I’ve lived a lot of places.

Most of my life I lived in Perrysburg, Ohio- probably one of the most stereotypical suburban areas in the Midwest (almost every house has a minivan and a golden retriever). Then I moved to Boulder, Colorado for college- a BIG move, but not a big change (still lots of golden retrievers, but less minivans and more Subarus).

I lived in a mountain town in Costa Rica for a few months where you were always slightly damp and there was a good chance you’d woken up by monkeys and I’ve also lived in Bowling Green, Ohio, an odd blend of a stereotypical college town and the home of the National Tractor Pull.

But two weeks ago, I made the first move of my life that felt real, felt important, and also a little permanent.

Two weeks ago, I moved to Detroit.

I could lie and say that I’m an experienced traveller with pockets full of city smarts, but in reality, I had no idea what to expect. Cities had always seemed a little too big, a little too impersonal, a little… overwhelming. So when I moved into my 23 story building, with the Joe Louis Arena and GM Renaissance building as my next door neighbors, I thought, perhaps, I had gotten myself in over my head.

But then, on my way into the building, a woman showed me the secret elevator and asked about my job. Then, later, when I couldn’t find the building’s restaurant, a couple walked my roommate and me to the door. When I went for a walk along the riverfront the next day, a man fishing asked me how my day was and another happily gave me directions to the volleyball court (the obvious theme here is that I get lost a lot). But the thing that really resonated with me was when, on my first day on the job, a woman looked me in the eye and said, “Welcome. We’re happy to have you and Detroit is ready for you to make it your home.”

I realized then, that I am lucky to be here. I’ve lived plenty of places, but I’ve never been welcomed or felt as welcome as I do here. I am in a place that wants me to be involved, wants me to contribute and wants me to stay. Jeanette Pierce of D:Hive says it best; “Detroit is a place big enough to matter to the rest of the world, but small enough that you matter here.”

So I’m here. I’m living in a city with its fair share of problems, but also a community teeming with creativity and tenacity, and a community ready for change. I am living in Detroit. And, finally, I am home.