1997 Chicago Roadtrip - part 3 (final)

We spent the remainder of our time in Chicago doing everything else on our agenda and taking in as much as we could. We went up to the top of the John Hancock Building and stared out at the city; Lake Michigan in all of it's marine blue ocean-like glory and taxi cabs that from the ninety fourth floor looked like matchbox cars. We took our pictures standing in front of goofy boards that make it look like you are lying on a construction beam hanging out over the edge of the building. We drove along beautiful Lakeshore Drive out to Shedd Aquarium where we looked at thousands of types of fish, so many that after awhile we got a little numb to how amazing each variety was. We paid extra to see the dolphin show and get to see the otters. I had no idea what silly little creatures otters are. They were my favorite! Last, we went to Navy Pier, rode the 150 foot high Ferris wheel, walked around the pier, and watched the jumping water fountains with childlike wonder.

As we got in the car to drive back to Sioux Falls we couldn't believe that we managed to check off all items on our itinerary. We experienced a little bit of everything and had so much fun. But I knew there was so much more, we had just barely scraped the surface. So much more was calling me back, whispering me home. It was something I was missing; in reality my parents were in the midst of a divorce and I would soon lose the home of my first twenty years of life. But nothing could be done now. It was time to face that and drive back to our everyday lives and the reality of growing pains, class, textbooks, assignments, and work. I settled for goodbye.

As I look back now, I can see how much this single event - just one extended weekend roadtrip - changed my life. I came back to Augustana College and it was very apparent to me that I was unhappy there. I was going through so much with school, work, and home life and really trying to make things work, but the truth was that as much as I tried or wanted to make the pieces fit together...they just didn't. I knew I had to make some changes. I was studying both Elementary and Early Childhood Education and after having spent forty some hours in a fourth grade classroom, suddenly I wondered how was it going to work for me to teach (annoying) kids all day long and then someday come home to my own kids, also requiring attention, patience, and teaching of their own? I thought about what was going on with my parents. I thought about what college was costing me and my parents. And then I thought: What was it that I really wanted? I had been making my own decisions, but basing them too much on influence from family members, teachers, and the "What You Do Next" handbook.

The first decision was easy. I would leave Augustana. If you are going to spend that much on a private college education you better love it, and the truth was I didn't. Not the campus, my professors, my field of study, or classmates that to me were all made from a very similar cookie cutter. The hardest thing to leave was my roommate, but like any good friend she understood. From there, I made the difficult decision to move home to Sioux City, Iowa for one semester so that I could face life with separated and soon to be divorced parents. While I was there I would take some general coursework at WIT Community College and work to make some extra cash that I would need when I left in the fall to attend...you guessed it...The University of Iowa. That was what I wanted; to live at "The Java House," roadtrip to Chicago, and study Art in my spare time.