Traveler Spotlight

This afternoon was a pretty quiet one here at the hostel, but I was lucky enough to find Sarah taking a nice reading break from her busy day. She is here by herself seeing the sights of Chicago for one week and has loved it so far! Recently, she graduated from college with a degree in creative writing, and is using this time to take a well-deserved vacation. I had assumed that she was traveling around the U.S. for the summer like many other backpackers, but in fact she decided to come all the way from London just to visit Chicago. Sarah said she had always wanted to see the city, and what better time to visit than the summer?

The weather has been beautiful (lately), which makes for a great day at the beach. Sarah said she loves the lakefront and enjoyed swimming in the warm-ish water of Lake Michigan. Compared to London, which is currently experiencing nothing but rain and cold temperatures, Chicago has been very welcoming to her. She has also taken full advantage of the music scene here by going to Buddy Guy's to hear some blues, and the free jazz concert that took place in Millennium Park last night.

She only has a couple of days left here, but still has a few more museums and sights that she wants to visit before she leaves. And don't forget about our pub crawl on Saturday! Congrats on graduating Sarah, and I hope you enjoy telling your friends and family all about Chicago!

My Dream Destinations

Interning this summer at HI Chicago has been a fun, educational, and frustrating experience. Why do I say it’s frustrating? Because it has me itching to travel! The symptoms of the travel bug have returned (although I’m not sure if I’ll ever be cured of this) due to being constantly surrounded by such an international environment consisting of people on all kinds of adventures. I find myself looking up flight prices and great vacation deals, all in the hopes that I might be going somewhere. However, if my bank account stays where it is now, that won’t be happening anytime soon. But hey, a girl can dream, right? That’s why I’ve compiled a list of my top three dream travel destinations. Believe me when I say that there are an infinite amount of places I would love to visit, but as of late, these destinations have been on my mind. 

      Costa Rica

Arenal volcano-view from the hostel!

I think my imaginary love affair with Costa Rica began after I saw some pictures of friends’ study abroad and volunteer experiences. There were pictures of them zip-ling through the rain forest, lying on a beautiful beach, eating delicious food, white water rafting, and posing with the cute, local children. Costa Rica offers something for everyone because of its diverse ecosystem. If you’re adventurous you can hike a national forest, go bungee jumping, surfing, and more. The activities are endless. If it’s relaxation you crave, there are some gorgeous, sandy beaches with crystal clear water on both sides of the country, as it is bordered by both the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. It’s also a popular destination for those looking to give back. Many non-profit organizations are stationed all over Costa Rica and offer a variety of volunteer experiences to those who are interested. I know that personally, I want to do all three types of travel. And even better, Hostelling International has three different hostels around the country. My favorite is the one located in La Fortuna. La Fortuna lies in the shadow of the massive Arenal volcano, part of Arenal Volcano National Park. This is where you can find many of the adventure activities that sound like an awesome time! However, it’s also not too far from the ocean. The hostel, a restored farm house, provides lots of information to travelers about what to see and do while surrounded by this beautiful landscape!

       Argentina

Whale watching in Puerta Madryn!

Once again, I learned about Argentina from a friend of mine, who I met while studying abroad. She’s from Buenos Aires and was more than happy to share her Argentine culture with us. Argentina is such a large country, that I know I couldn’t possibly see it all in one, or even two weeks. I would love to travel around the country for at least a month, experiencing the diverse landscapes- from the bustling cities of Buenos Aires and Córdoba, to the near arctic scenery of Tierra del Fuego. I could learn how to tango, eat meat and then more meat, and go whale watching. Lucky for me, HI has almost 50 hostels in Argentina! Hostel Puerto Madryn- El Gaulicho seems like a good choice! It’s in a central location of the cute beach town and offers great information about whale and dolphin watching tours! 

       Thailand

Floating Lantern Festival

Known as “the land of smiles”, Thailand seems like an incredible place to visit. I think one thing that is most appealing to me is the very unique culture. The majority of the nation is Buddhist, and with that comes many temples with golden Buddha statues and intricate deals that line the pointed, ornate rooftops. It would be unlike anything I have seen before. In addition to the amazing architecture, it has DELICIOUS food. Thai cuisine is one of my favorites and I would be in heaven eating from the various street vendors. I would also be able to have two incredible experiences: riding an elephant, and seeing the Floating Lights Festival. Trekking through the jungle on the back of an elephant and then witnessing the festival where thousands of lanterns are lit and launched into the air would make for one incredible trip. No matter where you want to go in Thailand, HI has you covered. Specifically, I think HostelSukhothai would be a great place to stay!  It’s a family run hostel situated in an old wooden building, which used to be where the family actually lived back in the day. And it’s in a great location for visiting the Si Satchanalai World Heritage Sites. 

