The Progress

The Progress is slow and steady. Rome wasn't built in a day and New Orleans won't be reborn overnight. There are groups in the city working from the ground up to help those in need, those who want to return, those who want to stay.









We worked with Habitat for Humanity at Musician's Village. The land and plan for a 4 block neighborhood was actually already in the works with Habitat when Katrina struck. But with thousands of people displaced and in need of housing, Habitat hastened their plans. The idea of Musician's Village was started after the storm as a way to entice musicians and preserve the music culture of NO. The homes are not specifically for musicians, though many musician's will live there, but rather for those families that need homes. The hope and theory is that by getting musicians back to the area, they can teach the families that are not musically involved and keep the musical culture alive in New Orleans. After all, there are few things actually invented in America, but Jazz is one of them.

The Devastation

What is difficult to believe, is that no amount of television could do the devastation justice. A picture of a house, is just one picture, when in reality, the gutted/boarded up homes go on for blocks and blocks.

Entire neighborhoods that were once bustling with activity, lay quiet and dormant except for the presence of the Military police who check to ensure there are no squatters in the unsafe homes. And it goes on for blocks.

Some front lawns have trailers haphazardly placed next to homes that are years away from being livable. And it goes on and on for blocks.

Streets are filled with holes, sidewalks are broken, businesses are closed. And it goes on for blocks.

Houses are for Sale, but no one can buy them, no one wants to buy them, so they are empty. And it goes on for blocks.

Occasionally you'll see a sign that says "Open" but you have to wonder for how long? There are piles of debris on the curb, and you wonder those will stay there for how long? And it goes on for blocks.

Water marks are eye level to where you stand, spray painted markings of who, when and what was found are on every house. And it goes on for blocks.

And it goes on for blocks.

The People

Wherever you go, you are bound to meet interesting people, but in New Orleans, that means friendly and interesting people. Here is a list of just a few:

Habitat workers- Worked with a few crew leaders, none more memorable than Smokey Joe and Cairn. Smokey Joe smoked all of the time, and if you saw him on the street you wouldn't believe he was a volunteer. Cairn was our crew leader at the new construction home and lead in a positive, energetic way that made everyone feel at ease with trying new tasks. She was awesome!

Americorps- These volunteers were everywhere we went! Staying at Camp Hope they had different projects but were fun to talk to and see where they were in their placement and where they we going to next! Hooray for this generation stepping up and giving a year of volunteer service to their country!

The other volunteers- We met so many people down there that spent their vacation like us volunteering for Habitat. A New York police officer we dubbed "tall guy" because he was tall.....the nicest group of girls from West Louisiana, and a journalist that was passionate about her views....

Shop owners-we met a husband and wife that own a weaving shop and make beautiful rugs on 8 and 10 foot looms. They were pleasant to talk with and welcomed us to their city and hoped we would return in the future. Another shop owner we spoke with explained his current frustration of buying a home in New Orleans. He was eager to say he loved the city and wanted to live no where else, but there were definitely people down there that are taking advantage of others. Like the bank he was told to go to for a mortgage... they offered him a 30year 16.5% with points... RIP OFF.


The Bus Driver- Tara and I were walking to the site and a school bus was at the intersection picking up a book bag with a little boy attached to it, and she waved us on as she kept traffic stopped for us. She yelled out her window "Cross, while I've got the arm out! Thanks ya'll for what you're doing! We appreciate it!"

The Waiter- We met a waiter who went to school in Hershey PA, so he actually knew where E-town and Lancaster was! He was funny because he worked for the Corps of Engineers, however would not say it out loud seeing as we were in a city that does not have a high regard for the Corps..... he also helped us find out where the JT concert would be, I guess you could say he was the first one we told where we were going!

The animals- New Orleans is a pet friendly town!! But what town wouldn't be where you can drink a beer and walk your dog at the same time!! Anyway, we particularly liked Violet the rescued Catahoola dog, and a fluffy white and orange cat that loved to sleep on a green ottoman in the window. Whenever we passed, he was always there, different position, but still in the same window.

