Living in Joliet

March 25, 2009

We have been staying in Joliet for a year and over now. I guess it's time to introduce to my friends  the city of Joliet.

The city of Joliet is situated 1 hour drive south west of  chicago. If we go to chicago, we normally take a train from city center in Joliet  and it's around one and a half hour ride. Joliet is divided by the Des Plaines river into east and west. Security in the east side and near west side is not so good. Sometimes, we hear reports of gang related shooting around the area, even near the city center. Security in the far west side is better.

Joliet has a population of 145,000 and is illinois fourth largest city. Most of the population here are whites with some blacks and some hispanics. Very few asians.

We have 4 seasons here in Joliet. Winter is from November to March. January is usually the coldest month. Spring is March to May. Tornadoes come during  spring.  Summer from June to August. Fall from September to November.

There are 2 casinos in Joliet, the Harrah's casino and Empress casino. Tax on revenue from the casinos fund the city budget. Car racing is popular in Joliet and attracts fans from other cities to their Chicagoland speedways and Route 66 raceway. Other attractions include a JackHammers baseball stadium and Splash station. There is also the Louis Joliet mall, a major mall in Joliet. You can find more information on the city of Joliet here.

Bus service is served by Pace. Usually the bus comes around 1 hour or 1/2 hour interval. Taxi service is served by Telecab. There are not enough taxis on the road for us to wait by the road and flag it down. So we have to call a number to get a cab (we don't have to pay for calling the cab). It is customary that we give tips for cab rides, maybe 10 to 15%. The surface condition of some of the roads here are worst than Singapore as sometimes there are bumps here and there.

Major grocery stores in joliet include Walmart, Jewel Osco, Dominick's etc.  That's where we can get the meat, vegetables and fruits.There are also retail stores like CVS, Walgreens. These are stores like 7-eleven in singapore but are larger in scale than 7-eleven and they sell some household items and limited groceries like egg and bread. They are not as large as the grocery stores though. By the way, the grocery stores also have pharmacies of their own. All these stores have their own building and parking lot, unlike Singapore where they are usually tenants in a building. There are no coffee shops, hawker center or wet market here. If you want hot food, you have to buy take out from a restaurant or fast food.

I believe it's God's will for our family to be living here in Joliet. God's general will is shown to us in the bible. That part of His will of where we should work, who we should marry, where should we stay is worked out as we live it out and is unknown to us until it happens. Sometimes we may make plans but I attest that a lot of time we do not know what is good for ourselves . Hence, sometimes it is only from hindsight that we can appreciate His good and perfect will for us.

Romans 12:2

2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. - niv

2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. - kjv