unveiling
Vail
a look inside an ann arbor co-op
Introduction: Unveiling Vail is a top secret podcast that gives an inside view into the co-operative housing system in Ann Arbor, MI. In each episode you will meet a current resident of Vail, uncover classified information about the co-ops, and will get to hear alluring gossip regarding what goes on behind closed doors in Vail House...
CONFIDENTIAL CO-OP LEXICON:
ICC (Inter Co-operative Council): Struggling college students established the first housing co-op in Ann Arbor, MI in 1932 during the Great Depression. Others quickly followed their example and pooled resources to purchase communal houses. In 1944, the houses formed the Inter-Cooperative Council to coordinate operations of the co-ops.
Guff: An adjective used to describe something that is owned by everyone in the house, and that can be used by anyone who enters the house. Ex: Guff bike, guff guitar, guff yogurt. Ex in a sentence: "Yo, is this quinoa dish guff?"
TWIN PINES: A symbol of the ICC which is two pine trees in a circle side by side. It is found on all co-ops in Ann Arbor, and on co-op paraphernalia.
THE ROCHDALE SOCIETY: The first official cooperative in the world. In 1844, a group of English textile workers formed a shop to purchase goods they couldn’t afford by themselves.
Boarders: People who do not live in Vail, but who pay a monthly fee to have access to our food and dinners. Boarders also contribute weekly chore hours, just less hours than residents of Vail. They are a lovely part of the Vail family and are often at social events.
VAILIENS: People who live, or board, at Vail co-op. A self-identifying label used by residents of Vail, playing off the word alien.
Episode one
In this episode Mani Samedi—a resident, Sustainability Steward, and unofficial historian of Vail—and I dive into the history of the Co-Operative system in Ann Arbor. Get ready to hear about: The Michigan Socialist Club, University of Michigan Students, racial issues in Ann Arbor, and more.
EPISODE TWO
In this episode, Elvan Ziyalan and I discuss how Vail manages to stay functioning for decades without falling apart. Get ready to hear about tofu, what our house would be if it were a celebrity, and more!
EPISODE THREE
This is the final episode of Unveiling Vail. This episode covers a lot of stuff, from noddle progressives, to what I am like as a roommate, to getting a glimpse of different Vailien's opinions and experiences of Vail co-op. Goodbye Vail, I will miss you dearly.
About me
Well, I hope by now you have gathered that I am Ingrid and I live in Vail co-op.But I have been asked by a lot of people why I chose to move into Vail in the first place. Answering that question could probably be traced convolutedly back to my childhood and the way I was raised, or to some experiences I have had while traveling and staying in hostels which often host an environment similar to co-ops... But I won't go that into to detail because that would take many hours to explain.
The idea of moving into a co-op first took root in my thoughts as a freshman in college. Living in the dorms was not that great for me, I was on North Campus at U of M and felt very isolated. I had been to a co-op party that first year and eventually toured one to see if I would like living in one my sophomore year. Unfortunately I got cold feet after visiting one of the largest co-ops on campus "Mich Minnies". So... as a result I moved into apartments with people I did not know, and had two more rough years on campus living situation wise.
After my Junior year, I felt completely drained by Ann Arbor. I still had not come to the realization that my living situations had affected my experience at U of M more than anything. As drained as I was after my Junior year, I decided to take a semester off to travel around Scandinavia. Before arriving back on campus as a second semester Senior I needed to find a place to live. I messaged a few friends and asked if they knew of anyone subletting. My co-worker at Bivouac, Nat, told me her room in Vail co-op was opening up because she was moving to NYC with her boyfriend.
I knew my ex boyfriend Andrew lived in Vail but we were on good terms so I decided to sign. I hoped living in a co-op would give me a better experience and relationship with Ann Arbor and U of M. However, I was hesitant and worried still because I knew the stigmas there where with co-ops being filthy, party houses, filled with outcasts or something like that. But after arriving to Vail and being welcomed with open arms and great food, I knew I had made the right choice. Living in Vail has changed my life for the better more than anything else has in my 21 years on this planet. I have grown as a person, I have become more comfortable with myself and more accepting of others. I have developed life-long friendships and a new passion for cooking. I have learned the importance of spending as much time as possible with people you care about along with the importance of communal living. I am so sad that my time in Vail is coming to an end, but I am even more grateful I got to experience something so meaningful, life-changing, inspiring, and all the other positive clichés there are out there that could describe what Vail co-op means to me. Thank you Vail, thank you to every Vailien I lived with, you will live in my heart and thoughts for the rest of my life.
Contact:
INGRID LINDQUIST
Instagram: ingi_ingi_ingi
LinkedIn: Ingrid Lindquist
Please feel free to reach out to me at any time! Any questions about my podcast, co-ops, living in Vail, life after University, etc. are welcome.