Ben, ‘11

March 15, 2009

So, I know it’s been a while since I posted. Sorry about that. I was caught in the midst of a crazy midterm week and then had to leave right away for Spring Break. I won’t waste much time talking about midterms. I had four midterms in 48 hours. I got through them. I’m pleased thus far with my grades. The end. Now for the most important thing…. SPRING BREAK!!! Most people are excited to go home or somewhere like Mexico or Florida, but I went to New Orleans again this year. I have been on Leadership for the Collegiate Disaster Relief Team (CDRT). We brought twenty-five students and two faculty members to New Orleans to help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. It was an interesting week. It began and ended with an eighteen hour drive through the night for me and several other participants. We had to get tools down there and I was one of the lucky drivers. The rest flew. The way back for me was spent driving for several hours on end starting at 3:00 AM in the pitch black and pouring rain after a long week of hard work. I’m back, though, but still recovering.

I’ll keep the writing short and simply tell you that we demolished a post office from the 1800’s. It turned out to have asbestos and Leadership had a tough conflict on our hands. We got through it just fine, though. We also painted Rock N’ Bowl which is a popular local commercial establishment which offers bowling in addition to dancing to live music. The last few days were spent sheet-rocking a home and painting another home. Speaking to the homeowners and hearing their stories was incredible. One person stayed in New Orleans and rode out the Hurricane. The five days after the storm were spent having a feast at a local bar with the stockpiled food of others who remained. Another homeowner was born and raised in New Orleans and was desperate to return from Texas. Yet another survived the storm and stayed at a church where he brought supplies through five feet of floodwater. After a few days staying at the church, he was evacuated at gunpoint during mass with his 98-year-old mother. Given only fifteen minutes to evacuate, he and the priest each ate 400 communion wafers since they had been already been consecrated and must be consumed, as is tradition in the Catholic faith. These are only a few of the stories we heard this past week.

In addition to the service, we met with the head of the New Orleans EMS as well as a professor at Tulane, visited the famous lower ninth ward, and did so much more. We stayed only three blocks from Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, so we had our fair share of beignets at the world-famous Cafe Dumonde, tours through beautiful Jackson Square, and many other cultural experiences. The trip was great and everyone learned a lot in addition to helping some of those in need. It had its ups and downs, but it was well worth it. I have many new friends and fond memories. I’m not sure if I’ll return next year, but I’m glad that I returned this year.

Here is a video that I put together of some service from the week:

CDRT Service

Here is the week in pictures:

The post office we demolished…

which we later learned had asbestos…

which required protective gear.

Painting a house damaged by Hurricane Katrina

Visiting the levees breached by Hurricane Katrina…

as well as the Lower Ninth Ward in which all that remained
of several homes were the bare foundations

Speaking with a professor from Tulane University
about crime in New Orleans

Talking to Russell, the homeowner of the house we painted,
about his experiences with Hurricane Katrina

Driving eighteen hours to New Orleans in a 12-passenger van

Making new friends…

and even more friends

Visiting beautiful Jackson Square

and touring Bourbon Street near where we stayed.

Enjoying the local cuisine with crawfish pasta in the French Quarter…

and an alligator link sausage po’boy…

and beignets at Cafe Dumonde

Quote of the Week: “If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and actions, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day” -Alex Noble
Thought to Ponder: Did you know a full-grown bear can run as fast as a horse?
Shout Outs: Fran
YouTube Video of the Week:

Everything’s amazing, nobody’s happy