Chicago

I feel so blessed for all that I've been fortunate enough to have experienced thus far.

***

Going to Chicago for the weekend ended up being absolutely bloody brilliant. Its such an amazing city. I would seriously consider moving there if that were at all possible. This was my first time using the website airbnb, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. However my two hosts, Jess and Drew, ended up being the nicest, friendliest, coolest couple ever. Their apartment was in the heart of downtown, right on the lake, on the 17th floor which overlooked the water.

 Jess!

View from the apartment. There was also fireworks on the lake one night

Chicago turned me into a really great walker. I meandered around the city the first day on my own, which was so friggen lovely mind you. Having that time by myself was liberating after being so used to being around other people constantly- I missed hanging out with me.

I ended up walking all the way down Navy Pier and had an ice cream. As I wandered further down I came across this jazz band playing a free show, with people sitting around drinking and dancing. So I decided to have one beer and check them out. Well one turned to four as I realised how incredible they sounded, and I was becoming intoxicated with the environment that I found myself in - sun shining, water gleaming, the magnificent city backdrop right there in front of me, funky music, relaxing drinks, and a lot of guys that were very easy on the eye. I ended up staying till the end - I didn't want to leave!

After they finished, the host dude announced they were having a competition for who travelled the furthest to get to where we were. Already half drunk, getting on stage or being in the public eye in any way was the LAST thing I wanted. However this Indian lady who I was chatting to completely insisted I get up there, and despite my protests, pulled me by the arm towards the guy saying 'YOU HEV TO DO EET! YOU MUST!' then, 'EXCUSE ME YOUNG FELLOW! THIS GIRL FROM AUSTRALIA, VERY FAR!' Mortified I just went along with it and stayed to the side, where another girl was sitting. She must have overheard us because I then discovered she was Aussie too! Needless to say we won free tickets for the Ferris wheel or someshit but we ended up spending pretty much all of the weekend together. Her name was Carly, from Sydney, and she was very cool.

That night we went out for drinks with Jess and Drew and Jess' boss, which was fun. We stayed for quite a while, then Carly and I kicked on to this other place called Howl at the Moon. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before. It's a piano bar, so basically on the stage there's 2 pianos with singers and that's it. But the crowd was crazy! Everybody singing and dancing and having such a great time. We hung out with some people from a bachelors party who hooked us up with lots of free drinks, and we had a fantastic night.

Best piano bar ever

Once the place closed and we all filed outside, I got talking to some Italian guy who I was completely amused with. His name was Vito, he was an Italian from Chicago, and I was pretty sure he was in the mafia (I asked him about 50 times so..) We went to another bar around the corner with his friends, but after about half an hour I realised the novelty wore off and I was sick of him so I asked him if we could go out for a cigarette, then as soon as he lit up, I told him I needed to use the bathroom (quick escape)

When I walked back in, I ended up talking to this Irish guy who I really took a fancy to. He reminded me of that actor who's the cop in Bridesmaids. He was really funny and we ended up hanging out for the rest of the night.

The next day was spent day drinking with Jess and Drew, sightseeing and chilling at the beach with Carly, and me getting lost in downtown Chicago at night without a phone. It's probably every parent's worst nightmare but in the end this group of extremely nice fisherman helped me charge my phone and call Drew up to get the address, then they fetched a cab for me. Sometimes I honestly think there are guardian angels in this world. I'm not exactly sure what I would have done that night if I hadn't of bumped into them. Apparently at first they thought I was a crazy lady, as I walked up to them in a teary panic announcing that my phone died, which he misheard as my friend died, and proceeded to assume I was going to take him to a dead body or something. What a lol. Anyway I finally made it back, we ordered delicious Chicago styled deep dish pizza, and I went to sleep, waking up at 3am in time to catch my flight to Toronto.

 What a memorable weekend I had. One weekend was definitely not enough, and I know without a doubt I will be back. Love you chitown.

That's a wrap.

I'M CURRENTLY WAITING AT THE AIRPORT TO LEAVE MINNEAPOLIS.

