On Thursday morning at 5 AM, 11 of the 18 of us gathered our belongings from the Airbnb and began our journey back to Illinois by car. Two cars headed straight toward Champaign, Illinois, while one made its way to Chicago. Meanwhile, the remaining seven people chose to sleep in, enjoying a slower, more relaxed final morning together at the Airbnb before eventually departing later in the day.
In addition to those driving, two other students opted to fly back to Chicago, while five extended their stay, continuing on to the beaches in Texas. Those who stayed behind still had a long journey ahead of them, as traveling across Texas alone takes many hours. Like the rest of us, they were also feeling the exhaustion from staying up late the night before, celebrating Lily’s birthday and making the most of our final moments together.
Although the trip itself was short, we made the most of every hour. Our time was filled with meaningful moments, whether it was spending time together, sharing meals, or visiting civil engineering job sites. It truly felt like a spring break well spent, full of both connection and opportunity.
Those of us driving back to Illinois remained focused on the road, prioritizing both speed and safety. We didn’t cross paths at gas stations along the way, as each group aimed to get home as efficiently as possible. Passing through Dallas, Arkansas, and Missouri, we made only three brief stops for gas and quick stretches before continuing on. By around 7 PM, we had finally reached Illinois.
On the last stride from Champaign to Chicago, there was a lot of reflection of our time in Texas and we talked about all the things we appreciated from the trip. It was agreed that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity that we would not have been able to take advantage of without the GLCM program. It was really great to have seen many diverse projects which somewhat overlapped with those of which we saw in our trip from Malaysia and Singapore the Winter break prior. We felt inspired to possibly work in areas we never really considered. Through this trip we also got to know each other far more since we had built the trust from the previous winter break trip. It was really amazing to get the experience of living together and sharing hobbies, meals, and memories that will last a lifetime.
The students who flew were able to return to Chicago by 2 PM, saving several hours and enjoying extra time at home.
Meanwhile, those who extended their stay didn’t arrive at their next Airbnb until around 12 AM on Friday, which was around the same time the last car reached Chicago.
Despite the different travel paths and timelines, thankfully everyone made it home safe and sound. Looking back, the trip was not only memorable but also deeply rewarding, leaving us with shared experiences that made the journey truly worthwhile.
Blog by Lizet Alvarez