Chicago

megakid

megakid

megakid

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London
Right - my next move has been confirmed at work so I'm gearing up for 1+ years living in Chicago. Whilst I've been to the states trice (CA, TX and NYC) to date, I've never been to Chicago. I decided not to post a mushy "Do I or don't I" thread like I did with my move here (I doubt any would remember the thread) as I've always wanted to live in the states and get a taste of it over there (In more than one way hopefully :o:p).

I'm not due to move until June/July so it's a while off yet but can anyone give me a clue as to what the city is like, perhaps comparing it to NYC (If you can compare any city to NYC!) as I lived there for 3 months in summer '07.

What I really hoped that OcUK would tell me is 1. Is there a big ex-pat community there? (I'll be going alone) 2. Do the people there welcome visitors? 3. What sort of nearby hobbies is there? (Everything? i.e. I've recently begun yacht racing here in Sydney, do they do that in Chicago - albeit much colder). 4. Do the chicks dig an English accent? :D 5. Any other holiday experiences would be great too.
 
It's cold and with little to do unless you got plenty of cash, like most places in USA.

1. Why would you need an expat group when you speak the same language???!
2. Americans are always friendly apart from NYC
3. no idea
4. no comment
5. -/-
 
Chicago is one of my favourite cities in the world (and I've been to an awful lot). It is extremely clean and plenty to do. One word of advice, get yourself a decent coat as in the winter it is FREAKING FREEZING!! Was there last January (only 4hrs drive away) and it was so cold.
As it is right on Lake Michigan there is plenty to do regards water activities, loads of nice suburbs (Wrigley etc), good sports teams (Bears, Bulls, Cubs). Not sure on how welcoming they are, but most Americans love the ol'Brits so you shouldn't have any trouble.
 
kgi said:
It's cold and with little to do unless you got plenty of cash, like most places in USA.

1. Why would you need an expat group when you speak the same language???!
2. Americans are always friendly apart from NYC
3. no idea
4. no comment
5. -/-
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RE 1. That's very true, of course you don't need an expat group - I guess the reason I added it without much thought was because I found that even in Sydney whilst I have plenty of friends both Australian and English (all of whom I met whilst being here), without thinking about it, I seem to gravitate towards the English crowd due to similar backgrounds, similar interests (travel - as we're all in Sydney) etc. However, I'm pretty good at meeting new people so have never really considered it necessary.
 
They lovingly call it the Windy city and theres a bloody good reason why....it gets bitterly, no sorry brutally cold during winter there so like the above poster said...get yourself a decent and i mean a decent warm jacket because you will quite literally freeze your nuts off:p...the reason why its so cold is because of the lake its situated on and in the winter the wind comes off that lake...even in the summer its tad a windy due to the lake and wind.

Ive been a fair few times and they are a friendly bunch but then majority of americans are quite a friendly bunch.
 
One of my favourite cities I've ever been to. Much cleaner than New York and the architecture is simply outstanding. It's also a lot smaller than NYC so you can walk a reasonable distance across the city. There's a lovely beach as well!

It's kind of lucky in the way that most people only think of visiting NYC and so Chicago goes a bit unnoticed. It felt a lot less touristy and I could really imagine living there.
 
They lovingly call it the Windy city and theres a bloody good reason why....
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Wrong :P and they will love telling you that's wrong. There are apparently 30 more windy cities and the reason Chicago is windy is down to the politicians who lobbied to get the Worlds Fare held there.

However that doesn't distract from the fact it gets bloomin' cold! :D

I spent 2 days there and my impressions of it were very good. A very enjoyable place, kind of a cross between NYC and San Francisco.
 
I have no advice, but please re-enact the entirety of Ferris Bueller's Day Off for our amusement.
 
megakid said:
What I really hoped that OcUK would tell me is 1. Is there a big ex-pat community there? (I'll be going alone)
Click to expand...

No idea

2. Do the people there welcome visitors?
Click to expand...

Mostly

3. What sort of nearby hobbies is there? (Everything? i.e. I've recently begun yacht racing here in Sydney, do they do that in Chicago - albeit much colder).
Click to expand...

As others have said here, plenty of water leisure activities there, it sits on a lake one third the size of the north sea!
I for one would be skint watching the Cubs/White Sox/Bears/Blackhawks all year round If I lived there

4. Do the chicks dig an English accent?
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Nope. Couldn't care less (as far as I was concerned) :rolleyes:

5. Any other holiday experiences would be great too.
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Trip on the lake
Eat at Berghoffs & the Artists Cafe on North Michigan Avenue
Go up the Hancock Tower

Taste of Chicago in early July is great! :D

& its as Hot in the Summer as its cold in the winter! Got rather bad sunburn while I was out there 3 or so years ago.
 
Grimley said:
Taste of Chicago in early July is great! :D

& its as Hot in the Summer as its cold in the winter! Got rather bad sunburn while I was out there 3 or so years ago.
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Damn - I'm stupidly fair skinned (and ginger :D) and hoped Chicago would be somewhere I didn't have to worry about the sun. After Sydney, I wanted somewhere cold :P

Nix said:
What do you work as to be moved around so often?
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I work as a software developer but I guess, mostly by mistake, I've specialised quite heavily in automated trading systems. If a company thinks I'm worth it, that specialisation enables me to work anywhere there's a big financial market presence. I was also very lucky to join a very small firm in 2008 which has boomed over the last 3 years.

drew said:
If i had a job offer i'd move there in a heartbeat.
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The only place I'd go over Chicago, if I had a choice, is NYC.
 
I love Chicago, planning to go back there in a couple of months, it is bone chillingly cold even when there's no wind! I'd just buy your coat over there, there's plenty of North Face stores for a reason!! Night life is fantastic, everyone is really nice too and appreciates a Brit! I'd call it a true American City, its not like NYC where everyone you bump into is a tourist.
 
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