I was at a restaurant this weekend in Detroit with one of my new Challenge Detroit friends and my fiancé, and I ran into a handful of people from my new Challenge Detroit life. I was excited and surprised to “bump into” so many familiar faces. It was my first small town moment in the city of Detroit.

The thing that I like most about Challenge Detroit so far is that I have a built in structure that regularly pushes me out of my comfort zone, and refuses to let me fall into any sort of monotonous routine.  I am very excited about the sense of purpose, intentionality and “awakeness” that the Fellowship is infusing into my life.

However, with this new sense of purpose comes a new sense of self induced pressure to make the most of it. I find myself a bit overwhelmed by how much is going on in Detroit. I keep hearing about new places, events and movements that are happening all around me. I feel like I have only skimmed the surface so far.

Detroit Dart Club

When I reflect on it, I realize that the surplus of happenings going on in the city really translates into an opportunity for me to make my Detroit experience extremely personal. There is essentially a community/group for every interest. If you like movies – you can watch art and retro films at the Cass Theater, if you are into games and sports – you can play nerf wars at the Detroit Dart Club, if you like  jazz music – you can hang out at Cliff Bells… and the list goes on. There are also countless non-profits to get involved with, pending what personally moves you, and tons of types of restaurants to try.

fancy, eclectic dinner at El Barzon

The options are endless. In my experience so far, Detroit is a great place to get involved in the things that serve our unique passions and interests, and in the process discover new passions and interests.  I’m excited to keep exploring the city and discovering what my Detroit experience looks like.