Culture Shock! Chicago

by Hargraves, Orin

• ISBN13: 9780761454007
• ISBN10: 0761454004
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-09-15
• Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Intl

Summary

CultureShock! Chicago is an insightful and thorough guide that will help you make Chicago your home. Discover the real Chicago beyond the usual tourist attractions and the gloss of promotional brochures and be acquainted with the reality of living and working in this exciting city. Find out what lies behind the Chicagoan facade and how to make friends in your new community. Chock-full of useful information to help you settle in, CultureShock! Chicago covers a wide range of practical issues such as how to negotiate the grid and get around the city, what to expect from Chicago's extreme weather, how to find suitable accommodation and how to conduct business and manage your finances, among others. It also explores the many excellent recreational facilities in this vibrant and cosmopolitan city. CultureShock! Chicago is the one book you will need to make a success of living, working or studying in Chicago. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vi
Dedication	p. vii
Map of USA	p. viii
First Impressions	p. 1
Habla English	p. 2
The City That Works	p. 3
A City of Neighbourhoods	p. 5
Overview of Chicago	p. 6
Welcome to Chicago	p. 7
A Tale of the Three Cities	p. 8
Zeroing in on Chicago	p. 9
Geography and Climate	p. 13
History	p. 17
Economy	p. 22
Political Machinery	p. 23
Landmark Status	p. 24
Places to Know About	p. 27
You and Uncle Sam	p. 32
The Status of Immigrants	p. 37
Social Security and Taxes	p. 43
Behind the Facade	p. 48
Ethnic Demographics	p. 49
Religion and Spirituality	p. 53
Language	p. 55
Roles of Men and Women	p. 56
Stages of Life	p. 59
The Place of Race and Class	p. 62
Cracking the American Nut	p. 66
Meeting Chicagoans	p. 71
A Word about Names	p. 73
Home Life	p. 76
Dining with Chicagoans	p. 77
Talking the Talk	p. 79
The Life of the Party	p. 82
Short Social Occasions and Rituals	p. 85
A Place to Call Home	p. 87
Where to Live	p. 88
Types of Housing	p. 106
Renting a Property	p. 110
Buying a Property	p. 112
Connecting to Services	p. 116
Getting Domestic Help	p. 120
Your Address and Mail	p. 120
Chicago on the Ground	p. 121
Getting Around in Chicagoland	p. 124
Public Transportation	p. 127
Driving in Chicago	p. 132
Healthcare	p. 138
Safety	p. 146
Drug Use and Abuse	p. 149
Education in Chicago	p. 150
Money Matters	p. 156
American Retailing	p. 161
Tips about Tipping	p. 170
Tasting Chicago	p. 173
Food for Your Table	p. 174
You say Tomato...	p. 176
Food Labelling	p. 177
Beverage Basics	p. 178
Eating, Chicago Style	p. 180
The Meal Plan	p. 184
Eating Out	p. 185
Specialty and Ethnic Foods	p. 187
Special Dietary Requirements	p. 190
Drinking Out	p. 190
Chicago at Play	p. 192
The Great Outdoors (And Indoors)	p. 193
Your Media Diet	p. 205
The Holidays	p. 211
The Chicago Calendar	p. 214
Learning the Language	p. 221
What Sort of English?	p. 222
English on the Street	p. 223
The Informal Classroom	p. 224
The Formal Classroom	p. 226
Finding a Tutor	p. 226
When in Rome...	p. 227
Chicago at Work	p. 230
The City Workplace	p. 231
Division of Labour	p. 233
Doing as the Natives Do	p. 234
Business and Politics	p. 238
Self-Employment	p. 240
Alien Entrepreneurship	p. 241
Chicago at a Glance	p. 242
Famous Chicagoans	p. 245
Culture Quiz	p. 247
Do's and Don'ts	p. 253
Glossary	p. 256
Resource Guide	p. 261
Further Reading	p. 265
About the Author	p. 267
Index	p. 268
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