Now are you convinced about adding these to your top travel destinations?

Traveler Spotlight

        

I met Adi this afternoon on the elevator, and after a bit of chatting decided to do traveler spotlight on him for this week!

Adi grew up in Mumbai, India. While that is where his family resides and is what he calls his original home, he has been living in St. Louis for the past 5 years. He came to America to study and has since traveled throughout the country to places like California, Washington D.C, Wisconsin, and, of course, our own Chicago.

Chicago seems to have taken a hold on Adi, and I’m not surprised because I feel the same way about the city’s rich culture and inviting atmosphere.

“There’s just something about this city…” he started, before we went on babbling about the friendly people, ease of public transportation, and countless things to do like a couple of chatty school kids.

In fact, Adi has enjoyed his visits to Chicago so much that he has spent the last two weeks looking for work here. He hopes to find a job soon and be able to live in the city. He says even if it is a bit of a commute, he doesn’t mind. Adi is fascinated with the downtown area because of its vibrant social and business life and would like to find a place to live close to the loop – and our hostel!- or one of the nearby neighborhoods.

Good luck with your job search, Adi, I hope you find what you’re looking for! It’s always great to meet someone with the same passion for Chicago!

Written by Intern Jess Scherer

A Taste of Weekend Chicago Farmers Markets

Buying food from farmers markets is a great way to support the local economy and do your body a favor by eating some healthy produce! Skip eating out (saves you money!) and leave the quick, frozen meals for when you’re really pressed for time. Chicago has many, many farmers markets that take place every day of the week and all over the city. Here are just a few of the ones happening on the weekends! 

Friday 

City Farm Market Stand: This market is really interesting because it borders two very diverse Chicago neighborhoods: Cabrini Green and the Gold Coast, the former considered to be a very wealthy area of the city. The farm is known for having thirty varieties of tomatoes, along with beets, carrots, arugula, gourmet lettuces, herbs and more. “All produce is grown in composted soil generated from various sources, such as restaurant trimmings from some of the city’s finest kitchens.” 

When? Weekly every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday

            Now-September 28, 2012

            1-5:30 pm

Where? River North area

             1204 N. Clybourn Ave

How do I get there? Take the Red Line to the Clark & Division stop. Walk west along Division until you see it on the corner of Clybourn & Division. You can also take the Brown Line and get off at Sedgwick. Walk south along N. Sedgwick St. until Division, turn right.

Saturday

Printers Row: This market is a great choice for travelers because it’s so close to the hostel!  There’s plenty of fresh produce, baked goods, and flowers to choose from. 

When? Every Saturday

            Now-October 27, 2012

            7am-1pm

Where? Printers Row Park

             Dearborn & Polk

How do I get there? From the hostel you can walk! Just make a left on State St. and then a right on Polk.

Green City Market: This independently run, year-round farmer’s market does more than just provide fresh food. It also promotes sustainability by offering educational programs and free resources to shoppers and farmers. The Chef demonstrations that take place every Wednesday and Saturday at 10:30 am are a market favorite. “Chefs from the finest restaurants in the city demonstrate how to prepare meals using locally produced, seasonal ingredients from our market farms and producers.” It’s free to watch, but it’s standing room only so it’s first come, first served. 

When? Every Wednesday and Saturday

            Now-October 31, 2012

            7am-1pm

Where? Lincoln Park

             1800 N. Clark St.

How do I get there? Take the Brown Line to the stop at Sedgwick, walk east on North Ave, and then north on Clark. Or you can catch the Red Line and get off at the Clark & Division stop, then walk north on Clark (also known as N Sandburg Terrace).

Sunday

Logan Square: The Chicago Reader named this farmers market “the best in the city” in its 6/12/2012 “best of” issue! This market offers more than 50 vendors and loads of food, music, flowers, and fun! There’s even live music on the fourth Saturday of every month until September. If you’re still not convinced, check out this video that gives you a virtual tour of the marketplace.

