After a long day on Friday, full of fast food, plane tickets and ear pains, we are in New Orleans! It's beautiful out (even at night) and feels a lot different from home. Most of us got to bed around one and we all woke up early this morning for a quick tour around the Lower 9th Ward . On our way throgh the city we saw beautiful houses, but as we crossed into the Lower 9th Ward the scenery changed a bit. We walked around the neighborhood and saw concrete walkways that led to nothing but a slab of concrete. We saw houses that looked like they had been ripped apart by a tornado just the week before. Seashells littered the ground from when the ocean waters ripped through the streets. Had such a disaster really struck over 7 years ago? Despite all these scars there were a lot of wonderful things to see. Make It Right homes, sponsored by Brad Pitt, were everywhere to be seen. These houses stand on stilts at least 5 feet tall and are equipped with solar panels. They may not be traditional New Orleans style houses but they are beautiful, and it's heartwarming to see that somebody out there is doing something to get people back home to their properties.
This was my (and many others) first day in New Orleans and there is certainly a lot to take in. The people, the weather, and the atmosphere are very different. But the change feels good, and I am so happy to be here. People have been telling me that it is an amazing thing we're doing; giving up our vacation time to help people in need. But so far, I have a feeling that in some way, New Orleans is going to help all of us.
No comments:
Post a Comment