Amazing Housekeeping at the Lamothe House- So, as one would imagine, the three of us were pretty funky after 3 days of work when we checked into the hotel. When we first got there, we noticed that "hotel smell" in the room. Not smokey, but just a hotel smell. We didn't care, because we knew that we were pretty smelly, and that our clothes were pretty rank. The following day, we arrived to our hotel where housekeeping had sprayed an entire bottle of airfreshener in our room and left bigger bars of soap! Do you think they were trying to tell us something?

The Food

YUMM!!!!! I think that sums up the food we found in New Orleans!! Here's a list of places we ate, let us apologize in advance to anyone not able to dine here....

Bubba Gump Shrimp- our first meal in NO landed us here where the seafood was fresh, and Tara and I rocked the trivia!

Cafe Dumond- quintessential breakfast spot for coffee and beignets. We found out that the beignets are just like funnel cakes, fried dough, or mandazi, depending on what you call it. Square shapes of fried dough doused in a healthy portion of powdered sugar. A must in New Orleans. We had them Saturday morning and we ran all day on that sugar rush!

Johnny's Po'Boys- the New orleans version of the hoagie or sub. Yummy, and be sure to add some hot sauce to them too!

Cafe Amelie-Dinner on Saturday was my choice as it was my birthday, and I chose well! This restaurant is located in the French Quarter with intimate seating in their spacious candle lit courtyard. They offer salmon, pork chops, duck and filet, all of which were perfectly prepared and accented with fresh vegetables. Cafe Amelie also boasts their support of using local and organic farmers and their motto is "Fresh, wholesome and soul satisfying." We left there feeling exactly that way! AND as if that wasn't enough, they have a number of interesting cocktails, including our new favorite the Amelie: vodka, sugared lime juice and mint leaves served over ice with a sugar rimmed glass.

Aldofo's- Just lower of the French Quarter lays Frenchman Street that has the best music and some great finds, including this one. This hole in the wall restaurant is above a smokey bar and had the best Italian fare we could have asked for. Small, quaint, and nothing mass produced in sight.

CC's coffee- the best coffee in town everyone knows is Community Coffee. Hence, CC's Coffee house. A great coffee house with local art, baked goods and coffee combinations that hit the spot for two twenty somethings trying to stay up for a rock concert! ;)

Port of Call- our last night in New Orleans had us stay in the Lower Quarter on Esplanade. This corner bar/restaurant has a simple menu, but does it well! Hamburgers, steaks and baked potatoes is all you will find here. BUT, the 1/2 pound hamburgers were the best (I'm told) and the 1/2 pound potato is loaded with toppings that serves as a meal itself!

The Cafes- we also ate at two corner cafes that also did not disappoint, but have forgotten the names!! AHHH!! The thing about New Orleans though, is that you could eat somewhere new every day for 3 weeks and not be disappointed! Bon Appetite!!

The Big Easy

Like many other cities I have fallen in love with, New Orleans is no different! The city is easy to get around in, beautiful and has so much to offer. If Bourbon Street is the only thing that comes to mind when you hear New Orleans, you, my friend are vastly missing out! Though most of our touristy time was spent in the French Quarter, it was well worth it! The Friends of the Calibo is a non-profit organization that offers guided walking tours around the city. Our guide was full of knowledge and explained the history of this city to us. And what a history it is, with both French and Spanish influences, New Orleans has a culture all its own, and architecture that will have you saying "oh, look at that!" all day long. (If this part sounds like a commercial for NO then so be it! Everyone should go!!)

The Work

Like True Volunteers, we went where we were needed, even if it meant doing the jobs that were not as glamorous as building houses. Monday and Tuesday we volunteered to work on the punch lists for houses on Alvar St. in Musician's Village. These were homes that were already built, but still considered "under construction" because there were touch ups, replacements, and things to correct. We corrected them so technically we "finished" 4 houses. The tasks for the punch list included trim work, evening up paint lines, goo gone the soffits, fix a fan, and repair damaged dry wall. These two days also had us doing two completely unrelated jobs that they needed extra people for. They were loading sheetrock onto a flat bed, and getting a bus out of the mud.