When? Every Sunday

            Now-October 28, 2012

            10am-3pm

Where? Logan Square

             Logan Blvd & Milwaukee Ave

How do I get there? Take the Blue Line all the way up to the Logan Square stop. Then just follow Milwaukee Ave. east until you stumble upon the market.

Pilsen Community Market: Here you can find a variety of fresh produce, arts & crafts, and music in what is considered to be Chicago’s Hispanic neighborhood. This market serves a diverse community because it connects to other local neighborhoods like the Near West and Lower West Side of Chicago. 

When? Every Sunday

            Now-October 28, 2012

             9am-3pm

Where? Chicago Community Bank Parking Lot

             1800 S. Halsted 

How do I get there? Take the pink line to 18^th and then walk east along 18^th St. until you come to Halsted. 18^th is the main road of the Pilsen area and is filled with history and a strong influence from the Mexican culture so be sure to take a look around!

If you won't be visiting Chicago over a weekend, don't worry! There's plenty of farmers markets that take place during the week. Here are a couple examples (and they're right in the loop, so they're very close to the hostel).

Federal Plaza Market: Your typical farmers market selling fresh fruit, veggies, plants, and flowers.

When?  Every Tuesday
             Now-October 30, 2012
             7am-3pm

Where? Federal Plaza
             Adams & Dearborn

How do I get there? You can walk there from the hostel! Just head north on State St., then make a left on Adams.

Daily Plaza Market: Choose from a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, baked goods, and more at this market in the heart of the city!

When? Every Thursday
            Now-October 18, 2012
            7am-3pm

Where? Daley Plaza
             50 W. Washington

How do I get there? Once again, you can easily walk! Just head north on State St, and then turn left on Washington.

*All farmers markets can also be reached by bus, so just ask the hostel information desk volunteer for more information*

Resource Links: Explore Chicago

                         CTA map 

                         

Traveler Spotlight

Eager to return home to Turkey, Diren was busy packing up her souvenirs and keepsakes when I sat down to chat with her. Istanbul, where she works, is one of my absolute favorite cities, so I was really excited to hear her story and thoughts on Chicago!

Originally from Ankara, Turkey she has a PhD in marketing and works in that field in Istanbul. She came to the United States a month ago to work with a professor in Nebraska and decided to do some extra traveling on the side. Diren has been in Chicago for a total of 9 days and has really enjoyed her time here. This was her first visit to the United States, but after our conversation, I think it's safe to say that it won't be her last!

When I asked her what she likes most about Chicago, she gave me the answer that I hear most often: the architecture. She said usually she doesn't like the look of skyscrapers, but here it just adds to the city's beauty. Specifically, she has loved taking black and white pictures of the skyline and the lake front. That's how you truly capture the beauty she says.

Because she was here for 9 days, she got to see and do a lot. She visited many museums, different neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, and took interesting trips like the Architecture Boat Tour. Coming from Istanbul, a city of almost 14 million people, she likes the size of Chicago and says that she prefers this type of quieter city (well quieter compared to Istanbul).

Last but not least, I had to ask her what she thought of the hostel. And just as I expected, she loved her stay here! Diren said that she likes how open it is and how the common areas really allow you to talk with other people and exchange ideas. Not all hostels provide that kind of atmosphere, so I'm glad we could do that for her!

Resource Links:
Chicago Architecture Foundation: http://www.architecture.org/
(hostel guests receive $3 off walking tours!)

Traveler Spotlight, Meet Lucas

I sat down with Lucas during a quiet lunch hour while he was taking a break from his busy afternoon. He is taking time off from his life in Buenos Aires, Argentina, one of my “must see” cities, to travel around the U.S. So far, he has been to New York and Washington D.C., and after Chicago, he’s headed west to explore Las Vegas and California. But what has he liked about Chicago so far? 

He has really enjoyed biking around the city, especially along the lakefront. He loves the backdrop of the skyline and thinks that Chicago is really beautiful (he even said that he likes it much more than New York!). As for our hostel, he thinks “it is the best hostel EVER”. Considering that he has traveled all around the world, that’s really saying something! He has enjoyed how clean and spacious the hostel is for its guests, and the many “tips” that we provide for travelers. Tonight, he is taking our advice and will be going to Green Mill jazz club to enjoy some “Chicago music” and see where the famous Al Capone used to pass the time in his heyday. 

¡Espero que todo vaya bien Lucas!

