Hello,
I loved my experience with the Katrina Corps. I didn’t really know what to expect as I was flying to New Orleans, but it couldn’t have turned out any better. New Orleans is an amazing city with so many wonderful people. I thought it might be hard to wake up every morning at 6:30 to go to work, especially on my spring break, but every day I was just so excited to be there that I was more than ready to get going. The fact that we were helping people like ourselves to get their homes and lives back was a huge motivation. I just felt so lucky to have the opportunity to be there that I tried to take in every minute, every sight, every smell and noise something special.
The people there were so incredible, the locals had such a connection to their history, it created a very interesting cultural experience. There has to be a very strong connection to their heritage, since some of the population still speaks French while being situated in the United States.
The people working in our teams and the team leaders also helped to make the trip more fun. Everyone was so nice and energetic. It was great to meet people that had similar ideas and intrests to mine. If I try to talk about my interest in the Peace Corps or other volunteer projects with my friends at home I just get wierd looks and questions like, why would you want to do that? In New Orleans though, I met several people with the same interests, so it was easy to connect with them and make friendships right away. Good people, good food, good experiences all add up to a great trip that I learned a lot from. It left me with great memories and an even stronger desire to continue with my volunteer work.
I hope that I can come back and work for another week before the deadline is up, but if not, I’m glad I could help and share these experiences with such great people. Good luck with the work that ensues, may God bless.
Sincerely,
Steven