As we wrap up this final week in the city, I can say that I was 100% correct when I noted that my time here was going to fly by. My internship with FoodLab and this opportunity to live in Detroit has been such an amazing experience and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I’ve fallen even more in love with Detroit over these past 10 weeks, but I also have a much more realistic view of the struggles of the city. I understand the frustration of long time residents better when it comes to romanticizing this city as a haven for artists and Millennials. There are still a lot of people struggling in this city with very serious issues, some of which we talked about in our Tuesday seminars (like water shut offs, the new bridge to Canada and the disastrous environmental effects for residents of Delray, etc.).
But there’s still a lot of exciting and wonderful things happening in Detroit that I’m so thankful I was able to experience. There are a lot of people working on really great projects and I’m grateful for this program and the other students/their placements, as well as the other people working in the Green Garage, for drawing my attention to them.
It’s unfortunate that just as I’m getting more comfortable and confident in my placement, it’s time for me to say good bye. However, I’m grateful for all of the community events that both FoodLab and the Green Garage put together because it allows me the space to maintain the connections that I’ve made this summer. I wish I could have done a little more networking, but that’s definitely an area where I struggle, and although I feel like I could have done more, my confidence in this department has grown considerably since day 1.
I’m a person who tends to get caught up in what I could have done better, but overall I’m proud of the work I’ve done for FoodLab, and I’m proud of how much I’ve been able to grow during my time here. I’m more confident in myself and talking about my passion, I’m more confident in my abilities, and I’m more humble and realistic with my view of Detroit (though that hasn’t decreased the warm spot in my heart for the place).