Resource links
Bobby's Bike Hike
Green Mill Jazz Club

Interviewed by: Intern Maggie Flynn

Traveler Spotlight: Michael

Today during breakfast, I met Michael from one of my personal favorite cities - Melbourne, Australia. He recently graduated from university with a degree in Architecture and plans to later return for his Master’s degree after his travels. Michael is currently on his “big world tour” which includes traveling across the U.S. for three months, Europe for three months, and spending one month in UK with friends from his exchange in high school. So far, Michael has been to Hollywood, San Francisco, Denver, and Chicago and said Chicago has been his favorite city yet. 

Michael told me that he is a huge sports fan and has already attended a Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, and Cubs home opener game yesterday. He told me his favorite experience in Chicago was attending a Blackhawks game because he’s never seen live ice hockey before. He’s also been to the Chicago Art Institute, a blues club, and went on the Chicago Architecture Foundation bus tour. Michael said, “Chicago is pretty awesome. It has a good vibe, the architecture is crazy, and it has lots of sports to watch.”

After Chicago, he plans to visit Buffalo, Toronto, Montreal, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Miami, New Orleans, and Atlanta before jetting off to Europe to meet up with some friends.

Happy travels, Michael!

Interview by: Kim Pitingolo

Sustainability: Listening to our Guests

This month HI-Chicago is taking steps to improve sustainability! Current projects include: installing motion sensors in offices, bathrooms, and storage rooms to ensure that lights are only on when they need to be, adding new recycling bins and signs to make recycling easier, and switching out paper towel dispensers for automatic hand dryers.

Reuse can be beautiful and creative!

Involving our guests in a discussion about sustainability at the hostel and in their travels is an important part of this green initiative, so we held a focus group to talk about sustainability. Ten travelers from around the world joined two interns – Kristen and Jackie – to chow down on Giordano’s deep dish pizza and bounce around ideas. We had guests from Brazil, USA, France, England, Chile, and Venezuela.

Ideas that were brought up include installing clotheslines in the laundry room, offering drying racks to guests, and investigating solar power. This international perspective was great, as we found out that the recycling bins are not designated a blue color in all countries! Most of all, it was encouraging to hear that sustainability is an important issue to our guests, and we hope that when you stay with us you can join us in our efforts!

On Monday, Kristen, our sustainability intern, gave a presentation to the HI-Chicago staff about sustainability – Here are a couple links to videos that were shown:

By Nasa – showing the temperature changes of the Earth from 1880 to 2011.

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2011-temps.html

Energy for the world:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh5KzBQBGcE&feature=share

Remember to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!

If you are interested in learning more about Hostelling International’s sustainability efforts around the world, then follow HI-Sustainability on Facebook and @HIsustainable on Twitter.

Traveler Spotlight: Angie

This afternoon I bumped into Angie looking at one of the information boards in the hostel and asked her if she'd like to be interviewed for the Traveler Spotlight today. I'm so glad I bumped into Angie because I really enjoyed getting to know her and her story.

Angie is originally from Colorado but is currently living in Hawaii for her job with a Christian based international volunteer organization called Youth With a Mission. With the organization Angie has traveled to numerous countries including Thailand, Philippines, and South Africa. She recently was at a program in Toronto, Canada and decided to stop in Chicago before heading home to see her family and friends in Colorado for the first time in over two years.

She told me one of the main reasons why she wanted to visit Chicago was to attend a performance at the Joffrey Ballet. She saw their current production "Winter Fire" and was very impressed with the dance skills of the performers. Tonight she has plans to go to Buddy Guy's Legends Blues Club and tomorrow wants to check out the Old Town School of Folk Music in one of the neighborhoods of Chicago.

Angie also explained that she's stayed in numerous hostels throughout her travels and found HI-Chicago to be very impressive. She enjoyed meeting fellow travelers in the lounge, the information posted around the hostel with suggestions of fun things to do in the area, and our MLK Mural Competition still on display.

We wish you safe travels home and hope you enjoy your time with family and friends!

Interview by Kim Pitingolo

Traveler Spotlight: Hank

This afternoon I stumbled upon Hank making tea in the hostel dining room and thought he would be perfect to chat with for the Traveler Spotlight. 

Hank is from Seoul, South Korea and will be spending a total of three weeks traveling around the US. So far he has been to New York City, Niagara Falls, and Chicago and is heading to Denver, Colorado tomorrow. He told me that he likes Chicago very much and especially enjoyed his visit to the John Hancock building where he was able to drink a Chicago-style martini in the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor.

