Chicago Music Fest & Summer Dance

Posted on June 24, 2006
Filed Under US June '06 |

I’ve been here only for 3 days and I already love it. Chicago is da bomb! Maaaan I went downtown today and they had this really cool live band at Millenium Park. I love Latin music. I danced with like what??… More than 10 girls and the best part??! Each one was hotter than other one. It’s so easy to converse with people here. No need for all the boring and formal introductions. You just go up and talk. That’s it. What’s so cool is that I realized America is like a bowl of fruit salad. You’ve got people from everywhere all in one place. It’s such a rich culture and each race and nationality contributes something to it. Homeless people are annoying though especially when you start being nice and sypmathetic towards them. Oh ya and for the first time in my life I saw a Jewish Synagogue. It’s only 5 minutes drive from my brother’s place. His area is very diverse. I don’t get it though everyone in that area was wearing uniformed clothes. The men wore black pants and white long sleeve shirts. So did the boys too. The men wore cowboy style black hats while the kids wore the tiny Jewish hats. They had the same typical Jewish braids. The girls same but no hats and braids. Instead of pants they wore black long skirts. I guess it’s a conservative Jewish neighbourhood. I also went for Friday prayers today (that was before all the dancing LOL). Surprisingly, the sermon the Imam gave was by far the best I’ve heard in a long time. It was so spiritual rather than the same sociopolitical ones you always hear in other countries. I also noticed a large number of white Americans there. Many were converts and others weren’t Muslim but were just curiously sitting at the back listening to the sermon. Donwtown Chicago is really cool but when you go to the suburbs you get a different feel. The fruit salad is no more. The neighbourhoods become clearly segregated. Hispanics, blacks, Arabs, Koreans, Whites (Italian, Polish) etc. are all seperated. We were driving along one of the roads and you can tell the difference just by looking at the sides. First it was English signs and then Korean, then Arabic and then Spanish. DAMN… All that just along one road. I guess race is still an issue here. However downtown is different. Racial barriers disappear. When the live band was playing everyone was dancing with everyone. No race crap no nothing. It was wonderfull. People were just having a good time. By the way people, I’ve been added as a contributer on Hyscience yaaaay. I’ll be joining the big boys soon I guess… Anyways me off to sleep now. I’ve got to get my rest cause I’ve got 2 big private parties to go to 2moro… Muahaha talk about usefull connections huh? I’m kinda worried though. I don’t wanna have too much fun cause once I get back to Malaysia it will be BAAAM… University and classes all over again… =( … Ah whatever… Me go grab bagel and then sleep… Goodnight!

PS: The magic word in America is “tourist”.

Comments

25 Responses to “Chicago Music Fest & Summer Dance”

  1. ratedrsuperstar on June 24th, 2006 1:48 am

    Drima,
    I know you won’t get to see upstate NY or southern PA but if you think the orthodox jews seem strange, they are pretty mild compared to the Amish communities. They dress,talk and live like its the 17th century and ride around in horse and carriage buggies. There are around 150,000 amish in the US. Very fine people though,and hardworking

  2. tommy on June 24th, 2006 10:55 am

    ratedrsuperstar,

    If Drima headed a little to the West - to South Dakota - he could meet a people sort of like the Amish called the Hutterites. They have Hutterites in a few other states too.

  3. ratedrsuperstar on June 24th, 2006 12:58 pm

    tommy,
    you know they may be Amish as well. There is an ultra conservative branch of Amish in Nebraska. Never heard of the hutterites but perhaps they are related. Maybe i’ll do a bit of research on that.Fascinating

  4. Tsedek on June 24th, 2006 2:12 pm

    Nice to read your enthousiastic stories, Drima. Keep up the having fun :)
    Tse.

    PS - can anyone, commenting here, see my blog? Pls let me know since I’m getting a white screen now for 3 days already when I open the url.

    Sorry Drima, for misusing your commentbox *blush*

    Tse.

  5. tommy on June 24th, 2006 2:49 pm

    No Tsedek.

    Your blog is just coming up as a blank white screen sorry. Needs to be tweaked probably.

  6. The Raccoon on June 24th, 2006 4:28 pm

    Hmmmm? “Tourist” is the magic word in USA? I always thought that Tourist means “A buffoon that has by far too much spare money”, AKA “Mark” :)
    Care to explain?

  7. Tsedek on June 24th, 2006 4:49 pm

    Thanks Tommy :) (what is tweaking, b.t.w.?)

    Tse.