By Wednesday we had enough of the punch list stuff and wanted to see a house under construction. So, we went three blocks away from Musician's Village to work on French Street. This house had all of the bones together, and we helped with some of the interior and exterior details. Mom was inside with putty, and caulk tending to all of the trim in the house, while Tara and I volunteered for Landscaping outside. This would be a great time to tell you that in construction terms "Landscaping" is another terms for "moving dirt." Yes, Tara and I spent 8 hours on Wednesday moving a truck load of dirt to grade the yard. And by truck load I mean truck load!

Thursday, we were very sore from the dirt moving and quite frankly were scared to go back to that site for fears that we'd have to move dirt again. So we decided to go to the Warehouse where they needed some things done. The warehouse was very cool! Pieces and parts all waiting to be put together in the exact way to be someone's home! Over at the warehouse they are still getting things organized, so we helped clean it up a bit, salvaged some wood, and then there was the big project..... There is this piece of soffit that is made out of vinyl that goes on every house. its about 10 feet long, really flimsy and are sold in cardboard bundles of 40. This is all fine, except when the delivery is left outside on the loading dock for months on end. Our project was to remove the cardboard, rebundle them with shrink wrap and move them inside so they could be added to the inventory and used appropriately. So Thursday we spent with millions of our closest friends called Termites. They had been living in/on/off the wet cardboard for a while. We also saw some other wild life such as palmetto roaches, salamanders, and a skeleton of an appendage we still aren't sure what it belonged to.... By the end of that day we were very smelly, and very itchy as our minds played tricks on us!!

Our last day we decided to return to the under construction house with the dirt pile. Our awesome crew leader was so excited to have us back and put us to work on other things besides dirt duty. Mom was busy caulking again and did some painting, I scraped drywall paste off the subfloor, Tara helped organize some things outside, did some caulking too, but by the afternoon the weather turned warm and Tara and I took over the dirt pile again to soak in the last few rays of 70degree weather we could get. WE were the ones to level it!! WOO HOO!!!

So overall we may not have built a house in a week, but we were an active part in the process to bring people back to New Orleans to live in safe stable homes. I think that's pretty cool.

The gift from JT

Every morning at 7:20 there is a morning meeting at the Habitat worksite. It is a chance to sign in and get our work assignments. At Tuesday's Morning meeting one of the Habitat workers climbed onto the truck that was serving as a platform with a bundle of tickets in his hand. He said, "So we get donations here all of the time, everything from tools, food, whatever, and people give what they can. But this time we got tickets. Justin Timberlake sent over all these tickets for us to go to his concert on Thursday."

The College girls squeeled with delight as Tara and i Maturely smiled and said "Wow." (Though we were really excited because we've decided we are closet POP music fans.

So this past Thursday night Tara and I went and saw Justin Timberlake in concert! It was awesome! Boy can he DANCE!! It was a great treat, and something fun to look forward to!

Thanks JT for bringin' sexy back and for the great gift!!

The Second Helping

If having to rent a car was the first Snafu, Camp Hope was definitely our second. Accommodations were as expected, basic food, shelter, and place to sleep. When we arrived we were placed in a room of 6 Americorps members, all of whom were great. They were pleasant and helpful. The difficulty came with the 300+ Spring Breakers that were around us on the other side of a wall that was incomplete and only made of a layer of sheetrock on exposed metal beams.

So Sunday was fine, Monday was fine, but our patience was wearing thin, and by Tuesday our nerves were shot because we could not find a quiet place in all of Camp Hope to rest our weary bones! (Tara and I tried watching a movie Monday night, but that didn't go so well as 4-5 people were talking on their cell phones......) So on Tuesday evening we set out to find a place that would provide us with relaxation after a long day of work.

