Illinois is situated in the heart of the American Midwest, and it's known as the "Prairie State" because over 60% of it is covered in farmland. Despite the number of natural wonders found in Illinois, what attracts most visitors is the vibrant city of Chicago ("The Windy City").Situated on the scenic shore of Lake Michigan, Chicago is a hot spot for music lovers and art enthusiasts. It's not only home to world-class museums and iconic architecture, it's where today's guest, Jackie Katsis, is from! Jackie is an ESL teacher and a well-known YouTuber from the channel "Ask Jackie."We'll begin today's episode by getting to know this wonderful Chicagoan, and then we'll discover her state with her. You'll hear about Jackie's experience with tornadoes, learn the nuances of the Chicago accent and we'll take a deep dive into the culture she grew up in (we cover mouth-watering food, music, lifestyle and more). Let's get a local's perspective on how to make the most out of our next trip to the beautiful state of Illinois! :) Jackie's Chicago Recommendations Portillo's - Italian Beefs + Chicago-Style Hot Dogs Kingston Mines - Listen to Jazz / Blues Do an architecture tour on the Chicago River Take a walk in Millenium Park and see "The Bean" (Cloud Gate) Go shopping on  Michigan Avenue Walk a lot and enjoy the art and architecture! Learn with JackieJackie Katsis is a well-known ESL teacher from Chicago. You can find her content here!  Website - https://www.askjackie.com.br/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/AskJackie  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askjackiebr/ Premium Content:  Season 4 (Episodes 150 - 200) = Each episode includes a quiz, the PDF transcript (the text of the audio) with definitions of challenging words and the mp3 file. All Premium Content for Seasons 1, 2 and 3 (Episodes 001 - 150) Support the show