This class and service trip have pushed me outside my comfort zone many times in many different ways. Did my little dot on the map in NE Iowa expose me to diversity? Possibly, but certainly not to the extent of New Orleans. I really had to step back and analyze my thoughts during this trip because I went through so many conflicting thoughts and had so many novel experiences. My background certainly contributed to my lack of diversity experience, but my classmates also played a large role in my increased scrutiny of my thoughts and feelings. When someone with a completely different background says something that you think is just "off," the first reaction is to defend your point-of-view. While this may help the other person see where you are coming from, the real learning takes place when you listen to what they have to say. I know it sounds like I'm stealing a page out of Amanda's book, but these are the thoughts I've been having since we got back from NOLA.
I can definitely blame Smitty for some of my learning and discomfort, though blame implies a negative outcome. I can honestly say that conversing with Smitty is the thing I will take the most away from New Orleans. It's not that his philosophies were the same or different than mine, it's that he questioned EVERYTHING and opened up the mind to see the good, the bad, and the ugly on every issue. I kept thinking about connections to my other classes, especially RE 101, and how we have to put everything in perspective. (Sorry, I know it sounds like I'm stealing from Amanda again!) Smitty's background is vastly different than mine, and I have been doing some research on him to find out more about him. Although that search has been mostly unsuccessful thus far, it is safe to say that we are two very different people. But we were able to move past those differences and converse at a high-level about issues that we have in common. We all have differences, but we have even more commonalities.
I was able to open myself up to this wonderful group of people, be myself, and not worry about being judged. There were times when I had a difference of opinion with someone in the group, but we were able to acknowledge our differences and see the other person's point of view. I believe this open-mindedness formed friendships among the class, at least from my perspective. I can now see that I was a very judgmental person before this class, though I wouldn't have thought so before. My classmates, Smitty, and the entire NOLA experience have put things into perspective for me and allowed me to embrace diversity and differences. We don't have to be the same in order to appreciate one another. I definitely needed this experience right now, though I didn't know it before this trip. Quite frankly, I wasn't too thrilled with the idea of this trip back at the beginning of the semester (Jean Buckingham will tell you that). But I am now able to appreciate my experience and will continue to be more open-minded as I continue at Wartburg and when I am an educator. I learned how to treat people with respect and appreciate everyone's differences, and I thank everyone involved for helping me obtain this new level of awareness.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Be selfless and care
Sometimes lessons take awhile to hit you. Sometimes a simple conversation teaches you more than you could have ever anticipated. It's been 2 days already since we've gotten back from our trip, and everything I took away from the trip is just now beginning to come together. I saw a cartoon about perspective the other day online (and now of course I can't find that same one) and it really got me thinking. Our class is about diversity and disasters. We've learned so much about different backgrounds, races, genders, socioeconomic statuses, and the list goes on. We also learned about Hurricane Katrina and will be learning about even more disasters throughout the rest of the semester. But I think it all can be summed up into one word. Perspective. You don't have to be in our class or learning about the things we are to be able to learn that the point is that we have to learn to understand and appreciate other people's perspectives. The point is that no one on this earth has exactly the same perspective as another person. We are all different. We have different backgrounds, different histories, different families, friends, experiences, morals, conversations, lessons, influences, etc. I think that one of the biggest problems in our world is that people don't appreciate others' perspectives. We're selfish and fear anything different from what we're used to and comfortable with. Closed and tucked away in our own little boxes.
(This is the one I couldn't find before- FINALLY stumbled upon it today)
This is the best example I could find so I'll do my best with it (even though I think it's pretty clear already).
Sometimes we all look at the same situation, problem, or occurrence and see completely different things. Some may see a duck, while others might see a rabbit. Are either of us wrong or right? No!! The problem isn't that we have differing view points; that's actually the beauty. The problem arises when we begin to judge others for having a differing view point. It's a problem when we stop appreciating the fact that other people can see something differently than how we see it. And it becomes an even bigger problem when we close ourselves off from that differing point of view. If I see a rabbit, and someone tells me they see a duck, and I tell them they're wrong and refuse to even just attempt to see it their way (whether we agree or not), then I'm shutting myself off from all kinds of relationships, beauty, and so many other good things. Sometimes it's scary at first to open yourself up to new viewpoints, ways of life, and possibilities. And sometimes even if you can allow yourself to accept those differences in others, you don't allow yourself to actually learn from those differences. When you can begin to challenge your own viewpoint and way of life you get the most out of it. That doesn't mean you have to immediately take on other people's perspectives simply because you can understand where they're coming from. It means that you can take those perspectives into consideration and decide if that is actually how you see it or not. But you always have to remember that diversity is a REALLY good thing- especially when you can appreciate it and nurture it.
I guess the point is- we don't have to agree with others in order to appreciate them. There should be joy and curiosity in finding out other's opinions rather than fear and disapproval. The beauty of our world is that we ARE all different. We just have to be able to learn to respect each other's differences, and sometimes accept that we may not know why they think the way they do, or what has shaped them to this point but that that doesn't matter. I don't necessarily have to know your past to appreciate your thinking or decisions.
I've also realized more and more that if we have differing viewpoints and have to work together, it's okay to compromise and allow yourself to take on someone else's opinion for awhile. That doesn't mean you have to agree with it or live by it, but it does mean that you can empathize with it (if that's the right word). You see a rabbit, I see a duck- it's okay (and valuable) for me to allow myself to see a rabbit for a little while in order for productive things to get done. Sometimes you have to swallow your pride, take one for the team, or allow yourself to not have the upper hand. You don't have to completely change your views in order to live someone else's for a little while. I guess it's about being selfless. Selfless and open.
