'm really sorry my people that I have not updated in a few months. I have been super busy, I have not had time to stop and think.

Just as I was settling in from the Europe trip, I started paperwork for my new company, Voglia Girovagare, which co-incidentially had its first major client in September.

I had met a family in Nigeria in August that needed my professional advise assistance during a childbirth trip to the USA. With time,we became friends and I volunteered to take them on the trip to navigate the terrain, as it is my turf, and the whole experience was entirely new for them.

Due to the urgency of the trip, I hoped on the next flight on Arik (flight review is a story for another day) to meet them up in JFK Airport in New York enroute Chicago.

Most US domestic airlines will charge for luggage, except Southwest Airlines, so we changed airports using the NYC Airporter shuttle (cost $16 to transfer to La Guardia airport, where Southwest airline flies from).

So, we got in quite late at night and the office at the extended stay apartment (Intown Suites) in Downers Grove was closed with no one to check us in. We ended up spending over $200 at the Comfort Inn hotel to pass the night.

Downers Grove is a predominately Caucasian suburb in Illinois, about 25 minutes drive to Downtown Chicago with a horrible bus system. I guess it is expected for everyone to have a car. The buses come every 30 mins so if you miss a bus, you have to wait for another 30 mins.

Also, the traffic on the freeway during rush hour is at par with Lagos traffic, hence it usually is a better option to take the public transport as they pass through a different route, albeit longer.

Our stay in Downers Grove lasted 5 weeks, which was totally uneventful.. until the apartment decided they needed to renovate and asked us to relocate.

I spent the most of that week looking for a place for them without so much luck, so finally, I opted for airbnb.com, where I got a quick response from a property owner who was willing to take us at such short notice. The same day, we moved to the address given to us, only to find out it was in the worst neighbourhood in Chicago, West Englewood.

Wanderlust = urge to travel = Voglia Girovagare

Is your business based on a travelling agency platform ?

wanderlustian:
'm really sorry my people that I have not updated in a few months. I have been super busy, I have not had time to stop and think.

Just as I was settling in from the Europe trip, I started paperwork for my new company, Voglia Girovagare, which co-incidentially had its first major client in September.

I had met a family in Nigeria in August that needed my professional advise assistance during a childbirth trip to the USA. With time,we became friends and I volunteered to take them on the trip to navigate the terrain, as it is my turf, and the whole experience was entirely new for them.

Due to the urgency of the trip, I hoped on the next flight on Arik (flight review is a story for another day) to meet them up in JFK Airport in New York enroute Chicago.

Most US domestic airlines will charge for luggage, except Southwest Airlines, so we changed airports using the NYC Airporter shuttle (cost $16 to transfer to La Guardia airport, where Southwest airline flies from).

So, we got in quite late at night and the office at the extended stay apartment (Intown Suites) in Downers Grove was closed with no one to check us in. We ended up spending over $200 at the Comfort Inn hotel to pass the night.

Downers Grove is a predominately Caucasian suburb in Illinois, about 25 minutes drive to Downtown Chicago with a horrible bus system. I guess it is expected for everyone to have a car. The buses come every 30 mins so if you miss a bus, you have to wait for another 30 mins.

Also, the traffic on the freeway during rush hour is at par with Lagos traffic, hence it usually is a better option to take the public transport as they pass through a different route, albeit longer.

Our stay in Downers Grove lasted 5 weeks, which was totally uneventful.. until the apartment decided they needed to renovate and asked us to relocate.

I spent the most of that week looking for a place for them without so much luck, so finally, I opted for airbnb.com, where I got a quick response from a property owner who was willing to take us at such short notice. The same day, we moved to the address given to us, only to find out it was in the worst neighbourhood in Chicago, West Englewood.

And if it is, how did your client feel ? Would they be giving you a good feedback ?

Lexusgs430:


And if it is, how did your client feel ? Would they be giving you a good feedback ?

I was actually there with them. Like I said, I had become friends with the family, and embarked on this trip along with them. Wait for the remaining part of the story...

Lexusgs430:
Wanderlust = urge to travel = Voglia Girovagare

Is your business based on a travelling agency platform ?

You are very smart... I'm redefining travel, mostly tourism. Not an agency per say,more like travel management and advisory.

We arrived around 9pm in the evening, and it was remarkably calm. We did not anticipate any unrest though. I had read airbnb reviews about the place but most reviews were not very detailed, except one or two that alerted about the terrible neighbourhood, which I kind of dismissed because of the urgency of the situation.

