Visiting Dearborn for two months, no car - how to spend weekdays? (Detroit: employment)

[highlanderfil]

I've got a bit of a peculiar question. I've got a visitor from overseas who plans to be here in July and August. She and I are basically making a go of a trial living together situation while she's on summer break (she teaches Russian and English in Russia). There's only a small matter of what to occupy her time with while I'm at work (roughly 8 to 6). She doesn't drive and obtaining a driver's license is out of the question for the foreseeable future, which presents us with a bit of a problem as Dearborn doesn't have a great public transport system. I do have a bike which I can give her, though, so that she'll be at least somewhat mobile. Any suggestions you can throw my way? She speaks English nearly fluently, so that should help.

[zthatzmanz28]

Wow. 5 days a week for 2 months without a car? Going to be a long trial. Have her hang out at Greenfield Village and possibly seek employment there.

I am not sure about a Russian community in the immediate area.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

Wow. 5 days a week for 2 months without a car? Going to be a long trial. Have her hang out at Greenfield Village and possibly seek employment there.

I am not sure about a Russian community in the immediate area.

Yeah, hanging out at Greenfield would be great if we could find her even some volunteer work. Maybe I can talk to someone there. Sadly I don't live in the most exciting of areas.

A Russian community isn't really necessary since she speaks good English.

[Coldjensens]

There ar occaisional things she can do depending on where you lives. The bicycle will be critical. I hope it is a good one. Just to be safe, you may want to teach her how to use pepper spray. Dearborn is not awful (most of it isn't), but a woman unfamliar with this country out alone all day, could find trouble, it never hurts to be over safe.

Dearborn have a symphony. There is a community theater group. The Henry Ford/Greenfield is a neat place, but a large percentage of the visitors are from elsewhere, not too many from Dearborn visit that often. Lots of locals work there. She could take classes at U-M Dearborn or at Henry Ford Community College (HFCC) she would meet people that way. Even if she does not want to take academic classes, she could take dance, karate, art, or music classes or something.

She can take a train to Detroit or Ann Arbor, (or even out to chicago for a coule of days). If she goes to Detroit, she needs to have a plan (where she is going and how she will get there). The Detroit Institute of Arts is fantastic and has lots of events and classes.


My daughters both work at Henry Ford/Greenfield Villiage. Their hiring event is already over, but sometimes positions open up if somone quits (no one ever gets fired). It is minimum wage. I will ask them about volunteer opportunities. I think they may need help with the library/archives, but I am not certain. THere is abotu a 50% chance I will remember to ask them and then remember to find this thread and post the answer. I will try to remember.

She will have to work hard to not end up lonely. If she makes the effort to get out and make friends, she will have a nice time.

How old is she?

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

There ar occaisional things she can do depending on where you lives. The bicycle will be critical. I hope it is a good one. Just to be safe, you may want to teach her how to use pepper spray. Dearborn is not awful (most of it isn't), but a woman unfamliar with this country out alone all day, could find trouble, it never hurts to be over safe.

The bike is decent. It's pretty much brand new - I just might need to get it tuned as I bought it before the winter holidays and basically stored it in my garage all winter long without riding it. Pepper spray is a good idea.

Dearborn have a symphony. There is a community theater group. The Henry Ford/Greenfield is a neat place, but a large percentage of the visitors are from elsewhere, not too many from Dearborn visit that often. Lots of locals work there. She could take classes at U-M Dearborn or at Henry Ford Community College (HFCC) she would meet people that way. Even if she does not want to take academic classes, she could take dance, karate, art, or music classes or something.

I have thought about the colleges but need to find out whether or not they would let her take classes with just a visitor's visa. Can't imagine that being too much of a problem, but I'll need to find out.

She can take a train to Detroit or Ann Arbor, (or even out to chicago for a coule of days). If she goes to Detroit, she needs to have a plan (where she is going and how she will get there). The Detroit Institute of Arts is fantastic and has lots of events and classes.

I don't think she'll be too comfortable doing that on her own, plus the train is actually not all that cheap and without an income for two months we're going to look to be as frugal as we can.

My daughters both work at Henry Ford/Greenfield Villiage. Their hiring event is already over, but sometimes positions open up if somone quits (no one ever gets fired). It is minimum wage. I will ask them about volunteer opportunities. I think they may need help with the library/archives, but I am not certain. THere is abotu a 50% chance I will remember to ask them and then remember to find this thread and post the answer. I will try to remember.

That would, of course, be ideal, but I don't think anyone will officially hire her without a U.S. work permit. I don't know if volunteering has the same rules, though. Maybe I can google some volunteer organizations around here.

How old is she?

27.

[Coldjensens]

She could also take some community education classes. She could help out with Dearborn players guild. Even if she does nto sing or act, they need properties people, stage hands, costumes, lighting people set builders, ushers, ticket takers.

I was asking her age, becasue if she is near my daughters' age they might be able to introduce her to things. One attends U-M D and both work at Henry ford so they spend quite a bit of time in Dearborn. But she is quite a bit older.