{"id":60,"date":"2008-06-13T19:31:00","date_gmt":"2008-06-14T00:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/hungerrumblings\/2008\/06\/13\/welcome-to-chicago\/"},"modified":"2008-06-13T19:31:00","modified_gmt":"2008-06-14T00:31:00","slug":"welcome-to-chicago","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worldhunger\/welcome-to-chicago\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome to Chicago!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Today marks my first week as a resident of Chicago and as an intern at the <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">ELCA<\/span> offices with the <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">ELCA<\/span> World Hunger Program, and I am beginning to settle in.  A year ago, I never would have thought that I would be ready to embark out on my own to live in the \u201cbig city,\u201d and, yet, here I am. Thus far, Chicago has the \u201ccity\u201d feel (complete with roughly 3 million of my closest neighbors), but maintains a little of the \u201cMidwest nice.\u201d Since I grew up in northern Minnesota close to the head of the Mississippi River, in a town of approximately 12,000 people, a little familiarity goes a long way. I have my very own \u201ccube\u201d here at the <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">ELCA<\/span> offices on \u201cIntern Alley,\u201d had my first (eventful) trip to the <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">mailroom<\/span>, and am wading through the plethora of materials and services that <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">ELCA<\/span> World Hunger has to offer.<\/p>\n<p>I was attracted to this internship, because <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">ELCA<\/span> World Hunger names itself as \u201ca comprehensive and sustainable program that uses multiple strategies\u2014relief, development, education, and advocacy\u2014to address the root causes of hunger and poverty.\u201d As a political science major with a peace studies minor, and as a person of color who is interested in the ways in which oppressive \u201csystems\u201d like patriarchy, hierarchy, and racism hold some people down, confronting root causes is an approach that I can get behind. Also, and perhaps more importantly, I truly believe that we, as people of faith, have something unique to offer to the work being done to create, provoke, and dream of radical change in our world.<\/p>\n<p>As a note before I begin my reflection, I want to express that I am not attempting to make my experience seem \u201cexcruciatingly difficult,\u201d because it is far from that. In fact, I am blessed with the resources, support network, and privilege to allow opportunities. However, I am becoming more aware of how blessed I am to have those resources, and how someone without the same access would lead a very different life.<\/p>\n<p>I am, currently, a full-time college student and all that that implies. Tuition at my <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">ELCA<\/span> affiliated private, liberal arts college is a lot. Let\u2019s say $30,000+ <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">USD<\/span>. I work three <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">on-campus<\/span> jobs, two that pay $6.15 <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">USD<\/span> an hour with a total of 10 hours per week, and one that pays for my <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">on-campus<\/span> room. Given those factors in combination with other expenses, I embarked on my summer internship and moved to Chicago with approximately $100-$200 <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">USD<\/span> in my pocket.  Normally during the school year, $100-200 a month is adequate. However, start up, moving, transportation, and food costs have shocked me and are higher than costs in Minnesota. Just to give you an idea, here is a cost breakdown of start up costs for my move and the internship.<\/p>\n<p>Gas to get to Chicago: $200+<br \/><span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">UHaul<\/span> trailer to move: $347<br \/>Rent for an apartment in Logan Square: $950 a month, plus utilities<br \/>Phone\/Cable\/Internet: $120 a month<br \/>Electric\/ Gas: $100 a month<br \/>Chicago \u201cL\u201d train pass to commute: $75 a month<br \/>First \u201cstock the shelves\u201d groceries: $300<br \/>First \u201chey, we need toilet paper, cleaning supplies, shower curtain\u201d Target run: $200<br \/>                                                                                                                                    TOTAL: $2,292<\/p>\n<p>The <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">ELCA<\/span> is paying me $10 an hour for 40 hours a week. I am making a very good wage\u2014that is certainly not my complaint. However, I am realizing that there are major costs associated with starting a new job and the \u201cin between time\u201d between the move and the first pay check!  Now, when I come across the facts in my <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">ELCA<\/span> World Hunger introductory materials that,<\/p>\n<p>1 out of every 8 households in the United States has reduced the quality of its diet to utilize money elsewhere., and<br \/>37 million people (about one in eight) live in poverty even though most of them are working.<\/p>\n<p>I have a new lens through which to view it.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, I am blessed with a boyfriend, friends, and family who have provided for me during my interim, \u201cin between time.\u201d However, without that support system, my education, and my \u201cprivilege,\u201d I would not have been able to spend this summer serving at the <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">ELCA<\/span> and gaining valuable life experience. It seems to me that the \u201cAmerican Dream\u201d is quickly, if it has not already, becoming a myth.<\/p>\n<p>What can I do to help, to advocate, to create and provoke change in society? Hopefully, I will uncover answers and inklings during this sure-to-be fruitful summer with <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">ELCA<\/span> World Hunger!<br \/> Peace, <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">Mikka<\/span> <span class=\"blsp-spelling-error\">McCracken<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today marks my first week as a resident of Chicago and as an intern at the ELCA offices with the ELCA World Hunger Program, and I am beginning to settle in. A year ago, I never would have thought that I would be ready to embark out on my own to live in the \u201cbig [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[134,136,135],"class_list":["post-60","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-post","tag-chicago","tag-cost-of-living","tag-intern"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Welcome to Chicago! - ELCA World Hunger<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worldhunger\/welcome-to-chicago\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Welcome to Chicago! - ELCA World Hunger\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Today marks my first week as a resident of Chicago and as an intern at the ELCA offices with the ELCA World Hunger Program, and I am beginning to settle in. 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