the neighborhood a couple times. Just from my limited exposure to the area I decided that Logan Square is definitely a community I would love to live in.

What I love about Logan Square is its strong sense of community and obligation to one’s neighbor. On our neighborhood visits we toured a social service agency, a subsidized housing development, and an elementary school. The school system is particularly impressive because it strives to get the parents involved in the classroom. Because Logan Square has a highly Hispanic population it is beneficial to get the parents, many whom are new to the country, comfortable with the schools, which can be described as the foundation of community. I am so convinced that Logan Square is the place for me that I have already begun apartment shopping!

This week has also been exciting because both of my roommates’ had birthdays! To celebrate, we went to the Signature Room in the Hancock Tower for drinks. The view was so beautiful but the pricing was outrageous! The Hancock is definitely a place reserved for special occasions ONLY, albeit it must be experienced at least once by every CSer.

After our drinks a small group of us meandered around to enjoy the view and noticed a couple that had just gotten engaged. We watched them from afar as the waiting staff brought decorative desserts out for them amidst their exaltations. As I observed, I came to realize that the woman kept removing her camera from her purse, taking a picture of the dessert, returning her camera back to her bag only to reach for it two seconds later and hold it awkwardly in her hands. I decided that they really needed some pictures of the two of them together on such a special event. So, I went down to their table and politely interrupted and asked if I could help them out in the photography department. They jumped at my request. I took some cute pictures of them and even insisted that they take a kissing picture! My friends poked fun at me, but I am more than happy to throw my dignity to the wind to assist on such a joyous occasion!

I’m a sucker for cheesy romantic comedies too, so don’t even ask.

YAY for PUMPKINS!

2007-10-07T09:18:00.000-05:00

This weekend has been so busy and so much fun! I went down south for a much needed stress-relief from my internship. Oh, it’s been so great!

This week has been stressful at my internship because getting clients signed up for “Befriend-a-Family” has proven to be more difficult than I anticipated. It literally consumes my entire workday—I have no time to see any other clients! When I am not assisting one, or two, or three clients at a time with applications I am polishing up completed applications or calling other clients. I find that I must re-write some applications that are not written neatly. I also must stringently review each “wants and needs list” for Christmas and white-out all inappropriate items written. For example, I had a client ask for a house for Christmas. While I understand that she is in need of a house, there is a fifty dollar limit in our program. While I make this very clear to every applicant, they continue to surprise me sometimes.

So, to get away, I went to a Smashing Pumpkins Concert! I’ve actually have had these plans since the summer but they couldn’t have come at a better time in the semester. My only concern was that the concert was on a Thursday night and was 2 hours away in Bloomington-Normal (Illinois State University). I didn’t know how I was going to get to work the following Friday! However it worked out great with my internship supervisor, who approved an extra day off the Friday after the concert. In return, I agreed to come in on Columbus Day. It is great that Chicago Semester allows us the freedom to work independently with our sites to create the best arrangement. I appreciate that I don’t have to abide by an unreasonably-strict set of guidelines so long as I ensure that I meet my “hours-per-week” commitment.

I went to the concert with my boyfriend, Josh, and our friends Shannon and Rudy, who are also dating. To prepare for the concert, Shannon and I crafted funky T-shirts for us with jack-o-lanterns on them. We thought we were really clever. The concert was a blast! It was just as much a laser light show as it was a concert. Oh, and the Pumpkins put on two encores. It was great.

The remainder of the weekend I spent in Champaign-Urbana. Josh and I went to a corn maze and had a great time. I am truly looking forward to all the Halloween festivities that are beginning to crop up everywhere.

On Sunday night after my return to Chicago my roommate Jackie took some of us to Nick’s Bar to support a fundraiser for her school. I know, interesting—a school fundraiser at a bar, but it’s true. Nonetheless, it was a fun way to wrap up the weekend in support of a good cause. I hope the 8th graders are able to raise enough for their end of the year trip.

