week 7, Marc Alb

My time in Detroit has been really rich in experience and discoveries. Even though I have a “9am-5pm” job, every day is different and unique. I meet new people, discover new places and work on different projects. I look back at my time in this wonderful city and I realize that I have been really lucky to have spend two months here. This is a small snapshot into my summer in Detroit!

• 8:30AM:

I wake up and get ready for work. I believe it is so important to eat well in the morning to start the day full of energy. Today I made pancakes and cut fresh strawberries that I bought last weekend at Eastern Market. I usually read a few New York Times articles or watch BFM TV, a French news channel, while eating to maximize my morning and get up to date to what has recently happened around the world.

•  9:30AM:

Getting ready to MoGo to work! I get my helmet (safety first, of course!) and meet my work partner in the lobby of the dorm. Biking to work is really a great habit to have as it allows you to exercise and completely wake up before starting working. Plus, the ride to work is beautiful and really calming.  

• 10:00AM:

I arrive at Build Institute. My community partner and I continue working on the projects. We are analyzing the alumni data we have recently collected and trying to build graphs to visually illustrate our findings. I really enjoy the work atmosphere of Build. Everyone is in a good mood, kind and caring and I believe this positively affects the work achieved.

• 1:00PM:

Lunch break! My work partner and I try to go to different cheap places everyday. Two of our favorites are Honey Bee Market with its $5 chicken fajitas and Taqueria Lupita’s with its $1.25 chicken and beef tacos. What I love about Mexican town is that is really seems like a different city but that it is so close to the modern, young Downtown. It is such a nice change of scenery.

• 5:00PM:

After hours in Excel and google docs, our day at Build reaches its end. Nothing better than a 25-minute bike ride to counter a whole afternoon sitting down and looking at computer screen. I get home and try to relax, read and listen to news. I catch up with my roommates and hear about their day at work. It is always interesting to compare our current tasks and past projects.

• 7:30PM:

Dinner time. As I previously said, food is so important for me and cooking allows me to take a mental break from the day. When I cook, I only focus on the food (and not chopping my finger off). On the menu today: chicken breast with pasta in a pesto and cream sauce with a side of sautéed Brussel sprouts. Bon appétit mes amis!

• 9:00PM:

I head off to the gym to finish my day in exercise. I like going to the gym relatively late as there are less people there and I have energy from my dinner. The sunsets here in Detroit have been stunning and the walk to the gym is always a pleasure when the sky is full of pastel colors.

• 11:00PM:

Voilà! This has been one of my days in Detroit. I have to rest up because I have another long day tomorrow. Thanks for coming along!