Rotten raspberries on the ground, empty lots, and abandoned tortilla factories have become part of my home away from home here in Detroit. Of all the places in the city, Corktown definitely isn't one of the most lavish or well structured neighborhoods – you don't see a single car passing by or anyone in the streets, and most of the houses seem to have been abandoned for years. And yet, day after day, even when we don't have to work, I see myself biking the 35 minutes it takes just to get to this place that seems to be the only one I could call "authentic", as much as I dislike the use of this particular word.
You see, Corktown isn't a place you should necessarily visit, and most definitely not the only area in Detroit that isn't dominated by celebrity-chef restaurants, Quicken Loans offices, and clean streets. As disconcerting as it is, Detroit is still a tale of two cities, one developed and one not, and I prefer to spend my days in the one that can genuinely provide me with any sort of immersive and "life-changing" experience, although we could argue for hours on whether or not any of that actually happens.
Spending at least half of my day in Corktown (or Hamtramck, as I did this past weekend), however, is still the closest thing I found to immersing myself in Detroit, if a Duke student can even claim such feat.
You see, Corktown isn't a place you should necessarily visit, and most definitely not the only area in Detroit that isn't dominated by celebrity-chef restaurants, Quicken Loans offices, and clean streets. As disconcerting as it is, Detroit is still a tale of two cities, one developed and one not, and I prefer to spend my days in the one that can genuinely provide me with any sort of immersive and "life-changing" experience, although we could argue for hours on whether or not any of that actually happens.
Spending at least half of my day in Corktown (or Hamtramck, as I did this past weekend), however, is still the closest thing I found to immersing myself in Detroit, if a Duke student can even claim such feat.
My problem, I think, is that DukeEngage by itself could never be the sort of transformative experience I'd like to get from the limited days I have in Detroit. For me, it takes getting lost in the streets and getting $1 tacos around the corner if that's what the locals do, spending a Sunday afternoon basking under the sun near the river, visiting Eastern Market and talking to the vendors. It requires living, feeling, reflecting on what one sees and goes through.
And maybe, by doing that day after day, I'll get to know more about Detroit than what I could read in a textbook or in a trip to the museum. Maybe I'll make friends in the city, or perhaps I'll simply support local business by eating with the locals, get lost until I know the entire city. Regardless of what happens, one thing I know for sure: I'll have a story to tell when I get home, beyond my photographs and blog posts, a story made of rotten raspberries on the ground and abandoned tortilla factories, of real Detroiters and $1 tacos. And only that will make it more Detroit, and less DukeEngage.
And maybe, by doing that day after day, I'll get to know more about Detroit than what I could read in a textbook or in a trip to the museum. Maybe I'll make friends in the city, or perhaps I'll simply support local business by eating with the locals, get lost until I know the entire city. Regardless of what happens, one thing I know for sure: I'll have a story to tell when I get home, beyond my photographs and blog posts, a story made of rotten raspberries on the ground and abandoned tortilla factories, of real Detroiters and $1 tacos. And only that will make it more Detroit, and less DukeEngage.
Also make sure to check out Johny Noodle King, a restaurant in Corktown Marc and I found for lunch. Make sure to order the Red Curry Noodles – they're to die for.
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