Missing NOLA

Yesterday was Mardi Gras and my heart yearned for and longed for New Orleans. I spent the summer of 2007 living in New Orleans with Emily, Michael, and Brian working with World Changers and watching students from across the nation come into the city and make a dramatic impact in the lives of those who had lost so much.It was an incredible experience and I miss it desperately.
I so VIVIDLY remember staying at John Curtis Christian for those first two weeks of projects. The staff all slept together in the school library which was quite an adventure considering Michael’s hot belly and his half time adventures. Emy and I perfected the prom hair even though we had to be up and ready to go by 5am to open the showers. (WHO showers at 5am when she is going to a construction site for the rest of the day?? QUESTIONABLE!) I remember the day I called our boss, Susan, because our PC was mad at us for waking up late – she asked me what time we woke up and I said quietly and somberly, “5:15” she just laughed and said that was NOT late. The showers were inside of the gym which had been severely damaged by Katrina and retained heat like nobody’s business. It was like walking into a sauna. If any of us started to complain about the heat, he/she only needed to step into the gym for a few minutes and then walk outside to feel completely refreshed. The encouragrams at that location were IMPOSSIBLE. I remember that we hung them outside on a piece of plyboard and had to cover them with black plastic every time it started to rain. Then the duck tape would kind of release its seal and they would all fall off. It was a disaster. We also had to lock the kids into their rooms each night. THAT was good times though – Em and I sang the girls to sleep and really got to bond with the participants. Everyone’s favorite was the World Changers Girls song. I still wear my XXL John Curtis Christian Football shirt from time to time – it just feels RIGHT to me (and to you too em!)

After those first two weeks, we had a week to play in New Orleans and really experience the city. We already knew there was NO BREAKFAST comparable to Café Du Monde beignets and frozen café au lait. But there were so MANY more things to experience: the Central Grocery muffuletta, the airboat swamp tour (including a personal introduction to BUD), the Audubon Zoo & Aquarium (AMAZING), the HOtard, Michael meeting his angel in the stairwell as the alarm went off in our hotel, an afternoon at the Riverwalk, a stroll down bourbon street, a day trip to Baton Rouge (which included a CUTE outfit and a good hair day – how often does that happen?), interacting with the crazy guy on the street who tried to “give” aka make you buy a hat, lots and lots of amazing food, and more laughter than I can really even recall. It was SUCH FUN! And I don’t think there is anything quite as pretty as watching the sunset over the Mississippi Bridge as the streetlights dance on the water. It is perfect.

Our third project in New Orleans was a bit more rocky for me – but still has a LOT of memories! I was SUPER sick – like they thought I had appendicitis sick – but I actually had a massive infection in my small intestines sick. GROSS. I was in bed through the first half of the project. However, before I even got sick, the adventures were WELL underway. Em and I slept in the land of eternal sunshine because there was some mysterious looking brown muck smeared on the wall in the room we were supposed to sleep in...that night we were also introduced by PC Erica Ho to the oscillating cockroach! Haha! I remember preferring stairs to the elevator (which never happens) because the elevator had a pool of oil underneath it that smelled TERRIBLY and waking up at 5am to attend the fire drill that was MANDATORY according to Ken (the meanest janitor of all time that made every effort to lecture us at every opportunity). That was the week everyone played snaps and had weird hand signals. I never understood any of that really because I was in bed for a significant portion of the project. I think I finally got up on Wednesday to celebrate Michael’s birthday (and the 4th of July). We got him an ice-cream cake at Cold Stone and we parked in the teeniest tiniest little alley. It was scary times! We had dinner at a Japanese steakhouse that night and then watched fireworks on the roof of the church (Ken would have had a CANIPTION fit if he knew we were up there!). It was so fun knowing that the entire country was celebrating Michael’s birthday along with us. The rest of the week went too quickly and before I knew it we were on our way to Pittsburg – only we were supposed to be going to Philadelphia – WHOOPS!!!

I think I will forever miss that summer…and New Orleans…it holds SUCH a special place in my heart!