The next day, we had a couple of places to go to so we explored the malls in the area and returned at about 10pm, thinking that it will be the same as it was in Downer's Grove where we roamed around till midnight. While in the bus, just as we got to the neighbourhood, we heard gunshots across the street, and people running. The bus moved to the next bus stop, and stopped for a woman to get in, who had just been robbed.

Our antennas pricked... a bad signal that we were in a horrible place. We hurried home, and locked the doors with our hearts in our mouths.

While we were recovering from the shock of the previous day, we cancelled our plans to go out the following day. Because we packed in a hurry, I could not find my baby's cereals and we had run out of milk, so I decided to leave for the corner shop just across the street to buy milk. I initially planned to go to walmart, but after standing at the bus stop for 30 mins, a lady walked up to me and told me that buses do not ply that route once it is 6pm. Another bad signal...

My baby began to cry ceaselessly and refused to sit in her stroller, so I carried her on my hips while I walked to the corner shop. As I made to enter the corner shop, I saw a lot of rough looking boys gathered around the entrance of the shop. One of the guys told me I should not be there right and now, and I had to start running home, which I did.

Immediately I opened the gates, sporadic shooting started, on instincts (being a University of Benin product) I dived to the ground on the porch, and remained there even after the shooting had stopped, until a fellow airbnb guest waltzed in from a different direction, oblivious to what was happening till I screamed for her to get down. She managed to get my stroller in and lock the gate and we entered the house.

By the time I got to upstairs, I met the other tenants in the apartment with my people huddled on the ground. The kids were taken to the bathroom by the only man in the house to get as far away from the windows as possible.

In a few minutes, that felt like forever, The police finally came in their numbers.
The same night, one of the guests in our apartment checked out. Which we could not do, cos we had kids. The property owner was alerted and he visited the next morning with an apology and a shocking story...

wanderlustian:
We arrived around 9pm in the evening, and it was remarkably calm. We did not anticipate any unrest though. I had read airbnb reviews about the place but most reviews were not very detailed, except one or two that alerted about the terrible neighbourhood, which I kind of dismissed because of the urgency of the situation.

The next day, we had a couple of places to go to so we explored the malls in the area and returned at about 10pm, thinking that it will be the same as it was in Downer's Grove where we roamed around till midnight. While in the bus, just as we got to the neighbourhood, we heard gunshots across the street, and people running. The bus moved to the next bus stop, and stopped for a woman to get in, who had just been robbed.

Our antennas pricked... a bad signal that we were in a horrible place. We hurried home, and locked the doors with our hearts in our mouths.

While we were recovering from the shock of the previous day, we cancelled our plans to go out the following day. Because we packed in a hurry, I could not find my baby's cereals and we had run out of milk, so I decided to leave for the corner shop just across the street to buy milk. I initially planned to go to walmart, but after standing at the bus stop for 30 mins, a lady walked up to me and told me that buses do not ply that route once it is 6pm. Another bad signal...

My baby began to cry ceaselessly and refused to sit in her stroller, so I carried her on my hips while I walked to the corner shop. As I made to enter the corner shop, I saw a lot of rough looking boys gathered around the entrance of the shop. One of the guys told me I should not be there right and now, and I had to start running home, which I did.

Immediately I opened the gates, sporadic shooting started, on instincts (being a University of Benin product) I dived to the ground on the porch, and remained there even after the shooting had stopped, until a fellow airbnb guest waltzed in from a different direction, oblivious to what was happening till I screamed for her to get down. She managed to get my stroller in and lock the gate and we entered the house.

By the time I got to upstairs, I met the other tenants in the apartment with my people huddled on the ground. The kids were taken to the bathroom by the only man in the house to get as far away from the windows as possible.

In a few minutes, that felt like forever, The police finally came in their numbers.
The same night, one of the guests in our apartment checked out. Which we could not do, cos we had kids. The property owner was alerted and he visited the next morning with an apology and a shocking story...

I imagine we got so many parts to this story.........................
You read a review and choose to ignore the content, due to the urgency? And the reviewer was very right to alert others. Have you added your review to warn others?

No need to quote the whole post to reply with a few words!

It wastes space and peoples time
Just post your comments.

Following keenly

ifyalways:
Following keenly

We got here same time.

Lexusgs430:


I imagine we got so many parts to this story.........................
You read a review and choose to ignore the content, due to the urgency? And the reviewer was very right to alert others. Have you added your review to warn others?

I'm typing a very strong review.

Horrible Horrible experience.

