Heh. My in-laws are all from Pigeon and Bad Axe. I learned about Caseville two months after I got married, when they hosted a beer bash up there in a hall somewhere for us newlyweds, and Aunt Velma got drunk and fell into the half-barrel of ice holding the keg, and just lay there laughing with her legs up in the air.
Never met people quite like that before…
I’m from Pigeon! My mom and her family is from Elkton, so they probably know each other somewhere in there.
I would think a Glock 40 with an extended mag would be about right…
I’m a bit unsure of that myself. I’ve heard my teacher mention the University of Detroit, but Wayne State appears to be the institution that handles the social work studies. I will look it up.
A lot of people mention driving around. I have no driver’s license, though I suppose I might try to get one in Detroit. But if I don’t I am pretty much limited to buses and monorail.
I’m interested in museums (especially the Motown museum!), stores/malls, libraries and second-hand book stores. Are there good neighbourhoods for this?
I wouldn’t mind meeting Detroit dopers!
Hmmm. Yeah, I missed that on my first read-through.
University of Detroit is a fairly small Jesuit liberal arts college out toward the suburbs with residential neighborhoods to the East, North, and West, with light industry (and decay) scattered among the residential areas to the South (following Livernois).
Wayne State University is a huge, sprawling state University that is just under two miles from the River, (making it much closer to a lot of sports and nightlife activity, but also surrounded by a lot of flat land that used to be residential, but is now vacant lots).
In the last 15 years, they have been reclaiming many of those lots, destroying the old streets and remapping the area with one- and two-story* apartments and condominiums. (An apartment is a flat (if you happen to be more fluent in Brit than in Yank).)
There might actually be a bit of decent bus transportation near Wayne State–nothing on the order of European bus service, but much better than the rest of the area. (And, of course, at Wayne State, you’ll be much closer to Henry Ford Hospital, where their primary care is gunshot wounds, so you’ll get good treatment. 
)
I was going to link to the A9.com block view maps for Woodward Ave through the Wayne State area (that I know they have) and along McNichols (that I think they had), but the nasty people have removed those pages from their (visible) site.
In its place, I offer http://local.live.com/
Like a lot of mapping software, these days, you can click on “aerial” to see a photograph from a nearly vertical position, replacing the map or “hybrid” that displays the same photo with the street names inserted into the photo.
However, they go one further. On the left of the map is a hide/display “pull out” insert that shows the area being mapped in a wider context. The icon for maps is a partially folded map.
Below that icon is an icon with the image of the skyscrapers of a city as though in 3-D. Click on that icon for many locations, and you will be shown a photograph of the area (always looking North) from just a few hundred feet up. The navigation is grab-and-drag and it is sometiimes a bit clunky as the view changes from one photo to the next, but it generally does a good job of showing what the area actually looks like. (Obviously, it cannot be used on every inch of North America, but they are adding new sections all the time.) You can either grab-and-drag the photo, itself, or you can grab-and-drag the trapezoid (indicating the photo’s range) on the inset map.
To see Wayne State University, enter the address
5200 Woodward Avenue Detroit, MI 48202
This photo is aimed at the Detroit Institutes of Art. Wayne State spreads out to the West (left) of the DIA, so grabbing the left side of the photo and dragging it right begins to display the campus. (Up (North) and Down (South) alkso work, of course.)
To see the University of Detroit, enter the address
4001 W. McNichols Road, Detroit, MI 48221
For addresses in the U.S., the postal code (named Zip code) is always the last piece of information in the address, never preceding the city name. The format is City-name comma space two-letter-state-abbreviation space Zip-code
The basic Zip code is a 5-digit number although there is also a four-digit suffix (always affixed with a hyphen) called “Zip plus four” that helps electronic mail sorters get the mail to the right postal carrier, but is not strictly needed for any mail or other address usage.
For a lot of mapping software, (MapQuest.com, maps.google.com, maps.yahoo.com, local.live), you can omit the city name and state when entering an address, as long as you enter the Zip code.
Michigan’s state abbreviation, (as you probably know by now) is MI.
