Take a look at www.lthforum.com for interesting discussion of eating in Chicago.

Thanks Marija,

LTHforum will be very useful. will also write there.

This offers great possibilities but it is probably too late for this trip.

I write as someone who was a frequent paid speaker to groups in my area of interest and professional expertise.

I was generally booked for meetings and conferences about a year in advance since that is the planning cycle for most organizations. You might be looking for a booking as early as next May, but a year from September would be more likely because most organizations that sponsor speakers have meetings at the beginning or end of the academic year. They avoid summer meetings because of holidays and winter meetings owing to travel difficulties.

To generate leads, you might look for a Turkish-American Chamber of Commerce or business organization or look at the offerings of universities in your field. Many large public libraries offer speaker series on various issues that might offer good opportunities, though these are likely to pay only some local expenses and a few hundred dollars.

You might also get in touch with the major newspaper and television organizations in Chicago to offer your services as an expert in your specialty who can be relied on for quick and intelligent response to news and economic events. This will make your name known and add to your value to groups.

Good luck!

Thank you Ackislander.

as you probably surmised, i was considering unpaid speaking engagements for now just to get away from being used as a handy man.

However, you gave me somegood tips and i will follow up on them for future trips and in terms of Chicago papers.

thank you again for taking the time to respond.

When I lived in Chicago years ago, this was called the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, they had very interesting meetings with speakers. It's been a long time, but you might contact them. OR,you might want to attend one of their events while you are there. Good Luck and report back:

http://www.thechicagocouncil.org/

Maybe you have already done/already know about these, but they are possibilities:

It seems like you could contact colleges and universities (the colleges, schools, and departments that fit in with your areas of expertise, such as History and Business) and offer to give a seminar or speak in a class. Just search the Internet for the relevant contact information.

Also, there is a Turkish consulate in Chicago, so they might be able to match you up with interested people. http://www.chicago.cg.mfa.gov.tr/

Other possible sources of contacts are

Turkish American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (http://tacci-midwest.org/)

Chicago Turkish American Chamber of Commerce (http://www.ctacc.org/)

Turkish American Cultural Alliance of Chicago (http://tacaonline.org/CMS15/)

Turkish American Association for Cultural Exchange (http://www.taace.org/)

Turkish American Society of Chicago (http://www.tascweb.org/en/)

Lbloom and Cranachin, thank you for the ideas and links.

will certainly report back on any success or lack of.

My information is that the current Turkish-American Associations are politically contoled or used by either pro-islamist interest groups or totally commercially motivated ones (i.e. defense industry) and speaking under their aegis could label one as a supporter.

I have also spoken at Rotary and Lions luncheons before because they do not represent any specific interests.

Of'course, I can take the advice to plan speaking arrangements for next trip and go for a road trip to New Orleans with Eser and Ceylan, leaving Son-in-Law to continue earning to pay the mortgage. Although I think I prefer Chicago jazz, it would be very pleasant to listen to New Orleans jazz on location.

If worse comes to worse you can stand up and scream at a Cubs baseball game.

AON's world headquarters is in Chicago.

Allstate is out in Northbrook, IL.

CNA is located in Chicago.

Are you stopping in NYC?

Adu, Unless I use one of the few parachutes on board, I doubt I can visit you. The award miles are scraping the bottom of the barrel. I suspect that they will put us in the cargo hold.

Another option would be for you and the Missus to come to chicago or to New Orleans.

If, we miss the New Orleans turn and find ourselves in New York (this is a possibility because they both start with "New") we will absolutely take up your offer of comming to stay the Winter with you until groundhog day.