It’s been a great weekend and I am now refreshed to take this next week of “Befriend-a-Family” head on!

Never a dull moment in Chicago...

2007-09-29T14:08:00.000-05:00

When I reflect on this past week I almost draw a blank as to what to say and have simply too much to say at the same time!

This week has been particularly busy because I have been petsitting for two cats. I found a woman (not much older than myself) who needed someone to care for her two cats, Malcolm and Angus, while she is overseas in London for the week. Everyday I get to hang out at her cute apartment in Ukrainian village and get paid feed and play with the cats. It’s a nice opportunity to get familiar with another neighborhood. The cats are really cute but they are stinky. I scoop their litter everyday but they are still little stinkers.

Work at my internship has been frustrating this week. I have been calling clients everyday to invite them to come in and apply for “Befriend-a-Family” but very few have actually come in. This week I successfully began six applications but I need seventy-five families total! The woman who is overseeing “Befriend-a-Family” is coming in on Wednesday to collect my completed applications and I fear that I will disappoint her with how few I will have ready! I am putting a lot of time and effort into this project and I do not want her to think that I am not giving it the proper attention.

This week has been dramatic in the office for other reasons as well. Yesterday I was working the front desk and noticed that one of my clients feel asleep in his chair (this is not particularly out of the ordinary for our waiting room). Shortly afterwards the elderly gentleman fell from his chair and began seizing! I ran to the back and alerted my supervisors and then called 911 while my co-workers placed a pillow under his head and tried to cool him with a towel. He began foaming from the mouth but fortunately the paramedics were there quickly. Before long the whole ordeal was over but it reminded me that I work in an environment in which I interact with a population that sadly does not receive proper medical care and often is distracted by too many worries to care for themselves. It is truly disturbing.

The art event this week for Arts in the City was a dance performed by The Seldoms. It was interesting because it was performed in an emptied swimming pool. In class on Wednesday the lighting director of the event came and spoke with us about lighting. I appreciate that Chicago Semester and the faculty of the Arts in the City course put so much effort into preparing us for each of the art events. While the dancing was not to my particular taste I admired its originality and loved the lighting.

Grrr….kids in the city are annoying! After getting off a bus today, I noticed some young teenaged kids throwing a full soda bottle at each other. They looked like they were getting in some trouble, but I discounted it and continued on my way. As soon as I was in front of them, however, the little brats whipped it and the soda bottle hit me in the arm and exploded all over me. I was shocked and didn’t know how to respond. Another teenage boy asked, “Do you want me to go after them?” and I told him not to worry about it, but he ran down the street, cursing obscenities to earn the justice that was due. It was funny, but unfortunate that I had to walk around with a sticky arm!

I am out of time! I am going out with a couple of CS girls to a comedy sketch at Second City.

Will I ever get bored in Chicago?

2007-09-23T13:45:00.000-05:00

This last week and a half has been absolutely fabulous in Chicago! This is a great time of year in the city as there are several fun and exciting things to do as summer closes and fall is ushered in once again. Last weekend I participated in a walk for HIV/AIDS that I had learned about through an HIV/AIDS family camp I volunteered at during the summer. It was a lot of fun and a great way to reconnect with some of my counselor friends while raising awareness about the AIDS pandemic. Last weekend I also explored Greek town for dinner, checked out the Celtic festival in Grant Park (yay for kilts), and joined a group of fellow CS-ers for a night of poetry at the Green Mill Lounge. I would definitely suggest the Green Mill Lounge to anyone. It is one of Al Capone’s old speakeasies, a comfortable (albeit slightly dusty) joint with the greatest poetry jamming I’ve ever been exposed to (actually, it was my first ever poetry jam… but I will return).

