I arrived in Chicago before noon local time yesterday. I was given my apartment & a fancy affair it is \u2013 a large living room, bedroom & kitchen. It has a large and clean bathroom. Old building, one of four, I think, that comprise the Meadville Lombard<\/a> campus, itself pretty much surrounded by the University of Chicago. There\u2019s lots of jerry rigged electrical, but I\u2019m moderately sure it won\u2019t burn down while I\u2019m here. All is clean, I\u2019m confident there are no rats. But it is old & I\u2019m not so sanguine about lesser creatures not living in the walls. But, and it appears most important to me, there\u2019s a high speed internet connection! I reported into the office, hung out a bit with some of the students and joined a tour of the library. Over a hundred and forty thousand volumes, and hooked up with the dozen other theological libraries making up the Association of Chicago Theological Schools. Very nice.<\/p>\n I took advantage of the fact I have the rental car until Sunday afternoon to do a quick run to the grocery store. I\u2019d been directed to a local convenience store a block from the Meadville Lombard campus. But it was little more than a (apparently) nice deli and as I wanted shampoo, etc. I needed to continue looking for a grocery. Thanks to two folk from the Hillel House next door to the school I learned there\u2019s a coop supermarket about ten blocks away & several miles away the supermarket they actually recommended. <\/p>\n My grand adventure of going to the grocery revealed a number of things to me. One, while I am a city kid born and bred, having lived the suburban life for the last fifteen years I\u2019ve lost some of my basic survival skill sets (I still always lock the car door, but all too frequently leave the front door of the house unlocked) I\u2019ve forgotten what its like to live where there are a substantial number of poor people (by, of course, our North American standards. Beginning to research the India trip has relativized that word a little.). In addition to the burned out buildings at major intersections there were people selling stuff: sodas, I swear small bundles of towels, but most of it I couldn\u2019t figure out at all. Following the directions to the supermarket I drove by an amazing mosque with a gigantic twirling star and crescent on top of the dome. As I got close enough to read the signage I saw it was actually Louis Farrakan\u2019s <\/a>home mosque.<\/p>\n The grocery was the great disappointment. This was described as the best in the area, but the selection of fruits and vegetables wasn\u2019t very inspiring & the displayed meats might turn me vegetarian. Still, I was able to get much of what I needed. And I know there\u2019s a Trader Joe<\/a> somewhere that students carpool to upon occasion. Maybe this afternoon (I\u2019ve learned that if I hope to get a parking space when I get back I need to wait until after five or so in the afternoon\u2026)<\/p>\n
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