<p>What would be a better place to spend one year to learn, work, and gain life experiences for a gap year? Money, distance, and friends are not an issue.</p>
<p>It really depends on your interests. I think Chicago and Boston would be best for working because they’re bigger cities with more industries (and therefore more jobs.) It’s really up to you though. Each city listed here has its own distinct characteristics and it’s really personal choice on which one you like more!</p>
<p>jobs available does not matter much because I will be volunteering with a corporation sponsored by Americorps. Just the city</p>
<p>ive lived in chicago for 18 years, and ive also visited both boston and dc. chicago is IMO the best. in all my years here i honestly cant say ive heard more than 1 more person express a negative opinion on the cityh besides the weather. its wonderful for cultural aspects, arts, education, business, and politics. any specific q’s, PM me.</p>
<p>i personally loved DC when I went, but it’s a very small area, and I think spending a year would be overkill…so I’m voting for chicago (ny/boston rivalry ha)</p>
<p>boston is ridiculously awesome.
a million college-aged kids around town=always something cool to do</p>
<p>dc…not so much. </p>
<p>can’t say anything about chicago because I haven’t been there</p>
<p>chicago !</p>
<p><3</p>
<p>Chicago or Boston. I’d go with Boston personally, but since it’s not a matter of jobs or anything you can probably decide on the basis of more “shallow” things (i.e. weather).</p>
<p>how do the cultural aspects of boston and chicago compare? it seem you guys don’t like dc. how do their weathers compare?</p>
<p>I vote for Boston. ^_^</p>
<p>why? --------</p>
<p>As a lifelong Bostonian I’d have to say Boston… =)</p>
<p>I’ve visited all three, and I’ve lived in Chicago for about 5 months thus far. Chicago is truly amazing, and I’d rank it the 2nd best city in America, behind NYC. It’s really cold in winter, of course. Today is a high of 4F, -18C, with windchill about -20F.</p>
<p>I just love Boston, leetxy. I’ve never been to Chicago, though, so I wouldn’t know what that’s like. </p>
<p>But if you don’t like extreme weather, try to avoid the northeast.</p>
<p>I live in the midwest and <em>loved</em> Boston. It has a great atmosphere and is just…wow, great. I would go out there.</p>
<p>what is a better city to spend a gap year to volunteer for an 18 year guy? I believe the program will be doing projects to help the school system and such.</p>
<p>Chicago, then DC</p>
<p>NO BOSTON.</p>
<p>Can’t help it, I’m biased against the state of Massachusetts: Ben Afleck, Mitt Romney, JFK, John Kerry, the Red Sox…the only thing I like is the chowder.</p>
<p>Boston, then DC, then Chicago.</p>
<p>I’ve lived in both Boston and DC, and I’ve visited Chicago (and my uncle has lived there for many years). Boston is just the best: it’s got this youthful, somewhat-idealistic spirit that comes from consisting of so many college students. Also, it’s only of the oldest cities in the nation, but it doesn’t use its historical significance (birthplace of the American Revolution, no matter what those Philadelphians may say) as its claim to fame: it doesn’t need to.</p>
<p>D.C. is okay, but honestly, it’s much less safe than Boston, and the museums get boring after a while. Unlike Paris or London, D.C. is not the cultural center that one would expect of a capital city, and it’s noticeable.</p>
<p>Chicago, in my limited experience, is just too far away from everything. Within 5 hours of Boston, you can get to NYC, or to the ski slopes of Vermont, or to the beautiful seaside parks (or fishing lakes if you’re into that) of Maine (or you can be 3/4 of the way to Europe if you so choose). In 5 hours from Chicago, you can get to a whole lot of corn fields. When I was there, it felt like a grown-up’s city: everything seemed closed at 8 P.M. on a weeknight, and it just felt very <em>old</em>. Not the charming antiquity of European cities, but it just felt hurried and monotonous. I dunno, that was just the feeling I got. It’s got New York’s skyscrapers without New York’s joie de vivre, and it’s not a terribly nice combination, in my opinion.</p>
<p>boston rocks. it’s beautiful, busy but not intimidating, and there’s a ton to do especially because there are so many college-age kids running around.</p>
<p>Wait, 5 hours is considered CLOSE to ski slopes? Why not just get on a plane at O’Hare and fly to Utah or Colorado for even better skiing in the same amount of time?</p>