Activity at my internship continues to be going strong. St. Sabina/Catholic Charities is a hopping place and I am enjoying interacting with clients. This week I have been focusing more on “Befriend-a-Family,” my leading project of the semester. “Befriend-a-Family” is a program that pairs families we serve with families of St. Sabina’s sister church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, on the north side. The benefactors will assist our clients for the holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, and I get to be a part of it! Currently I am working hard to compile a list of possible candidates for the program and scheduling days when they can come in to fill out all of the appropriate paperwork. It is not without its frustrations but I know it will be a rewarding experience after it gets a little more underway.

With this weekend came some more CTA drama. “They” (whoever they are) shut down the red line for the entire weekend! They can’t block the main artery of the city! How would they feel if their life supply was severed?! This was very traumatic as I am trying hard to convey. The red line construction somewhat compromised the weekend’s happenings, but there remained plenty of fun things to do. My boyfriend and I went to a “Best of” show of Second City. Not only were the tickets incredibly reasonable (thank you ‘Hot Tix’) but the show was hilarious! Saturday night also marked the event of Chicago Semester’s Progressive Dinner. Several students in the building opened up their apartments for relaxed socialization over tantalizing appetizers, delicious main dishes, or dazzling desserts. It is an official Chicago Semester event and was a great opportunity to connect with some fellow students that I do not see regularly throughout the week. Mmmmm….

Oh, I could go on and on…but alas I must retreat to the place I call sleep. Perhaps I shall dream of poetry and Christmas…

Lots of work and lots of fun

2007-09-12T13:43:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness, I am so exhausted! Today we had our classes, and although there is so much going on in the city tonight (Oktoberfest in the loop), I can’t do anything but just sit here and decompress. A good time to write my blog I think.

Last Thursday I started my internship at St. Sabina Social Services/Catholic Charities. I shadowed the first day and by the second day I started doing my own cases! They desperately need the help at St. Sabina’s. Right now I am in charge of the smaller cases of food and clothing. Clients come in, sign in (stating their purpose for coming), and wait for a caseworker. If their interest is food or clothing, I bring them to my cubical and assess them. I put their information into the computer and ask them what happened that they are now in need of our services. I was really nervous about assessment at first because I thought my clients would be uncomfortable sharing their stories with me, but I have found that they are eager to share and willing to answer all of my questions. I ask them to present identification and documentation on any children, etc. Then I type everything into the computer, fill out paperwork stating the same exact thing, and then get another client and do it again. To say in the least I do a lot of running around… but I love it and am grateful to have an internship that gives me a lot of responsibility.

Over the weekend I went out of town. My boyfriend, Josh, goes to the University of Illinois and I went down to visit him. We went swing dancing, and I was ever so proud of him for trying. I’ll have to find a swing dancing joint here in the city to go to.

Last night was a lot of spontaneous fun. Chicago Semester opens up its offices on Monday and Tuesday nights so students can make use of its computer lab. They need two computer lab “monitors” to keep an eye on things each night, and I signed up (I could use the few extra bucks that’s for sure). Last night was my first night on the job. After we closed shop, those of us who were left headed for the red line to go home, and what do you know but the red line going northbound was closed! Ahhh! So, we took a different train, walked for a bit, and finally got on a bus… and guess who was on the bus?! Ronny Whoo Hoo! Ronny Whoo Hoo is a famous fan for the Chicago Cubs. He attends every game in his Cubs uniform and incessantly cheers “Cubs Whooo…Win Whooo.” People in the city know him. Anyways, I saw him and started waving frantically, and he scooted over to allow me to sit next to him! I talked to him all the way home. He even said that he wants to come to my internship and give me a baseball! I didn’t have the heart to tell the guy that I’m not a Cubs fan, but I still couldn’t contain my excitement. What a shame I didn’t have my camera!

More stories about Chicago to come!

Getting settled in the Windy City

2007-09-02T13:32:00.000-05:00

Orientation is officially under my belt…and I had fun! As I write this, I am sitting in my new one bedroom apartment in the amazing Gold Coast of Chicago. My two wonderful roommates, Stephanie and Jackie, are hanging out in the other room, and I am enjoying the soft sounds of the Chicago streets below. I love it!

