I was back home in Chicago earlier this week for the inaugural company conference. I heard two things:
- Chicago is amazing! Why did you move?!
- Moving was ballsy.
You can guess the first is from my coworkers, most of whom were visiting Chicago for the first time. On the one hand, I wasn’t surprised to hear them say Chicago is amazing. It is. I’m pleased they got to experience a number of things I love, and miss, about Chicago.
It was a wake-up call for myself as well. I got to experience Chicago from an outsider perspective, from those who had only heard about, but never been to or experienced Chicago. I was reminded of many cool things, like Kingston Mines, the spat between rooftop owners and the Cubs organization, riding my bike along the Lake Shore path to beach volleyball, hanging out at Castaways after, watching 4th of July fireworks from Navy Pier and Museum Campus. Meeting up at Big Bar with #smcchicago. Presentations on social media at MorningStar.
A number of users also asked why I moved, and a year ago I would have spoken more highly of Chicago than Vancouver. The two cities cannot be compared though. As I said in April, it is literally comparing apples to oranges. Both cities have redeeming qualities, and it’s more a matter of personal preference. Personal preference that can change, or you may not know until you make the move.
The move most called “ballsy,” especially when they learned I moved on my own, by myself, to a foreign country. There was a pause as “foreign country” sunk in. I could see them go through a mental check list of what needs to be changed when they move to a different city in the States, and it dawned on them that I have no status in Canada. No credit, bank records, nothing. Even my cell phone had to change.
On some level, being “ballsy” registered when I moved into my apartment last year, but it didn’t quite ring all the way through until I keep repeating the story as people kept asking at the conference. In 2011, it just seemed like the next logical step. I had a Pro/Con list that was even, no matter how many times I made one. So I left it up to the border agent. Some thought that was amusing. Looking back on it now, amusing indeed. How many people leave their next phase up to a border agent?
I do not regret doing so. This experience has been richer than I even thought it could be, and brought a freshness to Chicago that had been missing. Whether you have the opportunity or just have a “fuck it all” feeling every day, make a move, whatever that move is.