What a Ride

Well, folks, that was no walk in the park. Not that I expected the program to be easy, but it was challenging in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. Although I had some bumps, some late nights, many early mornings, a lot of learning by doing and making it up as I go, a bit of frustration, and my fair share of mistakes and handwringing, I came out in the end knowing it was an invaluable life experience.

Detroit is another world compared to anywhere else I’ve lived. I was, for the first time, living in a big city, surrounded by a place impoverished, yet rich in so many ways. I saw hope in the eyes of inner city teens as they prepare to head off to college in the fall. I saw anguish in the faces of the homeless, the addicts, the mentally ill wandering the streets. I feel like I saw the city at its lowest low, and saw the unbreakable spirit that will power it into its coming upswing. During these ten weeks, I caught a fleeting glimpse of the real Detroit. Not the Detroit of the media, not the Detroit I was warned of by silly old Yooper ladies. The real Detroit is much more than that, much more intricate, more alive. Yes, it is troubled, perhaps sometimes morbid, but strong in spirit, rich in character, and full of potential. As the program comes to an end, I have a strong feeling that my work here is not done. There is still much to do, and I truly hope that the opportunity comes along to contribute more to a place I have come to believe in.

My placement was a full immersion into a 9-5 lifestyle, the world of non-profits and grassroots organizing, a crash course in community-based research, and all of the ups and downs that come along with it. Even though the workplace could be stressful, namely the lack of communication, the hordes of screaming children, and complete absence of windows, I feel like I had my first full-time job-like experience. There were things I liked and things that I didn’t, but all in all, I think I’m very lucky to have found out what those things are as a soon-to-be college sophomore, rather than as a graduate starting their new career. So, because of that, I can’t honestly say those less-liked things were bad after all. Aside from that, I was entrusted with a lot of responsibility, and probably more autonomy than I would have given myself, but I feel like I ended the program with a better work-ethic and as a much more responsible person than before. I was more or less handed a 160-page academic manual on food security assessment, told to do it, and did. I can’t say that I knew what I was doing the whole time, but I feel kind of proud that I worked hard and figured it out. I like to think that I also learned a good amount about research in general, which do wonderful things for my academic career.

I could go on and on summarizing my experience here, but I think I can suffice it to say that I learned more about a lot more things than I ever could have expected. I’m glad to have a little break before school starts again, so I have time to reflect and process the whole thing a bit more. I am certain, though, that this experience will always stay with me, and the things I learned in this program will have a pretty significant impact on my future. Thanks, Jenna, Jeanine, my fellow research fellows, and everyone else who worked so hard to make this program such a valuable thing.