Hank told me that he loves tea culture and that's exactly why he chose to bring his special tea pot with him on his travels. After he showed me the intricate tea-making process, I was lucky enough to have a cup of Hank's woorong tea. He told me this is a very special, high quality Taiwanese tea that is very popular throughout Asia. It is said to lower your cholesterol, cleanse your body, and keep you slim (sounds good to me!). Thanks for the tea Hank! Happy travels and thanks for stopping in Chicago on your adventure.

Interview by Kim Pitingolo

Traveler Spotlight: Johnny & Ed

This morning during breakfast, I had the pleasure of meeting Johnny and Ed - two very interesting fellows from the UK.

Johnny and Ed are old friends from university and have been exploring Chicago together for the past week. Johnny is currently on a five month sabbatical and has already visited Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, New York City, and Chicago is his last and final stop on his trip before returning back to his job in Wales at the end of this week. Ed, on the other hand, took a week off work from his job in London to visit Chicago and meet up with Johnny.

They were drawn to Chicago because many of their friends from the UK who previously visited just raved about the city so they were curious to see it for themselves. Since they’re at the very end of their trip (and budgets) they’ve been finding free and cheap things to do around Chicago. So far they’ve visited the Art Institute of Chicago, Improv Olympics comedy show, and Buddy Guy’s Legends Blues Club. Today they’re planning to check out the Museum of Contemporary Photography, attend another improv show, and eat more Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Have fun! 

Interview by Kim Pitingolo

Traveler Spotlight: Gustavo

As I was wandering around breakfast at the hostel this morning, trying to snag a cup of free coffee, I noticed Gustavo sitting quietly at a table by himself. He was one of the few hostelers enjoying breakfast without a laptop in front of him, and I took this as an invitation to interrupt his solace for a quick Traveler Spotlight interview.

Originally from Brazil, Gustavo is currently traveling for about a month and a half through the US to audition for a place in a music academy. I know -- he's Brazilian, he has great hair, and he's a musician? Almost too good to be true. He'll be here for another week or so, ladies.

So far he has wandered around Millennium Park, taken a look at his reflection in the Bean, and checked out some of the many theaters scattered throughout the downtown area. He seems unfazed by the cold weather and eager to keep exploring. He told me that he's hoping to sneak a peek inside the famous Chicago Theatre on State Street -- who knows, maybe he'll even get to perform there someday? He has an audition on Saturday for a place at Roosevelt University, and then he's off to the next city and the next audition. After that, it's back to Brazil to play the waiting game until May, which is when he should start hearing back from the universities. Good luck, Gustavo!


Interview by Jackie DesForges

Family Foto Friday: Abbey, Melody, Miles, Christina, and Bobby!

This is a special edition!  I was hard-pressed to find people in the hostel today, because it's such a gorgeous day (thanks, Chicago, I appreciate it).  I ran into a family enjoying themselves in the 2nd floor lounge, playing pool, basking in the sun, and asking questions at the info desk.  I asked if I could intrude on their quiet time, and they were happy to share their favorite parts of Chicago and tell me about how they got into hostelling (Christina's uncle loves it!); their hometown, Nashville; and the fact that the whole family loves art so much.

Meet Christina, Abbey, Miles, Melody, and Bobby (from left)!  Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee. Welcome!

Christina particularly enjoyed the old Marshall Field's building and told me her suggestion to travelers would be to visit the old Deco building just to ride the escalators up the building and look up into the atrium (and never mind the snooty Macy's salespeople downstairs).  She also loved all the old theaters in Chicago, especially Apollo Theater in Lincoln Park.

Abbey had lots of things she liked in Chicago, but was psyched by the John Hancock observatory (we all are, I think), the Art Institute, and the Money Museum.

Miles had lots of fun on the rides at the Navy Pier, especially the ferris wheel (Chicago skyline at night?  Yes, please!)

Music-lover Melody really enjoyed a Million Dollar Quartet show as well as the Wicker Park area.  She told me that she has two friends she met at rock camp that belong to a band, "Those Darlings", that was playing at the Empty Bottle (how awesome is that?).  The whole family enjoyed the show!  I'll have to check out "Those Darlings" now!

Bobby also enjoyed the neighborhoods of Wicker Park and Lincoln Park (they said they were planning to go to the Lincoln Park Zoo today!) and the "el" system in Chicago.  We started talking about the gorgeous views of the city you get coming into the Loop on the Brown line, and I mentioned that you also get a wonderful view from the Pink line.  Which brought me to recommend the National Museum of Mexican Art to this art-loving family, and they said they might check it out tomorrow!

