Chicago has no shortage of buildings with walls. Unfortunately, I struggled to secure housing during my term. In one instance, I agonized over booking an extended Air BnB. Just days before, I spent a few nights sleeping in what had turned out to be a former doctor’s office that seemed fine on the Airbnb website. This new listing near the Pink Line was off my normal path, so I researched the neighborhood online.

My heart sank when I pulled up the Chicago crime map. While it turned out that this prospective neighborhood was relatively safe, my previously imagined safe zones were littered with the crime marks. The turmoil of Chicago is not confined to cross streets. The city is a place of luck and good judgment, not a place to hide from issues. I booked the Airbnb—one of my seven residences this term.