  8. tommy on June 24th, 2006 9:42 pm

    Well Tsedek,

    In the sense that I use the word “tweaking” it means the same thing as doing a little fixing. That is, doing something to repair the problem. Maybe there is a coding issue or maybe it is something more serious. I don’t know.

    “Tweaking” can also mean, in drug users’ parlance, being high on methamphetamine.

    I’m not encouraging you to get high on crystal meth, BTW. I don’t think doing meth is going to fix your computer problems. ;-)

  9. Tsedek on June 24th, 2006 11:48 pm

    HaHaHaHaHa…. LOL :)
    Thanks Tommy!

    I don’t do drugs, so don’t worry my computer won’t get me addicted….

    Still don’t know what to do though:(

    But, nvm - I appreciate your attention to my problem,

    take care & be well,
    Tse.

  10. tommy on June 25th, 2006 1:04 am

    Tsedek,

    I copied and pasted the source code from your page to my notepad and saved it as an html file. When I attempted to pull up the document, it was blank just like before. This indicates that it isn’t likely to some sort of server issue but rather may be something with your page coding.

    There may very well be something wrong with the html or javascript on your page. Unfortunately, I haven’t worked with webpages in a long time, so I couldn’t tell you what the problem is exactly. If you know something about html or javascript, take a look at your source. Otherwise, try and find somebody who does and have them audit the code.

    In fact, when I look at your code, I notice the last line is the odd looking.
    There is no closing bracket.

    Furthermore, I don’t see a closing html tag anywhere on your page.

    It looks like a bunch of code on the page may be missing. Is it possible a big chunk of your page’s code got deleted?

  11. Tsedek on June 25th, 2006 5:06 am

    I have no idea Tommy, I’m a complete nitwit with computers. I feel very lucky that I know how to turn my pc on *blush*.

    Thank you so very much for all the trouble you went through trying to help me with this. I almost feel ashamed for being so impertinent….

    Might addressing blogspot.com help? Could they fix the problem do you think?

    Again: thank you very, very much,

    Tse.

  12. Prup (aka Jim Benton) on June 25th, 2006 8:22 am

    Drima:
    Wait till you see Brooklyn. The mix of people are wonderful, and they are truly mixed. I live in an Orthodox Jewish Neighborhood, mostly — I’m not Jewish, and my in-laws are Jewish ethnically but total atheists, but ehy’ve lived in this house for three generations. But there are Koreans, blacks, Pakistanis, all scattered through the neighborhood, and it touches on the main Pakistani area in Brooklyn. (A few blocks down there’s a beautiful sight of an Islamic Center between a Jewish school and a Kosher Supermarket, right around the corner from a mostly South Asian block. And walking around the streets you see groups of teenagers that are totally mixed, ethnicity, sex, etc.

    (And, btw, the availability of ethnic foods in the stores is wonderful.)

    Nobody has trouble talking with anyone else or relating to any group. It’s why I love living here.

  13. Aimster on June 25th, 2006 8:34 am

    Drima, it’s funny you say that… cos in England everyone makes fun of the American tourists cos they go around advertising the fact that they’re tourists, and well honestly, no one cares hahah (ok, I’m just being mean)
    I remember once when I went back for hols my Dad had bought new sneakers and they were all glowy white and everyone was making fun of him saying he looked like an American tourist hahah
    I don’t really get the obsession with Americans tourists, but I guess they’re really easy to pick out in the UK.. (from their new sneakers?? LOL) or maybe they just advertise the fact that they’re tourists a lot, when you know, the Brits are a private bunch… *puzzled*

  14. Aimster on June 25th, 2006 8:37 am

    Maybe Americans are just a really hospitable bunch ;)

  15. Anonymous on June 25th, 2006 9:13 am

    actually aims, in the US..we like to make fun of them too! lol. ESPECIALLY when they take too much sidewalk space and they stopped people from going thru! that makes me real mad! lol.

    pinktoes.

  16. Drima on June 25th, 2006 9:55 am

    Prup and Pinktoes, I can’t wait to hit NYC. BTW Prup I’ll call you once I get there. 2moro I’ll be leaving to Portland, Maine. I’ll stay there for 8 days and then hit NYC. I’m gonna eat tons of lobsters and shrimps. They say they’re really good there. I’m a little worried about the weather though. Would you believe me if I told I find Chicago cold. I should have brought along more long sleeve shirts. I guess that’s a reason to go shopping again now huh?

