It's been two weeks since I moved to Detroit, and what a great two weeks it's been. My roommate Matt and I moved into a two-bedroom townhome in a development about a mile east of downtown Detroit. We're literally a one-minute drive to downtown, I-75, and the Detroit River, so it's a great location, and we really are in the middle of everything. Most of the Teach for America folk also live around here, which makes the area so much more fun.
We've been planning for the upcoming year during our kickoff training these past two weeks; I've had to plan what exactly I'm going to in my classroom - what jobs to assign students, what prizes I'm going to give out, setting my credits/debits system, how to discipline my kids etc... Even though I still don't have a placement, I've still had to do the generic stuff, which has settled my nerves because I now have opportunities to practically apply what I learned during Institute. With all these plans in place, I can picture my classroom and imagine what it'll look like. This is a reminder though, that school is only two weeks away - I guess it's only hit just now.
After training and during weekends, however, we've gotten to explore the city and really enjoy what it has to offer. It's no Hong Kong, San Francisco, or New York, but Detroit has a unique charm unparalleled by any other city I've been to. It's definitely not the most convenient (barely any buses or cabs), or the most modern, but there are so many things that make Detroit the special place it is. Eastern Market is one of the largest farmers markets I've been to - everything is so fresh and cheap, and it literally has everything you'd want. Zingerman's even has a stall there. Then, you walk through Greektown, and experience two blocks of amazing Greek food and some of the most delicious pastries ever. After eating out, you then have a selection of a bunch of awesome bars. From a pub with live Irish music and dancing to a warehouse-turned-brewery that brews in house, and from a Billboard Top 40-type club to a classic midwestern bar that serves only Michigan beer, Detroit is often bustling with nightlife. After the bars, you complete the night by strolling down the river walk. Walking along the boardwalk, with the Detroit skyline on the left and the breeze from the river to the right, you just get that moment of serenity and peace, away from the crowds.
To people from big cities, that might not have sounded too interesting or exciting, but what Detroit has is a culture of artistic innovation, social awareness and an unwavering pride of anything Detroit. Walking through the many neighborhoods of Detroit, you'll see warehouses turned into lofts and studios, grand murals painted on buildings' walls, local artists and musicians trying to make it big, and many other things that make Detroit and up-and-coming hub of artistic creativity. Detroit's culture is also one that embodies social awareness; the people of Detroit actually care about others in their city. Around the city, what you'll see are community gardens, social justice clinics, children's camps, neighborhood events, food drives and much, much more. Here in Detroit, there is that sense of camaraderie and pride of being from the D. The people are some of the most genuine I've ever met - they will do anything to get to know you, and will do whatever it takes to get your back. They don't have an ulterior motive, except to be there for you and welcome you into the community. To be honest, I was worried about being one of the very few Asians in the city, and indeed, I'm probably the only one in my development. I was worried about being picked on, and not being welcomed into the community. On the contrary, my neighbors have taken time to introduce themselves and welcome me to their community, invited us over for grills, and even random people on the street will ask me how my morning was. I was wrong, and the people of Detroit really have shown a hospitality that I had not seen in any other city before. Before moving here, I had wanted to be back in the Bay Area, or be in Boston, D.C., Chicago, or any other 'big' city, but Detroit has met my expectations, and more. Detroit may not have the fancy, cosmopolitan parts of a 'big' city, but what it has is its unique culture, its pride, and the genuineness that all those other cities don't have. Despite the reputation that Detroit gets, people are still so proud of their city, and will do whatever it takes to bring it back to its heyday.
All this isn't to say that Detroit doesn't have its problems. Violence and crime are certainly problems that still plague the city. Last weekend, there were 16 unrelated shootings during the day in the city of Detroit. My friend had one of her car parts stolen from underneath her car at my parking lot; they even had the audacity to saw off a part of her tailpipe. The Detroit Police said that this was a frequent occurrence, and there wasn't really anything we could do to stop it. Just gotta pray, I guess. At home, we have to keep our blinds shut and keep our doors locked at all times, and I never, ever leave anything outside. Some people say that this is inconvenient, but I think it's just part of life. In any big city, crime is inevitably going to be a problem. Whether you're in New York City, London or Paris, your car could just as well be broken into, and you won't ever leave your doors unlocked anyway. There is always a price you pay for living in a city, and this is just one of them. But when I look at the rewards of being in Detroit and the excitement it will provide, these little things are worth it. These next three years are going to be absolutely transformational, and now that I think about it, I wouldn't want to be anywhere but Detroit.
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