Day Two

We started the day with 10:00am Mass at St. Augustine Church in New Orleans’ Treme neighborhood. To see people who have lived through so much negativity celebrate their faith with such joy gave us all some hope. We may have some ideas for the next four school liturgy…more on this experience soon.

Our clapping, singing, and praying created quite an appetite. From St. Augustine we drove a short way to Cafe Degas (duh-GAH, as in the 19th Century French impressionist, not Vegas with a “D”) for brunch which was Delicious (with a capital “D,” nonetheless).

Then we were off to the historic and tourist-focused French Quarter for beignets (ben-YAY, as in, “We’re a bunch of tourists from the Yay Area. It’s lovely to meet you.”)

Sister ML led us on a “reality tour” of those areas most affected by Katrina. Below are reflections on that and other Day Two experiences.

Jovel
The Reality Tour: Smashed windows, collapsed roofs, and empty parking lots, many with the deepest blackest shades of silence. Chills ran down my back. I felt like I could hear the cries of ghosts in what had become a ghost town. Nowhere in the United States does there exist such an apparent economic, social, and political crisis. Though we haven’t begun building, I believe I have learned more today than I will on this trip. As a debater, I am physically seeing the intricacies we discuss all the time. We’re helping people, but we’re learning about crucial societal issues that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.

Nate
New Orleans is possibly the most interesting and eye-opening experience that I have ever been a part of. Though I jokingly complained about the destruction of half of my ski week, I am really “enjoying” some of the experience that I am having. The “misery tour” and the emptiness of New Orleans on NBA All-Star weekend have struck me profoundly. The lack of life, amount of destruction, and blatant disregard by the national government has made me realize exactly how bad the situation here is. I envisioned the city as the fun, active, metropolitan city. I saw it as one of the party cities I always wished to visit. I saw it as over after one day, this city said the same. The city is but a shadow of what it once was.

Josh
Today’s experience shocked me and I feel confused as to why.

Kristion Mardosas
I was surprised at all the unfixed and abandoned houses after almost three years. I enjoyed the spirit and enthusiasm of the mass.

Tommy
Today was fun…well, the beginning was. We went to mass and it was really hoppin’. We went to the French Quarter. Graham made a funny joke.

Molly
So far, this experience has been memorable and very hard to see the devastation of people’s homes and lives two and a half years after Hurricane Katrina. Today we went on our reality tour, this was a real reality shock seeing how homes are still ruined and seems as if nothing has been done to rebuild or help those in need where the hurricane struck the hardest. We also went to the French Quarter, which was very fun and entertaining as we got to see the first place that was built in New Orleans. However, tomorrow is when our real work begins as we start to paint a house in need.

Marco
Devastating. Some houses have weeds flourishing inside and growing through the empty window area. The X [spray painted on house fronts] has different quadrants about animals lost, people lost, the date the house was inspected and the group which inspected.

Savannah
I’m really enjoying my time in New Orleans. The French Quarter was amazing and embodied the culture of New Orleans. The reality tour struck me because I was astonished at how little has been done two and a half years after the hurricane. The lack of government support has made reconstruction that much harder. New Orleans is a beautiful city that needs all the help it can to get back on its feet.

Doug
We started the day with mass. It was really different than the other masses I’ve been to. It was very energetic and positive! At one point Jovel and I went up to the front with some of the locals and clapped and danced to the music. It was interesting to see another form of the same religion we practice at school. Then we went on the reality tour and it was shocking. You see pictures and hear stories and they are not even close to preparing you for that experience. There was still rubble everywhere and we saw at least ten houses where the roof was either fully off or sliding off the houses. We then came back and listened to Alexis Blanch speak about her experience and watched a movie she made. It was very meaningful, especially after going on the reality tour. New Orleans needs way more help than I had thought.

Graham
Angry: That not enough is happening.
Depressed: That a huge number of people have either decided not to return or lack the means necessary to return/rebuild.
Afraid: That the significant number of peoples missing will prevent the city from regaining its true, unrivaled character.
Happy: That I’m in New Orleans.

Annick Brett-Kearns
French Quarter: It was great to be in the French Quarter. The building were still decorated from Mardi Gras, and there were glittering masks in every store. We all wandered around and just looked at everything. Especially when we found the Beignet store that sold three giant beignets from $2.00.
Reality Tour: The reality tour was really eye-opening. While the re-building was obvious, still the prevalence of the destruction was astonishing. So many people have come to help and yet there is still so much to be done.