NEW ORLEANS

Day 1- Saturday March 17, 2012
11:00 a.m. Arrived at the United Saints volunteer house.
1:00 p.m. Saint Patrick's Day Parade
7:00 p.m. French Quarter/ Bourbon St./ Canal St.

Day 2- Sunday March 18, 2012
8:30 a.m. Mosque
11:00 a.m. Church Service- First Street United Methodist Church
1:30 p.m. SUPER SUNDAY


"It's ironic that there're so many intricate masks in NewOrleans.
The city of New Orleans is masked." - Andrew

The initial impression of the neighborhoods was overwhelmingly positive. The porched houses with colorful beads; the remnants of Mardi Gras draping balconies and gates. Our first cultural emersion into New Orleans was the Saint Patricks Day Parade. Our time consisted of screaming obnoxiously at the top of our lungs at people in floats for the beads that were admired. In addition, we managed to collect cabbage, carrots, and sour patch kids. Our second introduction to New Orleans was the infamous BOURBON ST. in the French Quarter. The street was packed with people from everywhere around the world. We ate delicious powdered sugar packed beignets by the river.

I have found that it is easy as a Minnesotan private college student to minimize the situation at hand from far away. But when the  horrors and tragedies of Katrina are staring you in the face each moment you step outside it becomes apparent. It is not easy to grasp the complexity of this city. It is a challenge to hold back tears when you see boarded houses from 2005 in the same state as when Katrina hit 7 years ago. The beast of Katrina haunts the already mortified people of this city every day. They cannot escape it, they do not have the privilege to fly back to Minnesota in a week. This is reality, this is home, this is life. I am amazed at the strength and resilience of the people of New Orleans.  I am in awe and in admiration of them. They have hope in the midst of a large day to day struggle. Their spirits and kindness shine bright in this dark situation. If not anything else I hope to bring this outlook on life back to Minnesota with me and cherish it for the rest of my life.

Daina Stanley, First Year Digital Media Arts Major