When one thinks about Michigan the image of colorful trees, Great
Lakes, cherries, and dunes leap to mind, but there is more to Michigan
than the beautiful environment. It is not the land that makes a state
great, it is the people. In Michigan there is an adventurous spirit
ignited centuries ago when the people of the three fires, the Ottawa,
Ojibwa, and Potawatomie tribes lived in harmony with nature. As time
went on, expeditions from the European countries sought the Northwest
Passage and discovered a land with plants, animals and cultures unlike
any they could ever imagine. Explorers like Brûlé, Nicolet, and LaSalle
ventured into areas unknown and discovered the Upper Penninsula,
Sleeping Bear Dunes, and Pictured Rocks, learning new languages and
forming alliances that would make it possible for many more courageous
men to take a chance in the "New World". In 1805 Michigan became an
official territory with Governor William Hull leading the way. Augustus
Woodward, R everend R. Monteith, and Father Gabriel Richard formed a school system
in our then rural territory to rival those of the cosmopolitain East, a
system still held in high regard today, and established the University
of Michigan. We've manufactured the world's best in stoves, furniture,
and automobiles. Famous men like Henry Ford, John and William Kellogg,
and Charles Post created and improved products and industries that
brought in workers from across the United States as well as the world to
Michigan.

While the history of some of Michigan's most famous residents can be
intriguing, it is the stories of the people who go unnoticed that truly
made Michigan what it is today. People like my grandparents who came to
Michigan just like the millions of other immigrants with nothing more
than hope and a spark of adventure. My mother's parents moved to
Detroit 53 years ago from Quebec. Times were hard and the promise of a
better future and stable jobs was enough to convince them to make the
move. On my father's side it is a bit more complicated. My great
grandparents moved to Detroit in the 20's from Wales looking for
employment and a better life. During the short time they were here my
grandfather was born, but the Great Depression took its toll, and soon
they were forced to move back to Wales. Sixteen years later World War
II had ended and free passage was offered to all United States Citizens.
My grandfather was 18 years old and looking for adventure and a job, so
he hopped on the next boat and came back to the place he was born. For my
grandparents Michigan was a place full of opportunities offering a
chance at a better future, a chance for adventure and a better life for
their children.
Right now Michigan is struggling and the once endless supply of jobs
has run out. As a student studying to be an English/Social Studies
teacher the jobs available to me are few, and the competition is fierce.
I have come to terms with the fact that I will most likely have to
follow in my grandparents' footsteps and move somewhere where the
opportunities are more promising and the jobs more attainable. It will
be difficult to leave my family and friends, but it will be most
difficult to leave the place where most of my memories were made.
As for the future, I believe that Michigan is just as resilient as the
people who live or have lived here, whether they are young or old,
famous or anonymous, historical or our future. Hard times are a part of
the cycle of life, and if anyone can find a new industry, job market, or
adventure to give us hope it is a Michiganian.