What made me ignore the content of the review was that she said she spent 2 months there. If the area was that bad, why didnt she move out immediately? Personally, we have moved out back to white people area, where there is peace and tranquility even though there is a bit of racial profiling, I can live with that, rather than live in perpertual fear. . But still wait for the remaining parts of the story.

Was able to take these pix soon as I was able to crawl upstairs.. There's a video. Will upload it as soon as I'm able to work around the heavy mb

Following with keen interest

subscribing

wanderlustian:


I'm typing a very strong review.

Horrible Horrible experience.

What made me ignore the content of the review was that she said she spent 2 months there. If the area was that bad, why didnt she move out immediately? Personally, we have moved out back to white people area, where there is peace and tranquility even though there is a bit of racial profiling, I can live with that, rather than live in perpertual fear. . But still wait for the remaining parts of the story.

I am waiting, but my coffee is getting cold...........
NB: Really enjoying this Chelsea display.........

bunch of hypocrites, upon all the uncountable social vices here in nija you went to another country the only thing you could observe are some random criminal activities which won't take more than 24hr to apprehend the culprits and you're here ranting

maybe you thought London or wherever is a paradise hence it gratified you writing just about one incident..plz don't forget to tell your foreign friends about the menace of boko haram, fulani herdsmen, kidnappings, oil rich nation with rampant fuel scarcity or even tribalism with your own people before you talk of racism


those who live in glass house shouldn't throw stones...na hin be mi own

@op if you happen to be my wife I won't make love to you for good two weeks in order to reset your brain

u go first commot the thin way dey your eye b4 u go look for another person own


women and gossips..... I don't know who get Jacob Zuma's pic to complete these

carmag:
bunch of hypocrites, upon all the uncountable social vices here in nija you went to another country the only thing you could observe are some random criminal activities which won't take more than 24hr to apprehend the culprits and you're here ranting

maybe you thought London is a paradise hence it gratified you writing just about one incident..plz don't forget to tell your foreign friends about the menace of boko haram, fulani herdsmen, kidnappings, oil rich nation with rampant fuel scarcity or even tribalism with your own people before you talk of racism


those who live in glass house shouldn't throw stones...na hin be mi own

@op if you happen to be my wife I won't make love to you for good two weeks in order to reset your brain

u go first commot the thin way dey your eye b4 u go look for another person own


women and gossips..... I don't know who get Jacob Zuma's pic to complete these

London ke? Are we reading the same story? Only 2 weeks of romping starvation? Remember Cucumber is just around the corner......

I think you are to be blamed for ignoring such horrible reviews you have read about the property on airbnb.com. Safety should always come first, and you ignored that..

However, Chigago Southside has been a battle ground for rival gangstar for as long as I can remember.. Have you seen the movie "CHIRAQ"? It portrayed the gang violence & senseless killing occurring in south Chigago on a daily basis.. It's the murder & homicide capital of USA, I won't drive my car 30km radius of South Chigago, it's an hellhole

Ogbeche77:
I think you are to be blamed for ignoring such horrible reviews you have read about the property on airbnb.com. Safety should always come first, and you ignored that..

However, Chigago Southside has been a battle ground for rival gangstar for as long as I can remember.. Have you seen the movie "CHIRAQ"? It portrayed the gang violence & senseless killing occurring in south Chigago on a daily basis.. It's the murder & homicide capital of USA, I won't drive my car 30km radius of South Chigago, it's an hellhole

Seconded... I don't even think there are words to describe that zone. I was in Chicago for 6 months last year and it was a beautiful experience because I resided in the Northside.

The property owner came the following morning to apologise, that this has not happened in the area in a long time (story). The male occupant in our apartment also confirmed he has been there since July and he has never had such an experience, Nevertheless, they asked around the cause of the violence and the status of the guy that was shot.

The paramedics came in time to get him alive but they heard he eventually died, 17 year old dude.

Now what caused this senseless killing? It is such a useless reason I cannot wrap my head around it.

I'm attaching snapshots of the reviews that encouraged me to take the place. Nothing was out of the ordinary and note that most of them were from this october.

This was the only bad review that I should have taken seriously. Very seriously!

Lexusgs430:


London ke? Are we reading the same story? Only 2 weeks of romping starvation? Remember Cucumber is just around the corner......

You are so funny!

wanderlustian:
This was the only bad review that I should have taken seriously. Very seriously!

Any reason why? Did you feel she was an alarmist? I would have taken her very serious considering her skin color and inherent knowledge about rough neighborhoods.

