As Will Hansen strolled through the streets of Chicago for the first time, skyscrapers gave him a strange sense of vertigo — something the native of Missoula, Montana, often experiences in large cities.
“I think the tallest building in my town has seven floors, so it’s obviously really different,” he said.
After just a few field trips, Chicago quickly left an impression on cherubs gathered from 20 states and four foreign countries.
Students more familiar with urban life than Hansen appreciated Chicago’s unique quirks and familiarity that separate it from other U.S. cities.
“Chicago feels a lot more homey,” said Savannah Smith from San Francisco. “It feels like people actually live in the city.” She described the city as a good blend of San Francisco and New York.
Jane Mercer from Memphis, Tennessee, said she felt safer in Chicago than in her hometown.
“It’s also just so easy to walk places,” she said. “It feels more like home. It feels like somewhere where I’m comfortable.”
Colin Ho explained, “When you’re in the city, it feels like there’s more life there,” as opposed to his home city of Los Angeles.
After visiting New York City, Iowa native Evelyn Kraber found Chicago less overwhelming, with fewer people but rich in culture. Chicago offered cherubs a welcome contrast from suburban Evanston.
“It reminds me of the difference between Georgia and Chicago,” said Natalia Abuladze, from the republic of Georgia. “You need to be exposed to the abundance of people, and things, and events, and noise that you don’t get much of in Evanston.”
