I spent the first 10 years of my life in southeast Michigan, and then my world gradually got bigger as I moved–to Illinois, Florida, England, Russia, and Japan. When I tell people that I decided to move back to Michigan, and specifically to downtown Detroit, the most frequent response I get is one of confusion. “Detroit? You’ve travelled the globe, and you landed on Detroit?”
Yes! Yes, I did. I’m here, and it feels right, and I am loving it.
I hope, over time, to be able to communicate my love and excitement for this city and this new life chapter. To start, I thought I’d share with you five reasons why I’m loving it. Today, I’ll simply list them off. Over the coming weeks, I’ll unpack each one a bit more.
So, here we go:
- “The Roar”
It’s the phrase so many in Detroit are rallying around this year: “Restore the Roar!” It’s not a new phrase, and this year it’s largely being cried out in support of Detroit’s sports teams, but it applies across the board: So many people are so passionate about this city and its comeback journey. The enthusiasm of the everyday people I meet here is my favorite thing about being here. (Also, I like to roar.)
2. The History
When I walk around my new neighborhood, I see so many iconic architectural landmarks. Museums and murals celebrate the contributions so many have made to Detroit and through Detroit. It’s the Motor City: the birthplace of General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. It’s Motown, and it’s the birthplace of Techno. There’s a long, soulful legacy here, and I love learning about it.
3. The Fall
I don’t mean “the fall of Detroit,” although we’ll dive deeper into that later. No, mean the autumn season. It’s been so long since I experienced a proper American autumn, and Michigan really shines in all its fall features. Detroit is a great place to spend this season, and I’m loving it.
4. Accessible Activities
There is so much going on in Detroit, and it doesn’t take a big budget to participate. (Though, the big budget options exist, too!) There are great public amenities, festivals with local artists and live music, and plenty of spots for foodies. Simply put, it’s easy to have a good time here.
5. Quiet Weeks, Lively Weekends
As a social introvert, this is an ideal spot. Downtown Detroit has a lot going on, especially on event evenings and weekends. But on a weekday, it’s actually pretty quiet, and I love that. I can go for a morning run in relative peace, and I am guaranteed a spot in whatever coffeeshop I want to get some work done.
up next: “Restore the Roar”
Detroit, Reformed. 
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