The Motown Museum is, I believe, just North of the Wayne State campus. Easy walking distance and safe enough during daylight. The DIA is at the Wayne State campus, but is being renovated and will be closed through November.
The only monorails in Detroit are the downtown loop and a tiny shuttle between a shopping mall and a hotel in Dearborn. For the most part, it is all bus (limited as they are).
When you say you have no driver’s license, do you also mean that you have not driven (or driven much), or just that you currently have no license? While I have indicated that Detroit drivers are decent enough, I am not sure you would want to try to learn how to drive there while cramming studies into your life.
Thank you so much for that informative answer!
I know how to drive, really. I have practised driving for the past three years or so, I could easily transport myself from one place to another. However, taking the license is a much more complicated and expensive process in Sweden than it appears to be in the US. From what I can tell from my research, I think I could sign up for a test (after having arranged a social security number and valid documents) and get a driver’s license right away. Still wouldn’t have a car, but that might be able to be arranged.
So, it seems that at least the area of Wayne State has decent bus connections (maybe not so decent compared to my being used to be able to grab a bus every ten minutes, but still) and it’s close to the Motown museum and just across the public library!
You have to remember that Detroit was built on the auto industry - the whole area is very car oriented. Sure, there are busses but sticking to them could very much limit your travel options. Really check out what is available for public transit, don’t just assume.
Yes, US auto licensing is laughable compared to the European model. I am not sure of your age, but that can also be a factor. Renting a car, for example, can be difficult to impossible if you’re under 25 in some areas. If you own a car, even a “beater”, there will be costs such as mandatory purchase of insurance to consider.
Most American cities (Detroit included) are much more spread out than European ones and are generally much more run down in the inner city… the more money you have, the futher from the center you live (with a few exceptions like NYC).
Crime is a major concern. I am sure you can walk almost anywhere in Stockholm at any time of day or night and be ok (same here in Dubai). Doing that sort of thing in the US can get you shot. :eek:
There will be little in the way of public transport and not too many places to exchange Euros (only by being close to Canada will you have good exchange options). At least your Euros will go far… one Euro is about a million dollars these days. 
Oh puh-leeze. Exaggerate much?
Despite what a lot of people want to think, Detroit and East St. Louis do not actually resemble the majority of the country.
Well, I am under 25. I’m also not a citizen of Michigan which probably doesn’t help my case a lot either.
So, either I get my host family to drive me around (which I feel pretty uncomfortable with, frankly, since they are already doing me a great favor by letting me stay with them) or else I just have to deal with being pretty limited in what I am able to see and do. There is the option of going to other cities. Are all major American cities as pedestrant-unfriendly as Detroit, or could I have a good time in, say, Chicago?
I spent most of my childhood in that area (Toledo, Ohio, which is about an hour and a half south of Detroit and also a shithole because the industrial economy died) and I’ve gotta say, it may just be my perspective, but saying things like “You’ll get shot! :eek:” seem a little over the top, and is only going to scare you. Yes, there are dangerous areas. Yes, you should be careful of your wallet, and not get in cars with strangers, and there are areas you should avoid after dark. Maybe you should carry a can of pepper spray or something if you’re really really scared, but honestly, poor does not = violent.
This link has some common sense advice: http://www.mainstreetsafety.com/preventcrimetips.htm and I’m sure you can find other sources.
But enough about that, here are some ideas for fun activities:
You’re only here for a few months, and in this coming winter, I assume? If you were here in the summer, I’d suggest you try to take a day trip to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio (about…2 hours from Detroit) but so worth it if you love rollercoasters.
Look at a Great Lake. Take a boat on one. And then experience the shock of realizing, “There are five of these!” They’re monstrous.
If you’re here in late October, decorating for and passing out candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween always makes me happy. (if kids actually show up, there have been less in recent years in my experience, but maybe it’s because I’ve been in apartment complexes.)