    Tsedek, about your blog problem… Don’t worry… Here’s what you have to do… Just go to settings and then go to templates. Select a new template and then apply it. Your blog will get back to normal but with a new look. Your posts will still be there and it will be viewable once again. It happened to me once. Blogger is sometimes unstable.

    Oh ya and about the “tourist” thing… Well… Here’s the thing. While I was dancing with all those nice gurls at the Summer dance and conversing with different people, many of them asked where I was from cause I had an accent (which I can change easily to make it sound 100% American BTW). Once I told I’m here on vacation and just a tourist they all go wwooooow oh my god ooooo welcome to America… That’s so cool you’re from Sudan but living in Malaysia oooo oh my god that’s so wonderfull woooow… Enjoy your stay here oooo woooow and wala more conversing and dancing… they just become extra super friendlier… Very hospitable people indeed. It made me feel like a king LOL… I could have taken some phone numbers but didn’t feel like it…

    Anyways me off to have my breakfast and get ready… Guess for what?? The Gaaaaaaay Paraaade… Haha… I’m gonna go check it out… I’m curious… There’s gonna be a big one here in downtown Chicago… Lots of Lesbian action to be witnessed… =p

  17. The Raccoon on June 25th, 2006 12:16 pm

    Drima - cool. Thanks for the “tourist” explanation, I’ll try it sometime ;)
    Gay Parades are always fun - enjoy!

    Beware of large hairy men in leather pants with cut-out bottoms :)

  18. Tsedek on June 25th, 2006 12:47 pm

    Drima, “my” Sudanese Thinker :) It works!! Thank you, thank you, thank you - ever so much, I’m so happy.

    At least they know where you come from when you tell them. When I was in the States and answered that time that I came from Holland they asked me which state that was in LOL, hahahaa….

    It sounds like you’re having the time of your life. I’m happy for you!

    Tse.

  19. Alphaprimer on June 25th, 2006 3:28 pm

    Ya man, in America all you have to say is Tourist, and speak with an accent and they love ya to death that is, unless they dont lol.

  20. tooners on June 25th, 2006 11:58 pm

    i’m really really glad you’re having a good time. YES, racial issues are still VERY alive in the U.S. ppl may try to tell you different, but they are very strong in certain areas of the country.

    it’s so good to hear that you’re having fun. i cant wait to see what you think of california. it’s a beautiful place… i’m wondering if you’ll want to go home after visiting there. when i go, i never want to leave!

  21. Andrew Brehm on June 26th, 2006 9:50 am

    “I guess it’s a conservative Jewish neighbourhood.”

    Sounds orthodox to me. “Conservative” is a different (and larger) Jewish denomination. My shul is “progressive”, which is a liberal synagogue featuring conservative liturgy.

    “Surprisingly, the sermon the Imam gave was by far the best I’ve heard in a long time.”

    Yes, it seems a truism that the closer one is to the war-mongering evil racist Americans and their dumb president, the more peaceful co-existance there is between different ethnic groups and religions. Isn’t it strange?

    I moved from the continent to Ireland.

    In France synagogues are occasionally attacked (or even burned down). In Germany, the police constantly protect them. Here in Ireland, somebody painted swastikas on our shul over a year ago.

    The less anti-American a society, the more tolerant and peaceful and civilised, or so it seems.

    I imagine that in the US a synagogue is simply a synagogue.

  22. Leilouta on June 26th, 2006 11:42 am

    It’s so easy to converse with people here. No need for all the boring and formal introductions. You just go up and talk. That’s it.

    That is so true :)

  23. tommy on June 26th, 2006 6:50 pm

    Andrew,

    I thought you were ethnically German. Are you a German Jew by birth or did you convert?

  24. Andrew Brehm on June 27th, 2006 2:15 am

    Why would you think that I am ethnically German? :-)
    ajbrehm@gmail.com

  25. jodetoad on June 27th, 2006 11:37 pm

    Glad you’re having a good time in Chicago, I used to live there, and it has it all - the good, the bad, the ugly. Like any very large city.

    I’m 54, and in my lifetime there has been great improvement in the race thing. I believe most of us are really trying to be more open to people of all races. Of course we have our idiots, like any country. Some people have trouble letting go of old ideas.

    A friend of mine of Chinese extraction once told me that sometimes he gets tired of being obviously different. So he drives hundreds of miles to Chinatown, in San Francisco, to speak Chinese and talk to people who understand some of his worldviews better. Being more comfortable with folks of similar background is probably the main reason for most ethnic neighborhoods, except obviously for ghettos.

    In the US, as a broad generality, you find the worst racism in ghettos, prisons, and some rural areas.

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