You are aware of how large the area of the United States is. I am writing these lines on the train returning to St. Louis, where I live, on the railways that connect the country, after spending three days in Chicago.\n\nActually, I would like to share more writings about international relations, politics, and society, which I am more interested in on my internet site under the "Notebook" section. However, what I saw in Chicago, the people I met, and the impression the city left on me encouraged me to write about this city. How did it develop so much? Why has it become such a popular place? What kind of work culture is behind all this order? I wanted to explain a bit of these with my own observations.\n\nLet's get to the point now.
Chicago was a small settlement with only a few hundred people in 1833. Thanks to its location on the shore of Lake Michigan, the developing canals and railroads, it quickly became one of America's important trade centers. However, to understand today's Chicago, one must also look at the great disaster in its history.\n\nThe Great Chicago Fire.\n\nThe fire, which started on October 8, 1871, and lasted about two days, took the lives of nearly 300 people, left 100,000 people homeless, and destroyed more than 17,000 buildings. While London, Paris, and Istanbul had already become established metropolises at that time, Chicago was still a young, developing city.
Speaking of Istanbul, I can't help but add a small parenthesis here. No matter where in the world I go, no matter how many beautiful cities I see, Istanbul is the most beautiful city in the world for me. Moreover, the issue is not just about the Bosphorus, its architecture or its unique views. When one considers the struggles endured, the sacrifices made, and the meaning it holds for the Turkish nation, Istanbul is much more than just a city. Istanbul is the Turkish homeland and will always remain the Turkish homeland.\n\nAnyway, when it comes to Istanbul, straying from the subject is not even a mistake. Let's return to Chicago.
What really affected me was not the fire itself, but what happened afterwards. While the city was being rebuilt, it became one of the pioneers of modern architecture. Only 14 years after the fire, in 1885, the Home Insurance Building, one of the first examples of modern skyscrapers, rose here. Don't be misled by the word skyscraper; this was the skyscraper of that era, we are only talking about a ten-story building. However, considering the engineering possibilities of the time, it was an important development. By 1890, the city's population had exceeded one million.
Of course, it would not be correct to attribute this development solely to the fire. Chicago's location, trade connections, transportation network, and investments made over time also contributed to the city we see today. The skyscrapers we admire today carry the traces of a long transformation that was accelerated after a disaster.
Now let's get to the people and their work discipline.
It has been just three months since I came to America. Therefore, I have not been here long enough to make definite judgments about this country. But there is one thing I have observed in this short time, and I am ready to defend it in any discussion: the professionalism Americans show towards their work. I saw this again, even more clearly, in Chicago.\n\nI have met many people, from the conductor in the train to the construction worker, from the restaurant employee to the security officer in the city's public restroom, who take their jobs very seriously. I am aware that my examples may seem a bit extreme, even strange. But it's really like that. As someone coming from Turkey, I am talking about a level of professionalism that could sometimes bother our people, making them wonder, "Is it really necessary to go this far?" Moreover, it's not just in big companies or universities; I am impressed by the sense of responsibility and the effort to do the job well, even in the most ordinary jobs.
Of course, I'm not claiming that all Americans are like this. These are my impressions from people I met in three months.
There is another side to it: people who are extremely disciplined during work hours, and who just as determinedly leave their jobs once the working hours are over. Sometimes, it even seems like you won't find them at their workstations a minute after work ends. In my opinion, this is also part of professionalism. Taking your work seriously does not mean dedicating your entire life to it; there is a clear boundary between your job description, working hours, and personal time.
In our country, sometimes the measure of working well is how available you are outside of work hours or how long you stay at work. Of course, there are different examples in both countries. However, what I have observed here makes me think that work discipline is more about what you do during those hours rather than how many hours you work.
You can feel this rhythm in the streets of Chicago's center. People in suits walking quickly with coffee in their hands, employees rushing to work in business attire, consecutive trains and buses... Especially in the morning and evening hours, thousands of people are in motion. It seems like everyone has a place they need to get to.\n\nAnother striking point is that economic life has spread to almost every corner of the city. Stores, cafes, and restaurants on the lower floors of skyscrapers; a few steps away, company headquarters, public parks, museums, and walking paths along the lake. Private sector and public areas are intertwined.\n\nThis is a city where capitalism shows all its splendor.
But there is a cost to this: the cost of living is quite high. Accommodation, food and drink, and daily expenses are not cheap at all. I think I should also research how people with low incomes live here. Because the economic size of a city does not mean that everyone living there is prosperous.\n\nThe population of Chicago is approximately 2.7 million. The central area where I spent most of my time, The Loop, is the heart of the city's business and commercial life. In addition to those living here, people coming from surrounding areas for work and tourists also fill the streets. This crowd made me think that modern metropolises should be evaluated not only by their population but also by the economic and transportation relationships they establish with their surroundings.
It also needs to be given a separate parenthesis. What makes Chicago beautiful is not only its skyscrapers; it's the unity created by buildings from different periods, the river, bridges, wide avenues, and Lake Michigan. Especially when walking along the river, the structures rising on both sides are really impressive. As you learn about its history, your perspective on those buildings also changes. Moreover, it's important that in such a busy business center, there are public spaces where people can walk and relax.
Of course, touring the tourist attractions and the city's famous streets for three days is not enough to understand all of Chicago's realities. There are also issues such as security, income inequality, and cost of living. I am aware that the orderly central areas I saw do not represent the entire city. After all, I am not writing a research report, just my own travel notes.
I still really liked Chicago. Its architecture, lively streets, cultural diversity, and work ethic caught my attention. Its proximity to St. Louis, where I live, is also an advantage for me. As a young person receiving education in international relations, the academic conferences, international meetings, cultural activities, and opportunities to meet different people make this city even more valuable in my eyes. I think Chicago will be one of the cities I visit most during my time in America.
While thinking about these things, my train journey continues. I am leaving the city I came to with curiosity, having learned a bit more about it. Of course, my thoughts may change over time with a three-day visit; perhaps next time I come, I will be more critical about some things. After all, one of the good things about seeing different cities is that people not only get to know new places, but also have the opportunity to re-evaluate their view of the society and world they live in.
Chicago has taken its place in my memory for now, with its beautiful architecture, lively streets, and work discipline.
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