Thanks for talking to me, friends!  Hope to see you back in Chicago soon!

Exciting Times at Hi-Chicago!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Jugo de Mango at HI-Chicago, September 12th.

There's lots of buzz around here lately!  This week, HI-Chicago hosted HIUSA's annual National Operators Meeting.  We had a blast with all of the attendees and enjoyed a productive week.  We're sorry to see everyone trickling out of the hostel and back to their cities and hostels, but we're looking forward to seeing everyone at the next meeting!  

We kicked off the week with a reception in the hostel on Monday night, with a concert by local Latin band Jugo de Mango!  It was a fabulous time and a great chance to connect with our beloved hostellers, too :)

Frigg (Finland/Norway)

We have another exciting event coming up at the hostel next week!  HI-Chicago is teaming up with the World Music Festival to host a concert by Frigg (Finland/Norway) and DJ Sound Culture (Chicago).

Frigg, a seven-piece Finnish-Norwegian band, produces fresh Scandinavian folk fiddling. They represent a mixture of Kaustinen (Finland) and Nord-Trondelag (Norway) traditions, combined with a taste of Americana and Irish Folk music. Named for the Norse goddess of love and fertility, the band has received numerous accolades for musicianship and performance.

DJ Sound Culture, aka David Chavez, is a native of Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood whose music ranges from downtempo brazilian bossa, to NuJazz and AfroLatin House. He has lead a four-year Wednesday night residency at Wicker Park’s Subterranean Lounge, as well as playing most of the major nightclub venues in the city. Sound Culture is an organizer and presenter of cultural music in the city of Chicago. 

The performance is here on the second floor of the hostel at 5:30 p.m., and it's FREE, so invite all your friends for a fun time.  As an added bonus, we'll be hosting our weekly ice cream social at the same time, in the lounge this time, so you can get your yummies fix while enjoying great music!  We're really excited about hosting the event, so we hope to see you all there!


And, a moment you've all been waiting for!  TRAVELIXIR is coming!  We're teaming up with STA Travel and Whole Foods for our next travel party on Wednesday, September 28th, from 7-10 p.m.  This time, our theme is "Big City", and we're hosting it at Brando's Speakeasy.  (Fits nicely with the theme, huh?  You're welcome ;))

Remember, it's a fun travel party open to everyone 21 and up.  Come share your travel stories, mix and mingle with other people from the hostel and community, and have FUN! 

We're having door prizes, a special drink created just for us, nibbles provided by Whole Foods Market South Loop, and our photo contest!  Submit your "big-city" photo for a chance to win up to $300 in travel prizes.  We'll be voting at the party, and you MUST be present to claim your prize if you win!  Send your photos to activities.chicago@hiusa.org.  ONE original submission per person.  Our grand prize is a $150 travel voucher from STA.  Get creative with your submissions!  Hmmm...can I enter my own pictures?  No?  Awww, all right...

Get excited!  'Til next time!

Traveler Spotlight: Candice!

Written by: Krista Baum

Candice Basset has been on an traveling adventure this summer.

Candice is 25years old, and from Lyon, France. She studied International Marketing in school, where she focused on international marketing in hotels.

Last year, Candice traveled around China and thought it was so much fun! This summer is her second time in the United States. The first time she visited the United States was four years ago, and she was working in California for three months. While she was there on the West Coast, she had the opportunity to travel to Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and many other places.

As much as she wanted to go back to the West Coast, she wanted to see something new, so she decided to visit the East Coast! She started her trek in Canada, and went to Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, and Niagara Falls, and now she is in Chicago.

“Every year I try to travel—either internationally or nationally” Candice said. “I don’t really like routines, so I have to change it up. I love to discover something new.” So what brought Candice to Chicago?

Candice was drawn to Chicago because of all the movies that have been filmed here. Movies like Public Enemies, Chicago, and the television show ER were all located here. I guess she wanted to see the city in real life instead of the big screen. Candice is enjoying her time here, saying that “Chicago’s architecture, the traveler outings, and the beaches are great!”

Candice attended one of the Chicago Architecture Tours and said it was really interesting learning that there were a lot of French influences in the city’s architecture. I didn't even know that. Learning new things everyday is so much fun!

