Now that I have had two weeks to filter my experiences and emotions I feel I can share my general thoughst about the trip. Overall, the experience was eye opening and inspiring. The pre-trip seminars were very helpful but nothing can do justice to actually being there. When talking to people who have not been to Southern Louisiana about the experience I sometimes feel incapable of conveying the magnitude of emotions I feel.

When asked,”How was your trip down south?” I often find myself entering a lengthy conversation. It’s hard to express both the good times our group had mixed with the overall depression (economic and mental) in Southern Louisiana. It’s such a conflicting topic because our group had a great time bonding and doing the work; however, it is really hard to witness the quality of life and the overall neglect Southern Louisianians have. The trip definitely gave me a whole new perspective on life. We, as Union students, are extremely lucky. I find it humbling to compare our  “losses” to the losses in Louisiana. A typical Union student would feel the world was ending if his/her computer crashed during exam week. A paper lossed or exam failed is the end of the world as many students know it. People living in Louisiana fear Hurricane season every year and pray they will not lose their home and community. Their losses put ours in perspective and open our eyes to the greater issues in the world.

After being in Louisiana, I feel guilty about the conflicts in my life; in the whole scheme of things I am very lucky. I do think the work we did in Louisiana was helpful and that the community appreciates what we did, I still believe that our experience was more beneficial. We, as privileged Union students, have gained a whole new outlook on life, improved our social skills (through interacting and observing), and learned a lot about Louisiana and what it means to help a community. This experience is one not to be forgotten and to be shared for my entire life.

Dulac’s condition is worse than I expected. I thought New Orleans was bad and then I realized New Orleans is nothing compared to here. Every where we drive we see a home completely ruined, debree everywhere, stray animals wondering, boats in streets, and many other terrible sights. I think it has affected all of us in enormous ways. Our way of life at Union College is way different from theirs. It is really hard to imagine living the way they do. On top of regular work, they have a community to rebuild. The work we do is minimal in the whole scheme of things but seeing these things and talking with the people is very important as well. I think the experience is more significant than the work we do.  I think we all have gained a lot of respect for the Houma tribe and Dulac’s community as a whole. It is very sad to know that the repairs that have been done will likely be destroyed again in a future storm. I really admire them for not giving up and moving forward each day. They truly have a sense of community and pride that can’t be damaged by a storm.

I just finished packing and can’t wait to get on our way to New Orleans! I think my excitement at this point is over riding my other emotions. I am a little nervous for what we are going to see and hear. We continuously are told that New Orleans is a huge culture shock and I don’t think people can know what this means untill actually experiencing it. I am really looking forward to interacting with the Houma tribe and to meet New Orleans residents; I know they want to share their stories and I am excited to listen. I am also looking forward to becoming closer with our group. The past few days have been a blast and I can tell we are all anxious to be in New Orleans. I know we will all work hard and have a great time!