Week 1 - Ashka Stephen

Photo by Caroline Lai.

Bieber says it best: “My life is a movie and everyone's watching / So let's get to the good part and past all the nonsense." ("I'll Show You” - Justin Bieber)

Not sure how acceptable it is to compare Justin Bieber to one of America’s most historical industrial cities, but I feel that the quote above resembles the thoughts of everyday Detroiters on the state of their city. With accusations such as "America’s Worst Transit System” and "…Detroit’s Bankruptcy…” still gracing national headlines, it’s easy to get caught up pointing fingers at Detroit.

Thus it’s understandable why the “us versus the world” mentality is so prevalent among Detroit locals. The economic crisis of 2008 paired with the gradual slowdown of production in the rust belt and the drain of mental power (as more young professionals moved out of the city) has left Detroit in a rough state to say the least. And the world pointing fingers is definitely not helping.

"Made in Detroit" - A stand in the Eastern Market showing the overall Detroit-focused food scene. Much of the food in Detroit is locally grown, due to large amounts of land being farmed in the area.

     Serendipity leads to discoveries you didn’t know were worth making in the first place. ElDorado was such an experience. Walking into the general vintage stop, we were surrounded by exotic-looking trinkets from around the world and eye-catching fashions (basically everything from sequenced dresses from Europe to 1970s Texan bomber jackets). Out of curiosity, Joe and I struck up a conversation with the cashier, Willa, a local student and member of a band called Willa Rae and the Minor Arcana —a self-proclaimed “burgeoning electric local gem.” Although short and sweet, for me, our conversation with Willa came to symbolize the general vibe of Detroit culture. As she raved about the owners of the quaint shop, I couldn’t help but notice her willingness to share as much as she could and her curiosity about our somewhat foreign experiences of the Motor City. We talked about the benefits and drawbacks of experiencing the city on foot and what were the best places to explore. We connected on our interest in the music and arts scene and received enthusiastic recommendations for upcoming festivals, local venues, and the burgeoning food scene

    In the end, what made the conversation so memorable was Willa’s willingness to talk and really get to know us (as much as you can in a five minute conversation). Personally, coming from a city where locals aren’t really known for their general hospitality or willingness to hold conversations with strangers (Orlando), I find mingling with locals from Detroit to be refreshing. Midwestern hospitality is real you guys.

Picture of Eldorado by Yours Truly :)

In all honesty, I’ve gotten to learn so much about Detroit within the first week that I can’t wait to explore more. Not only has this week challenged the way I think about exploring new cities, but it has also made me question whether I’ve been traveling “the right way” in the past. Have I really taken full advantage of trips with family and friends? Have I really taken out the time to speak with locals and experience areas on a raw level? Seeing how my perspective on exploration and travel has changed so drastically within such a short period of time, I’d say the answer is (sadly) no. To be completely transparent, sometimes I even find myself doubting how well I know my hometown of Orlando. Not to get too deep or anything, but seeing how just a week in Detroit has made me reevaluate how I approach getting to know an area, I’m excited to see what the rest of my Duke Engage experience has in store.

Picture by Katherine Black.