Alicia's review was very detailed, she stated the good, bad and ugly.............. If any review was/were required to make an informed decision, Alicia nailed it. The good thing for your business moving forward, is you would blacklist the property/area from your clientele shortlists...............
Your review would also go a long way, in assisting others..................................

aieromon:


Any reason why? Did you feel she was an alarmist? I would have taken her very serious considering her skin color and inherent knowledge about rough neighborhoods.

I don't even know for myself! Was a bad decision

Now, the day after the incident, the property owner came around and we got talking. Here is what led to the killing.

There are 2 gangs in that block. We will call them Gang A and Gang B.

So Gang A has been selling weed around the corner for donkey years and has been making a lot of money from the sales. Now Gang B says they want to share the block with Gang A, so they too can make some money, cos the block is the most popular weed block in the area.

Gang A says no, and rivalry resumes.

Now a guy from Gang B waylaid a guy selling weed from Gang A on the block and got him beat up. Gang A went back to his people and reports the matter. Gang A brothers trace the Gang B dude to the corner shop and harasses him. In his bid to escape, he fires the 1st shot and tries to escape. The Gang A guys retaliate and he got hit.

The property owner went to the leaders of Gang A to complain of how he had women and kids in his house who had to witness this crap and this episode was bad for his business.

Long and short, someone got killed because of weed.

Another senseless killing, and this is how it goes on and on. They said for a male child to cross age 20 there is a miracle. They get inducted into gangs from age 10. You see 14 year olds with guns, sent to kill 19 year olds. It such a horrible place.

All through the stay in Downer's Grove, we barely heard sirens. It was such a peaceful place. The target store closes at 11pm, the mcdonalds is open till 11pm... you can walk around in peace, and I ask myself, why are we like this? When I discussed with people in other parts of Chicago, they said Africans don't live in that part of Southside. Anything from 47th Street up to the 100s, is a no go area, dominated by gangs. Hyde park and the area around Obama's house and the University of Chicago is more tolerable.

Anywhere after Western Ave, you begin to see hispanic people and if you go further into the south suburbs, you begin to see caucasian people.

Lexusgs430:
Alicia's review was very detailed, she stated the good, bad and ugly.............. If any review was/were required to make an informed decision, Alicia nailed it. The good thing for your business moving forward, is you would blacklist the property/area from your clientele shortlists...............
Your review would also go a long way, in assisting others..................................

Funny enough, I received a message from another client stating she found an apartment in Southside. I did not bother to find out what part, I redirected her to the suburbs, where one can experience peace.

wanderlustian:


Funny enough, I received a message from another client stating she found an apartment in Southside. I did not bother to find out what part, I redirected her to the suburbs, where one can experience peace.

Experience they say is the comb for our bald heads.....

Lexusgs430:


London ke? Are we reading the same story? Only 2 weeks of romping starvation? Remember Cucumber is just around the corner......

really, you call that a story.. I wonder what her foreign counterparts would write if they could storm Nigeria

that if they could manage return home safely with out being kidnapped..Kikikikikikikuki

Lexusgs430:


Experience they say is the comb for our bald heads.....

Gbam!

carmag:


really, you call that a story.. I wonder what her foreign counterparts would write if they could storm Nigeria

that if they could manage return home safely with out being kidnapped..Kikikikikikikuki

They also write. Have you not seen any write-ups lately?

As someone starting this kind tour business... you need to do a whole lot more homework and be diligent if you want to succeed. And I'm talking as a layman with no technical knowledge about tour biz. It appears that your decisions are price based... the cheapest tag gets the nod.... the reason why you hauled the family from JFK to La Guardian Airport to travel to Chicago.... $16 fare cheaper than the price charged for luggage at JFK.... you didn't consider the hassle nor the wait despite having kids. Time of arrival and transportation at Chicago weren't considered.. and in the end costs a whole lot more. I'm sure there were other Airbnb available... but you took the one not based on the reviews but on the price... the cheapest price.... beautiful apartment... very cheap compared to similar apartments... red flag... neighbourhood not good. Google would have spelled it out...but... can't resist a cheap price. The rough looking guys at the corner shop... warning you that you shouldn't be out.... no alarm bells went off in your head?
It is nice to share your experience... but you also exposed how unprepared you are and this can hurt your business before it even starts up. About the suburbs being peaceful basically because Whites live there give the impression that wherever Blacks are there is always violence... stay away from Blacks... Akatas. White communities have their dark side..... their youths are also dying silently of vices in their commilunities. .. but that is not broadcast worldwide. I wish you well in your business venture... but you need to step off on the right foot.