In my last blog I mentioned that I anticipated this last week being “the craziest week of my life” but I was surprised how each day naturally flowed into the next.

Orientation was held at the amazing Hotel Allegro on Randolph St. in the Theatre District. The first couple days were filled with seminars and informational sessions on the transportation system, interviewing, housing, and safety (always trust your instincts). I was the most concerned about housing but, although it was still quite stressful, I feel like I am in a good situation and will enjoy the semester.

Later in the week we were all focused on making it to our interviews without getting lost. I interviewed at four internship sites, all in which were VERY different from each other. Again, I am interested in social work/psychology, and I interviewed at a law office, a genetics lab, a social service agency, and the children’s’ floor at a hospital. Although I was nervous about interviewing, I must say I felt that I nailed every single one of my interviews! I know that sounds egotistical but frankly I was impressed with myself…so you might be better at interviewing than you might think.

I was also impressed with the activities that Chicago Semester planned for us throughout the week. As a group we enjoyed a boat tour and a comic routine on the north side. They also provided us with some awesome dinners (deep dish pizza from Giordano’s, a pasta night, and several small group outings).

On Friday we were asked to make our internship decision. I was very fortunate because I didn’t have any difficulty making my decision. I know where I belong, and that is at St. Sabina/Catholic Charities. St. Sabina is a church on the south side of Chicago that is very influential in the poor and struggling neighborhood in which it resides. It was so involved in social issues that the time came for it to join forces with another social service agency, Catholic Charities. The staff at my internship is entirely African-American, and Sharon, my internship supervisor, was excited at the prospect of a Caucasian intern because “it will really add diversity to the staff!” After I am trained I will be a caseworker (this is raw social work). People will come into our offices, sit at my desk (I have a desk!), and tell me their needs. St. Sabina/Catholic Charities has a food pantry and a clothes distribution room on site and has access to other resources to better serve its clients.

This Sunday I decided it would be a good idea to attend one of St. Sabina’s church services. Cynthia, one of the coordinators of Chicago Semester, is a congregant at the church and was kind enough to let me come to worship with her. It was an amazing experience, and after the 3 hour service finally came to a close (not kidding… 3 hours) I felt I had a greater understanding of the community and the culture of the social service office in which I’ll be working this semester. I can’t wait!

Chicago here I come...

2007-08-18T13:17:00.000-05:00

My name is Heidi and I am one of Chicago Semester’s official bloggers of the semester. I am really thrilled to start in Chicago and give you all a peak of my experience throughout the semester!

First, allow me to tell you more about myself. I am a senior from Hope College and am majoring in psychology and religion. People often ask me, “Hmm, psychology and religion, that’s an interesting combination…what do you plan to do with that?” Well, I plan to go into clinical social work and continue on after graduation to receive my MSW. That means I will be applying for grad schools during Chicago Semester…eeeekkk.

I am actually from the Chicago area (Brookfield to be exact) but I still chose to apply to Chicago Semester because it is embarrassing how little I know the city. Get me downtown and I probably couldn’t even point what direction the lake is! I know that this may be the only time that I will have to be able to live and work downtown. It will be a true taste of adulthood and I can’t wait!

I have had so much fun this summer and have done a lot of traveling. I went Florida to visit my sister, L.A. with my family to see my brother, and ventured on other various road trips to visit friends. I also was able to do some volunteering; most recently I served at a one week camp for families who are affected by HIV/AIDS. It’s been a great summer but I truly am looking forward to getting back to the swing of things and can’t wait to see what Chicago Semester has in store.

I have some apprehensions about starting Chicago Semester. I’m curious whom I will live with and where my apartment will be. I am very eager to learn of my internship sites but am nervous about interviewing. Pretty much, I know that orientation week is going to be the craziest week of my life and I hope I can carry through it seamlessly.

I look forward to sharing my life with all of you these next several months as I embark on this adventure!