Life is short.
Carpe diem.
YOLO.

These are phrases I came to embody in my Challenge Detroit fellowship year.

From the moment I crossed the Detroit-Windsor border on September 25^th, 2014, I knew that my time in this city was limited. Despite Detroit being only a stone’s throw away from Canada (literally – you could probably skip a rock across the Detroit River from here to Windsor), working in the United States as a Canadian was not nearly as easy as I had anticipated. I had to overcome many an obstacle to simply obtain a 1-year work visa to partake in Challenge Detroit. Entering on a 1-year visa meant that, from day one, I knew my new life here came with an expiry date.

For many, knowing your experience will be transient may make you reluctant to invest in the people and things around you. The more you invest your time, energy and emotions, the more difficult it becomes to depart and move on. But for me, from day one, I made a conscious decision to do the opposite.

From my Detroit beginnings, I made a personal commitment to invest my all into my experiences, work, projects, community and relationships. My expiry date meant that if I didn’t partake in a given Detroit event or experience this day/month/year, I honestly (as overdramatic as this may sound) might never have a chance to again. And so, I said “yes”. I asked questions. I went to events on my own. I introduced myself to everyone I could. I tried new things. I walked around my neighborhood asking passersby how I could be of help (true story). I did things for others. I learned the life stories of endless strangers. I brought people together. I took risks. I made myself vulnerable. And through it all, I was lucky to build a strong network around me. Knowing I had one year in Detroit enabled me to approach each day with a commitment to maximizing it.

While being effectively deported against my will (at the end of a magical, life-changing year, from a city I have fallen in love with, home to people and places I adore) is less than ideal, in a (tiny) way I am grateful for my timeline because it pushed me to see and learn and grow and live more than I thought possible in one year. Living day-to-day with this “carpe diem” mindset allowed me to make the most of my time in Detroit, cherish each unique Motor City experience, and recognize all that I have to be grateful for, in the 313 and beyond. As I move on, I hope to carry this mindset with me wherever I go. And, wherever life takes me, know that I will continue to sing Detroit’s praises, invest myself in the people and experiences around me, and see each day for what it is: a precious opportunity to live.