It’s official! I hit my 1 month anniversary of living in Detroit just a few days ago, on September 20th. I feel like it’s been way longer, because of the information I have been exposed to as a Challenge Detroit fellow. I’ve learned so much but still have a long way to go. Living in Detroit is a good, yet one of a kind experience. There have definitely been some surprises that popped up during my first month here. Here, I want to capture the top 10 surprises I have experienced in the city so far:

1. Detroiters are very friendly. VERY. When my mom and I came here to apartment hunt back in July, we were surprised with how open everyone was. Many people on the streets greeted us and offered us help when we were lost, before we even had to ask. Detroit has a community feel like no other place I have been in the U.S. At first it was strange to me, but I now follow suit and say hello to almost everyone I pass by on the streets. It feels good!

2. The friendliness magically disappears once everyone enters their cars. Driving here is crazy, and if you don’t fall in line with the fiasco, you will be given the middle finger, yelled at, cut off, etc. It’s like a battle of who can get to their destination the fastest. And the fact that so many of the cars on the road have dents and dings scares me…

3. Speaking of driving, can you say ONE WAY? If you want to move to the D and you hate one way streets, GET USED TO IT! They are everywhere. It can be very bothersome for someone who is not used to this kind of road layout. Those “Michigan lefts” will become your best friend.

4. It’s not as dangerous as the media says it is. I know I have only been here for one month, but I lived in Chicago for two years and I realized that the crime there was no joke within the first few days. Just exercise caution like you would in any other city, and you should be fine. There are also actions being taken to help people to feel safer, such as the abundant amount of security cameras in the downtown region (which is a controversial topic that I may touch on later). There is also Project Lighthouse, a partnership between over 30 businesses/locations around the city and the Detroit Police Department, providing a safe haven for anyone who needs it, 24 hours a day. You can go to any of these locations if you feel unsafe, your car breaks down or even if you are in need of temporary shelter. The “Project Lighthouse” banner will be showcased outside of the business to notify you that it is a participating location.

5. Grocery stores exist! They may not be the big chain stores that you are used to, such as Kroger, Aldi and Jewel-Osco but they are here and sell fruits and vegetables in abundance. I hope to see even more pop up in the future.

6. The one thing I see that is lacking in Detroit is a shopping mall. Want to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon window shopping, catching a movie or grabbing food at the mall? To get this, you will have to travel out into the suburbs. My favorite so far is Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn, but it’s a good ways away from where I live.

7. Eastern Market is one of the coolest places on earth! For anyone who doesn’t know what it is, it’s the largest historic outside market in the country. You can find a lot of local business owners who set up shop to sell a variety of products, farm grown fruits and vegetables, plants, clothes, and a lot of other cool things. And oftentimes, the market area is converted into a special events space/festival. Last week I went there for the annual Design Festival (pics below).

8. Down town is great, but Detroit has way more to offer. example, the Livernois community on the west side of Detroit is blossoming and becoming the art and fashion hub of the city. I’ve also been having fun visiting some of the cool restaurants located on the east side (‘Rose’s Fine Food’ is great!)

9. It’s a nice city to walk (depending on where you are) and bike, but public transportation…this is definitely a growth area. I tried to be a responsible citizen, think about my ecological footprint and take the bus. I even downloaded the bus app (DDOT) …but every time I check the app to see when my bus will come, I get a pop up saying “currently no bus is predicted in 45 minutes”. But thankfully there are future construction plans that will improve the city’s public transportation system (like the M-1 Rail) and I am super excited about it.

10. Honestly, the things I heard growing up made me think that Detroit was just a ghost town filled with abandoned buildings and a small population that was only there because they didn’t have the resources to leave. I mean I’m just being honest. This is what many people think from the outside. The media can paint a pretty gruesome picture. However, I have gotten the chance to learn that Detroit does have its issues, but is also a very lively, and beautiful city with way more than just abandoned buildings. There are so many positive things going on here, and the city is filled with many people who CHOOSE to live here because of that, including myself.

-Gabrial Taylor:

Year 5 Challenge Detroit Fellow