This one is a little far (3 hour drive, 6 hours round trip, but it’s on a highway) but if you have the chance to take a weekend and drive to Cleveland, OH, you should go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Definitely. Also, I mentioned Toledo, Ohio, which has a very nice zoo (baby elephant! baby polar bear!) and a nice art museum and library system for the size of the city. (IMO)
Try local cuisine, too. The Metro Times http://www.metrotimes.com/default.asp has a lot of information on culture/entertainment/restaurants.
Also, I’d plan on buying outerwear (as in a coat or boots) for the winter here, if it’s in your budget, and just bringing gloves/hat/scarf with you. The weather hasn’t been reliable in recent years, so it could be freezing or just mildly chilly. Definitely bring good water-tight shoes with traction and warm shirts, though. Michigan winter wind will cut you in half.
You have to remember Detroit is the Motor City(the main area for auto production, at least traditionally). So The Car companies, and therefore the tax base have a vested interest in everybody owning a car.(And since everybody has a family member who works at a car company, they can get them cheap). The public transportation is really bad even for an American city.
Not all of them but most of them. Boston is very pedestrian friendly as is New York city and New Orleans. Los Angeles is not and Chicago is gigantic and sprawling as is Dallas. Most American cities aren’t very dangerous even after dark. There are only a handful of major cities like Washington, D.C., Miami, and Detroit that have that OMG vibe in plenty of places. I haven’t sepnt much time there but Detroit has a reputation for being the most bleak and run down major American city. Keep that in mind when you arrive. Other cities are glorious, even by world standards, in comparison.
I would certainly get a drivers license as soon as you can. That would open up all kinds of opportunities for you. It is difficult to live in most of the U.S. if you aren’t able to drive. I am not sure how that works for foreign students but getting one typically just takes less than a day and consists of a written test of modertae difficulty followed by a short driving test. Driver’s licenses are also the de facto form of id although I suppose you could get by with your passport.
The OP is from SWEDEN. S/he knows from cold winters, folks! Bring your outerwear that you usually use–you’ll be fine. Also, you can buy stuff here very cheaply (exchange rate is in your favor).
YOU CAN CHANGE MONEY AT ANY BANK–JUST NOT AT ATM’S. Heck, my husband’s rinky-dink credit union can and does exchange money.
Re the getting around. Sorry about that. We are NOT set up in the European way at all. Land was cheap here (still is, relatively) and so we spread out. Detroit is not the same as other major metropolisis (metropoli?) here. NYC and Chicago are more pedestrian friendly than Detroit. LA is another non-pedestrian friendly city. Detroit has a monorail? Who knew? :eek:
Chicago is NOT sprawling–the downtown area is compact, with shopping, excellent restaraunts, theater district and other attractions. Chicago-land area, IS sprawling. There is adequate public transport in Chicago-about on par with NYC or Boston, but nohwere neare European standards. Buses, commuter trains, taxis and the “L” (elevated trains) are the way to go in Chicago. Boston has the “T” or trolley, buses, taxis etc. NYC has the subway.
Is there a bursar or an ombudsman from the uni who you can ask re getting your driver’s license? It’s simple here-you need to pass a written test (very simple-get a Rules of the Road booklet); and a “behind the wheel” test where you drive and the testing guy evaluates you. Not many people fail this. You need a social security card, your passport and probably your birth certificate (?). I don’t know about you buying a car, but if you’re legal to drive, that opens up more options for you.
Here’s some help: MIhomepage
Go over to where it says, “how do I?” and access the drop down menu. One of the first ones is how to get a driver’s license for the first time. It’s a pdf. It should answer your questions there.
How about a bicycle? You’ll need a very strong lock, but that may give you more mobility on campus than walking and public transport. Some people use them year round (hardy souls).
DuckDuck Re Greenfield Village–it was the trains or the actual village that did me in. I remember looking over at some houses in the village and thinking, “but do I care that the inventor of the tubeless tire* lived in that house?” And realizing that our car was probably a two hour walk away. Greenfield Village could be used as a detention center the space is so vast…
*or whoever-who really cares where the founder of Firestone or whatever lived as a boy? As if it matters in the least.
Oh yes! I forgot!
Bring pictures of friends/family/places from home, and be prepared to reel off facts about yourself, your life, and your culture to the people you make friends with.