 

Before Candice leaves Chicago she plans on going on Bobby’s Bike Hike on Wednesday, and then seeing the fireworks by Navy Pier. It’s so great during the summer, because Chicago has fireworks every Wednesday and Saturday night!

Candice’s future plans are to go to Boston, New York, Washington D.C., New Orleans, Miami, and then back home to France. She says going home to France is like “going back to reality,” I totally agree with that. Whenever I’ve traveled it’s like living a dream, and then when you come home you wake up to the facts of everyday life.

Never stop dreaming, and never stop traveling!

Traveler Spotlight: Mike

Written by: Krista Baum

Mike has been to places all over the United States and the world! He was born in Fargo, North Dakota, lives in Dallas, Texas and is now doing service work in Chicago, IL. This guy has been all over the place!

This summer 2011, Mike has been to San Francisco, San Antonio, Fargo, and Belize! His occupation is one that many travelers, backpackers, or couch surfers would love…he travels for a living!

Mike works as a professional travel guide with Wonder Voyage, a non-profit company with headquarters in Dallas, Texas, that does national and international pilgrimages, mission trips, and service learning activities with different student groups, college groups, church groups, and more.

Currently, Mike is the travel guide and leader of a church group of eighteen high school and college aged students from New York. That’s a lot of people! But Mike is not alone, there are many adult chaperones helping out on the trip. An extra set of eyes are always a big help.

This group has been doing service work and exploration in Chicago! For service work, they have inventoried a warehouse for an organization called Vital Bridges, and yesterday they did maintenance on a transitional home for women and children. Their next service activity will be doing work with elderly veterans and having lunch with them.

Along with their service work, these volunteers have really enjoyed exploring the city of Chicago. They went to Navy Pier, Millennium Park, and are looking forward to seeing the Art Institute of Chicago! So what brought this group to Chicago in the first place? The kids from the group had to vote on a city to do service work in, and Chicago won the vote! Chicago was preferred because a lot of the kids thought that Chicago was interesting, and a lot of them wanted to go to college here. Good choice guys!

Traveler Spotlight: Sam

Written by: Krista Baum

 

Earlier today, I talked with Sam…little did she know that today is the day that she would be featured for today’s Traveler Spotlight! 

Sam is a 26 year old from London England. She has traveled extensively all over the world! She toured Africa during her gap year, visited family in Australia, has been to Hong Kong, Singapore, Russia, all over Europe, the southern parts of India, and traveled to Brazil and California for work.

For Sam, work has really allowed her to travel! She currently works at the Natural History Museum in London, England as a research assistant. There she studies botany, researching new species of plants. At the Natural History Museum she has been proactive in community outreach and education programs to engage children in having a greater interest in science.

So what brought Sam to Chicago? Sam recently came from St. Louis, Missouri where she saw the Missouri Botanic Garden and is now in Chicago where she will start her two week long research assignment at the Field Museum. She will be comparing botany specimens there to the ones back home at the Natural History Museum. The scientists have to make sure that their data about a species is correlating to other scientists’ data in another country regarding the same species. When I asked if I would be able to see the botany specimens at the Field Museum, Sam said that those specimens were collections that were hidden from the viewers because they need certain conditions to survive. There are so many hidden gems at the Field Museum. 

I then asked Sam about what she thought of HI-Chicago, and she thought that it had a friendly atmosphere and wants to see her room so she can unpack all of her things and rest a bit before exploring Chicago! 

So what will she do in Chicago?

Tomorrow, Sam’s boyfriend from London is arriving in Chicago, and they will be able to do some exploring together after Sam has finished her work at the Field Museum. She hopes that they can attend a baseball game, see the Shedd Aquarium, visit the Art Institute, and just wander around the city.

Sam’s future travel plans are to go to Northern India, Vietnam, and Cambodia. 

And…little known fact, I asked Sam if she watched Prince William and Kate’s wedding, and Sam said that she did watch it and that one of her co-workers from London was at the same university at the same time that Prince William was there, and that they played cricket together!

What a small world!

Traveler Spotlight: Nate & JD

Written by: Krista Baum

While walking through the HI-Chicago second floor lounge, I saw two guys playing pool, and they were almost done with their game. They looked like cool guys and would have some very interesting stories to share…and they did! *This is why travelers should meet and mingle on the second floor lounge because there are so many great people to talk to :)

Nate is 23 years old, and from Fort Wayne, Indiana and J.D. is 19 years old and from Goshen, Indiana and they have traveled to many great places around the world!