HOLY CRAP.

IT HAS FLOWN BY SO FAST.

10 weeks ago I stepped foot into LA about to embark on this amazing adventure. And here I am, closing the chapter on Camp T, the end of an era. It has been an experience to say the least.

I've decided to spend the weekend in Chicago before I head up to Ottawa, Canada to apply for my next J1 visa to study at UF. I am so excited to explore the city!

I will miss everybody that I've met so much. We have become like a family. Honestly, the people are the saving grace of my job. I know that I have definitely met some friends for life that I will undoubtedly see again in the future. I am so blessed to have been able to partake in this extraordinary experience. As much as I bitched about camp to no end about the early mornings and late nights and the food and the showers and the weather and the insert-other-complaint,  I know that no matter what, I will miss that place. I'll miss seeing the same faces everyday, getting ready together in the bathrooms, having laughs over the most mundane things, the campfires, the kids, the random nights out. All of it will be a fond memory which I'll always look back upon and smile.

To wrap up things from the last time I've updated:

- Party bus for Chico's birthday which was immense. Finding myself late in the night playing poker in a secret upstairs room of a club with these random gangstas with white ditzy girlfriends. What the actual fack

- Spent a weekend with another host family, however minus the famly, with Jiff dawg. We stayed with a girl named Kelly and her muso boyfriend Donny who are about our age. They spent the weekend taking us around town, both downtown and uptown, showing us how real 21+ year olds from Minneapolis spend their weekends. 

Started off Friday night with drinks at her place, then ate amaaaazing juicy lucy burgers at this cool little dig, then went to go see a jazz band play called Sexy Delicious (whatta lol) 

Saturday we woke up late, enjoyed some Bloody Mary's along with breakfast, became tipsy again, spent the entire day walking the city, shopping and barhopping around uptown, then finally headed home in the night, ordered pizza and wings and attempted to create a fort in the living room so we could comfortably watch Mean Girls. Could it have been anymore amazing? I think not.

- Had my last ever Friday night out with the gang, so we made a decision to have a quick dinner then come back to camp and kick on there. Well. The restaurant we turned up at, Lord Fletchers, ended up throwing a DJ into the room we were in at about 9pm randomly. Everyone was like whaaaaatthefuck. Many many drinks were had and a boogie not forgotten. It ended up being such a fun and crazy night. I love spontaneous nights like that! I barely remember getting back to camp but we all crashed in the same place and woke up nice and late. Perrrrrfect.
Saturday was spent lazing around camp, sunbaking on the water tramp, having a bbq, and eating and drinking on the beach with all my favourites. I loved how my weekend consisted of both wild and chill - it's exactly what I needed.

***

Yesterday was my last day ever. It just felt so surreal - it wouldn't sink in that this was it. The day was nice and chill, then at night once all the campers went to bed, all the counsellors sat around the fire with me and talked shit until nearly 1 in the morning, sharing funny memories, talking about the characters of camp, what we'll miss, hilarious moments... I think that's when it started to finally hit me a bit that I wasn't going to see this beautiful bunch of people, who have become my family, for a very long time.

Tears were had this morning as I made my way to the office with my bags ready to go. I never thought I'd say this but I honestly just did not want to leave. We've made promises to see each other again and I know undoubtedly it will be fulfilled. 

As I drove up the long gravel driveway for the last time, I looked back and saw my favourite people looking back at me from the field and waving. I tried to capture this moment in my mind so much. It's crazy, living in this one place for 10 weeks, and then suddenly, I will never ever see it again. It will always be that fond memory of the time I spent one crazy summer in America working at a camp with a bunch of people I had never met before. 

For sure, this was a summer to remember.

***

So right now, as I finish my coffee, I am about to board my flight to Chicago - another adventure waiting to begin. Florida is indeed calling. And instead of the sick, anxious feeling I've had for the past day, I am incredibly excited. More friends to meet, places to see, experiences to be had.

 Lets do this.