Americans may be insulated, but when we meet someone from another country, most of us, especially on a college campus, tend to be very curious and excited to learn about different people. We are fascinated by accents.
Of course, in addition to this, you may want to practice telling people to mind their own business. 
Oh, I realized that, but s/he doesn’t know about winter here, necessarily. Just giving him/her a heads up on what to expect here. I stand by my recommendation–with all the stuff you’ll probably need to bring, it might be easier not to pack bulky outerwear, especially if “winter” doesn’t start until January/February like it did last winter.
No, But I am talking about similarly sized cities in comparison to US cities. Stockholm (pop 1,252,020) and Dubai (pop 1,492,000). Dubai’s murder rate was less than 1 per 100K, Stockholm 3:100K and Detroit 42:100K
If the OP were going to small town Oklahoma, no worries, but large American cities are probably the most dangerous in the industrialized world. For someone used to Scandinavia (OP) or Dubai (where I am living), American is indeed very violent.
The only place I have lived where I felt less safe than in the US was in Tbilisi, Rep of Georgia.
Not sure about Sweden, but in the early 90 here there used to be a company offering seminars on how to safely travel to the US (ie you can’t leave your keys in the ignition when you park your car, you should lock your house… all was the norm here back then before Dubai became so well known).
One of the difficulties with some of the other, more pedestrian friendly cities mentioned is that they all have a much higher cost of living. If that is an issue, stick with Detroit.
(I’m thinking Minneapolis would feel friendly to you, and we have too many schools to list!)
beanpod–True. And for all we know, Sweden’s winters may be a drier cold or wetter… I agree with the buying the stuff here-probably much cheaper and won’t take up space in the suitcases!
It’s too bad the OP isn’t going to MN-there is a huge Scandinavian population there–and there it would be likely for the OP to come across “food from home” etc.
Then again, there’s always Canada… 
I also think that the cost of living here will be a pleasant surprise to the OP.
A lot of Detroit’s rep is a bit overblown by the statistics. And the artifacts of where city boundries happened to be drawn. With the whole suburbanization(white flight) whatever you want to call it, most large American cities had area that became depressed and blighted. And most of the middle class moved 8-25 miles from city center to suburbs. What happened with Detroit, is that the abandoned areas happened to cover virtually all of everything within the city limits. Now there are very bad areas. But any large City say Houston, L.A. Chicago have areas as bad as the bad areas of Detroit. But they also have decent sections of good areas within the city limits, to bring the averages up. Detroit was only left with bad areas, and very very small good areas to effect the crime and property stats and so on.
I personally don’t think People made a conscious decision to “move out side the City limits” just to move to an area percieved safer. Detroit’s fairly small city limit size just happened to havbe them all end up on the outside. L:et me see if I can explain;
If you took Detroit City center, and made a circle(well semi-circle cause of the lake) that contained as much area as the city limits of Chicago. You would probably catch more of the Gross pointe areas, Ferndale, parts of Dearborn that arn’t that bad etc. And if you went to the area size of Houston or L.A. you would have Probably Royal Oak, Troy, Farmington, Farminton Hills, and maybe Auburn Hills and Novi type places. The Stats would greatly improve on Average, and it wouldn’t stand out as bad in lists. Those are perfectly nice cities and towns, and no-one would really feel danger much more than any American city. Yeah if you go 7 miles in the Wrong direction you are gonna be scared and in some danger, but that is true in any major Metro area.
Not being an expert on L.A. or Houston, but I’d Imagine you could take a Detroit Sized hunk out of them that would have a pretty dismal performance on the stats. Detroit did get hit extra hard with the Auto Industries hard times, And I’m not gonna defend it too hard, But there really is a bit of random happenstance as too where the city border was made, and the stats that follow, that makes it seem worse that
And just for some numbers
Ferndale, right on the edge of Detroit, and one of those urban-suburban transition areas, has a 4.6 murder per 100,000 rate, much more in line with the other numbers. I doubt much any anyone would feel to threatened there.
[hijack] My family also comes from Elkton. [/hijack]