We found our solace in the Lamothe House. A richly antique decorated house on Residential Esplanade just one block from the French Quarter. It was a wise choice as we were finally able to get the R&R we so needed. PLUS, it had all of the conveniences of sheets, hot shower, and toilets that worked, all things Camp Hope lacked.

We think Camp Hope is providing an excellent service, and even think we could have stayed if it wasn't so loud. I'm sure its just that way right now as Habitat gears up for its annual Collegiate Challenge. I'm sure the environment is much more relaxed at other times of the year.

And to answer your question, yes, Tara and I do realize that we are not 20 any longer!!!

The First Part

WOW!! We're in New ORLEANS... well, outside of new orleans now in Violet LA. We got in on friday and had a wonderful weekend in the Big Easy. We were totall tourists going on a walking tour, shopping, and strolling on bourban st.! We had an amazing time, and more stories will follow, its just that there is a 15min time limit on the computers!!

Today was our first day of work and it was great! We volunteered to do the Puch list for a few houses. These were lists that were created by the homeowner and habitat staff of work that has to be done before they can move in. So, a lot of touch up paint, sanding, fixing a fan and all of that stuff. All in all, 3 families are ready to move now thanks to our work!!!

Camp Hope has been good, a little throw back to college days of carrying your things to the shower, loud kiddos and all that stuff. OH well, we can't all be smart like me when we're 20!!!!

Talk to you latah!

The Info

Here is the plan thus far:

• Tara, My mom and I leave Friday morning for New Orleans
• We arrive mid afternoon, pick up our rental car and head to our hotel.
• Casual dinner and get our bearings of the French Quarter. (Specifically fastest route to Cafe Demond for coffee and beignets for next day's breakfast)
• Saturday sight seeing around the French Quarter (I know where to go and what to do thanks to the Lonely Planet guide that I got as a gift!!!)
• Saturday night, My Birthday Dinner someplace fun
• Sunday sleep in and enjoy the last comforts of Hotel living.
• Head for Camp Hope just outside of New Orleans. On our way we will pass the hardest hit, 9th ward.
• Check in at Camp Hope. Camp Hope is an Elementary school that has not reopened yet since Katrina. It has been turned into basic accommodations for volunteers. For a donation of $20 a day, you'll get a cot, place to shower, go to the bathroom, and 3 meals a day. Not too shabby!
• Complete week of work with Habitat. (Details to follow later!)
• Leave New Orleans Saturday Morning.

There are great people organizing Camp Hope, and while there we'll have laundry facilities, first aid, and access to the internet so be sure to keep checking the Blog!

The Preparations

Unlike last year's volunteer experience, there is relatively little preparing to do for this trip. That is why Habitat is so awesome, you show up, and they've got everything for you!!

I have registered my group online with New Orleans Habitat for Humanity, signed us up for our accommodations at Camp Hope, and continue to explain to people around me why exactly we are going.

Yes, it is true, people have said "Why would you want to go there?" when I told them of my plans for New Orleans. I think their reaction shocks me as I am still trying to find peace with it. I guess their reaction of "WHY??" is expected when traveling to Africa or some place far away, but this is New Orleans, the Big Easy, the bustling party town home of Mardi Gras and Jazz. So it is still catching me off guard as people question my intentions. And I try very hard not to leap across the room, shake them and yell, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHY?? BECAUSE!! YOU IDIOT!" But oh, how good that would feel.

My favorite reaction remains "I wouldn't go there, with all those diseases."....... My reaction to that comment was "There are no diseases, nothing more than here. Besides, there are Americans with no homes waiting for the bureaucracy red tape to unwind for them to rebuild a home where their home once stood." Then I added, "And, I've got all my shots from last year, so I'll be fine against, Malaria, yellow fever, TB, HepABC, Typhoid, Tetanus, not that any of those have reached the US since 1930...."