Nate has been all over Central and South America, and has lived in Argentina for 13 months and recently got back from his 10 month stay in China. While living in China, he also traveled to nearby countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. JD has traveled around the United States, been to Canada for two weeks and just recently got back from his 10 month stay in Bolivia.

So how did Nate and JD meet?

Nate and JD met through the Radical Journey program, which is a program through a Mennonite Mission Network that is based out of Indiana. When they said Radical Journey, I had no idea what that program was, so I asked them to elaborate. They said that Radical Journey is a program for men and women between 19-30 years old, and they do a year of service in a foreign country. The service that these people are providing varies on need, but some examples are: construction work, teaching English or tutoring children. 

During their travels both Nate and JD had some surprises…

Nate learned that his house sister in China went to the United States for a year and met his Argentinian fiancé’s best friend. Nate was pleasantly surprised to find out about this later, and really thought that this was a real life example of how small the world really is. 

For JD, he had a less pleasant surprise when he encountered some passport problems in Bolivia. Due to this experience, JD recommends that all travelers get their passport work done as soon as possible!!

From surprises to shocks... What was the biggest culture shock for these guys while abroad?

Nate thought that the family life was a big culture shock for him. When in China, everyone in the family was really close, and friends were treated like siblings. He also learned that it was normal for a 33 yr. old and a 32 yr. old to live at home, versus in the United States when everyone starts leaving home at around 18 years old to go to college or work.

JD thought that language was the biggest culture shock while in Bolivia. Within the first couple days he wanted to continually greet people in English, however after 10 months there, he was conversing in Spanish every day, and now back in the United States he feels that he wants to greet people in Spanish. The switching between languages so fast can definitely result in some excellent Spanglish!

So what brought Nate and JD to Chicago?

For both these guys, Chicago was the reorientation city. After their recent experiences abroad, Nate living in China for 10 months and JD living in Bolivia for 10 months, their program chose Chicago as the place for all their participants to initially return to when coming back to the United States.

JD actually just arrived in Chicago this afternoon and said that he was in Bolivia this morning! How cool is that!?!

Their program thought that Chicago was a good fit because it is culturally diverse and it would be a nice transition from being in another country for so long. Both Nate and JD are enjoying their stay in Chicago and are readjusting to life back in the United States.

So where do they plan on going in the future?

Nate plans on going to Argentina, so that he can then bring his fiancé to the United States so they can get married. Then they will move back to Argentina for a while.

JD plans on going to Goshen College in Indiana so he can study Spanish and French, and he also says that he wants to study abroad in Spain for a year!

Traveler Spotlight: Omer Aydin

Written by: Krista Baum

As I was wandering around the main lobby at HI-Chicago, I saw a young man on his computer, and he looked like an interesting person so I decided to introduce myself and ask if he would like to be interviewed for traveler spotlight. He humbly agreed, and we started talking and had a very enjoyable conversation.

Omer Aydin is from Turkey, and currently a PhD student studying Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan. I later told him that I went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and that both the University of Michigan and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign were in the Big 10. Currently at Michigan, Omer is researching cancer treatments and developing ways to use medicine that will directly target cancer cells and not the whole body of the individual who has cancer. What a brilliant student! 

After discussing Omer’s studies, I was very curious to learn about where he has traveled. Omer left Turkey in 2010, and went to Alabama, USA, where he enrolled at the University of Alabama to take an English class, so he could improve his English skills. After Alabama, he traveled north to Michigan where he could start at the University of Michigan. I asked Omer if he had a preference between Michigan or Alabama. He said that he noticed political and religious differences between Alabama and Michigan, and as far as the social scene, he feels that downtown Michigan offers a lot more.

So what brought Omer to Chicago? 

Omer came to Chicago for the 4^th of July Weekend with an International group of students from the University of Michigan and was able to stay at HI-Chicago for a couple of days. It was Omer’s first time in Chicago, and besides seeing O’Hare airport, there was so much more to see and do! As a group they immersed themselves in Chicago, and were able to see the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Art Institute, the Skydeck and Millennium Park.

As far as cuisine goes, Omer says that he misses Turkish food, so during this trip here to Chicago, he was able to go to a Turkish restaurant called A La Turka and he said that it was really good place. I have never tried Turkish food before, so I think I will try that place sometime. What better way to learn more about a foreign culture than through their ethnic cuisine? 

Omer’s future plans are to go back to the University of Michigan to continue his education as a PhD student!