Final Days

Day 7

After the big celebration and excitement from the excellent result the previous day, we decided to use our last full day in Chicago for a bit of culture. Although we were quite tired and everything hurt, we didn’t let that stop us from continuing our exploration. Our first destination was the Field Museum.

It is one of the most famous natural history museums in the world. Despite our fatigue, the museum truly amazed us. We saw various fossils, including a large dinosaur skeleton, learned about the development of life on Earth from the Big Bang to the present day, and discovered more about ancient civilizations in China, Egypt, and beyond.

After exploring Earth’s past, it was time for a quick lunch. We rested a bit and gathered energy for what came next—the Art Institute of Chicago.

There, we viewed various paintings and other artworks. Even though not all of us are huge art fans, it was interesting to see in person some works we had previously only seen online or in books and magazines.

After this cultural experience, it was time for some shopping! We visited many typical American stores such as Target, Five Below, and Sephora. We bought various items and sweets that aren’t available in Croatia. It was especially interesting to see huge packages of cereal, soft drinks, and so many different types of Oreo cookies and other snacks.

After our shopping adventure, we headed back to our Chicago “home”—our hotel. By coincidence, we realized that a relative of one of our team members had booked the same hotel. We decided to spend some time together and went to another hotel to use the pool, since ours was out of service.

We had fun at the pool and finally got some proper rest after the intense days behind us. In the evening, we returned to our hotel, had dinner, and literally collapsed into bed from exhaustion. And just like that, another day in this beautiful city came to an end, while our return to Croatia was getting closer and closer.

Day 8

Today marked the final chapter of our adventure in the United States. We used the morning for a bit more sightseeing and went on a boat tour along the Chicago River.

The tour was very interesting as we observed the tall buildings and skyscrapers surrounding the river. On the boat, we listened to fascinating stories about the river and its surroundings.

After that, we headed to Navy Pier. The atmosphere there was completely different—crowds of people, souvenir shops at every corner, and the smell of food constantly tempting us. Of course, we had to buy souvenirs for our families and friends in Croatia who supported us every day. We also had a meal there, took a short break, and enjoyed a bit more time before heading back.

Later, we returned to the hotel, packed our things, and headed to the airport, thinking we had a relatively simple journey ahead. But of course, nothing without a small surprise. Our flight was delayed, so we spent nearly three hours wandering around the airport, trying to pass the time in every possible way.

When we finally departed, we were exhausted—but the journey wasn’t over yet. After a long flight, which most of the team slept through, we arrived in London and transferred to a flight to Venice. We were tired but still somehow excited, knowing we were close to home.

The entire journey lasted nearly 24 hours, and at that point, all we wanted was to finally arrive home.

But what awaited us in Rijeka was something we could never have imagined. Our parents organized a true welcome—flares, banners, everything like in a movie. In that moment, all the exhaustion disappeared, replaced by happiness, relief, and of course pride in everything we had achieved as a small team from a public school in Rijeka.

This marked the end of our journey and adventure. We were sad that it was over, but also proud of our achievement and happy to finally be back with our families.

This trip—and this historic success—will stay with us for many years to come. We are grateful for this opportunity and to everyone who helped us along the way!

Your Crobotics team!