My blanket statement to all of those questioning the intentions of any volunteer is the following, "We do it because we care, because we believe we can make a difference, because it needs to be done. And I challenge you to do the same, just try to volunteer, I can assure you it will change your life."

So with our preparations underway, we are ready! Now if I can just figure out how to fit a nice comfy pillow into my already stuffed suitcase......

The Mindset

Due to the nature of my last blog, many of you were prompted to ask if we would still be going to New Orleans. The answer is a loud and boisterous YES! OF COURSE WE ARE!

You see, the mindset of a volunteer is one of determination and adaptability. First, a volunteer must have the sheer determination to help be productive in a place where there is much to be done. They must be able to tend to a task, big or small, and know they are making a difference. They also must have the ability to adapt to whatever the situation at hand entails. So, you signed up to paint? Well, get out your hammer, it's time to build a wall!

You see, this adaptability is an unwritten rule that goes along with serving the community. What kind of volunteer would we be if we said, "oh, I only volunteer to paint," while there are people waiting in line for a hot meal at lunch? The true volunteer will grab the spatula and serve up the lasagna! The volunteer goes where there is need, and my friends there is need in New Orleans.

So, despite the recent Snafu, we will be going to New Orleans. Though, the planning wasn't as smooth as we would have liked, we have worked it out. We're determined and adaptable...Again, what kind of volunteers would we be if we said "I don't have an extra $100 to spare" when in reality, we can eat in for the next two weeks and make coffee at home to have that $100 in no time.

Be sure to visit my friend's blogs to further understand the mindset of a volunteer! They are all GLOWING examples of the need to be determined and adapt to one's environment, even if that environment happens to be the hospital!! :)

The Snafu

To every good trip there must be at least one Snafu, and no I am not talking about the yummy short-lived Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor. A snafu, like a rock thrown onto your smooth path of paradise. Well, a big ol' fat rock has landed right smack dab into my plans for New Orleans.

When we registered with Habitat we specifically chose them and the project at St. Bernard's Parish because they had transportation to and from Camp Hope. However, as of December 31, 2006 the funding ran out for said transportation, now this do-well volunteer trip is steadily rising out of our financial reach.

True splitting a car rental between three people technically would not be that difficult to swing for the week, but it is stretching the budget, and besides, it is wrong on so many levels. I place none of the blame on Habitat or any other organization in the NOLA area, no, this blame gets placed directly at those who have power over finances and make decisions for this piece of America that is slower to be rebuilt than many of the countries whom we send aid to. Its frustrating that there is not enough money in the area to take care of a little thing like transportation for the volunteers. People who are holding back monetary funds, conscious or unconscious, are harming a city's potential for regrowth, and the thousands of people who wish to call New Orleans home once again.

I wonder how many volunteers have been turned away because they can't afford the transportation. How much work could have been done had those volunteers been able to go?

Someone please tell me, where we go from here?

The Letter

Dear Brad and Angelina;

While I am extremely happy that you will be joining me in New Orleans this year, I would like to extend my concern for your plans. I am sorry, but it does seem as though you are following my lead. For example, my news last year of heading to Kenya for the summer was overshadowed by your holiday in Namibia. Although, I'm not exactly sure why- since they are on opposite sides of the continent. But still, everyone would ask "Are you going to see Brad and Angelina?" So now, a full two months after my announcement of volunteering with habitat for a week in February, you announce your plans to move there. As one would guess, I have now been inundated with questions about the two of you and if I will see you there. While I cannot assure anyone I will, I can assure them that copying is a form of flattery, and I take flattery well....

Furthermore, in order to plan our vacations for the next two years, I would like to go "on the record" with my plans so that you may coincide your travels with mine since historically that seems to be what has taken place.

April 2007: Ireland
Summer 2008: South East Asia
Summers hence forth: South Africa, UAE, France, Norway/Sweden, Italy, India, Australia

Due to my consideration of your family as partners in global humanitarian work and crusaders in social change I hope to work with you in the future. Thank you for your time in this matter, see you around the big easy!

Sincerely,
Lady B