Through my experiences on the trip and my conversations before, during, and especially after the trip, I have begun to fully understand diversity. It's not about people being different from each other in specific categories. The fact is that we're ALL different. Our pasts and backgrounds make us who we are. The real growth occurs when you can learn to care about and appreciate others whether you both see a duck, or you see a duck and they see a rabbit. Heck- maybe someone sees a clothespin. Who am I to tell them that they're wrong? We all could accomplish so much more if we just opened ourselves selves up to letting others have differing opinions.
In respect to the trip last week- I couldn't have asked for anything better. Were there points in the week that I hated or struggled through? Of course. Could I have done without some of the problems we faced? Absolutely. But how do you grow when things are easy? You learn and grow from experiencing adversity and diversity. And that is exactly what I did. I didn't just learn to respect and appreciate "diversity" but I learned even better to respect and appreciate everyone around me. I learned to be selfless and care. It's as simply, yet as complex, as that.
(This is the one I couldn't find before- FINALLY stumbled upon it today)
This is the best example I could find so I'll do my best with it (even though I think it's pretty clear already).
Sometimes we all look at the same situation, problem, or occurrence and see completely different things. Some may see a duck, while others might see a rabbit. Are either of us wrong or right? No!! The problem isn't that we have differing view points; that's actually the beauty. The problem arises when we begin to judge others for having a differing view point. It's a problem when we stop appreciating the fact that other people can see something differently than how we see it. And it becomes an even bigger problem when we close ourselves off from that differing point of view. If I see a rabbit, and someone tells me they see a duck, and I tell them they're wrong and refuse to even just attempt to see it their way (whether we agree or not), then I'm shutting myself off from all kinds of relationships, beauty, and so many other good things. Sometimes it's scary at first to open yourself up to new viewpoints, ways of life, and possibilities. And sometimes even if you can allow yourself to accept those differences in others, you don't allow yourself to actually learn from those differences. When you can begin to challenge your own viewpoint and way of life you get the most out of it. That doesn't mean you have to immediately take on other people's perspectives simply because you can understand where they're coming from. It means that you can take those perspectives into consideration and decide if that is actually how you see it or not. But you always have to remember that diversity is a REALLY good thing- especially when you can appreciate it and nurture it.
I guess the point is- we don't have to agree with others in order to appreciate them. There should be joy and curiosity in finding out other's opinions rather than fear and disapproval. The beauty of our world is that we ARE all different. We just have to be able to learn to respect each other's differences, and sometimes accept that we may not know why they think the way they do, or what has shaped them to this point but that that doesn't matter. I don't necessarily have to know your past to appreciate your thinking or decisions.
I've also realized more and more that if we have differing viewpoints and have to work together, it's okay to compromise and allow yourself to take on someone else's opinion for awhile. That doesn't mean you have to agree with it or live by it, but it does mean that you can empathize with it (if that's the right word). You see a rabbit, I see a duck- it's okay (and valuable) for me to allow myself to see a rabbit for a little while in order for productive things to get done. Sometimes you have to swallow your pride, take one for the team, or allow yourself to not have the upper hand. You don't have to completely change your views in order to live someone else's for a little while. I guess it's about being selfless. Selfless and open.
Through my experiences on the trip and my conversations before, during, and especially after the trip, I have begun to fully understand diversity. It's not about people being different from each other in specific categories. The fact is that we're ALL different. Our pasts and backgrounds make us who we are. The real growth occurs when you can learn to care about and appreciate others whether you both see a duck, or you see a duck and they see a rabbit. Heck- maybe someone sees a clothespin. Who am I to tell them that they're wrong? We all could accomplish so much more if we just opened ourselves selves up to letting others have differing opinions.
In respect to the trip last week- I couldn't have asked for anything better. Were there points in the week that I hated or struggled through? Of course. Could I have done without some of the problems we faced? Absolutely. But how do you grow when things are easy? You learn and grow from experiencing adversity and diversity. And that is exactly what I did. I didn't just learn to respect and appreciate "diversity" but I learned even better to respect and appreciate everyone around me. I learned to be selfless and care. It's as simply, yet as complex, as that.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Lessons Learned
Today was a good reminder as to why we should never underestimate the fact that there is always more to learn. I'm a believer of life long learning and its not til I'm on a service trip that I'm reminded of why service trips are a wonderful tool for helping foster that. This trip has contained some of the most rich and organic dialogue. Although we tried to foster this in the classroom, the raw conversations we have been able to have I believe are due in part to being outside the four walls of a traditional setting.
Our task today was to install dry wall in a previously flooded home in the Gentilly neighborhood. By best guess the neighborhood had at least 10 feet of water. We could see water marks on the studs at about a 4 foot level but the house is also raised at least 4 to 6 feet off the ground. To keep the story short (and I'm sure someone else will take the time to blog about it) all the dry wall we hung before lunch, approximately 3 walls in one room and 1 in another were all hung wrong and we had to take them all down and start over. Everyone was frustrated because we had only done what we had been told to do. However it turns out we were told wrong and although we weren't responsible for the miscommunication we were responsible for fixing the mistake. Kind of like with racism or other injustices that exist that I might not personally be responsible for, I do have a responsibility to help clean up the repercussions they have caused.
I also learned that teams are only as effective as the communication within the team. We were all so focused on getting the job done that there wasn't really someone managing us as the volunteers. It remphasized that intentionality does not determine a job well done. Although it sucked to have to do the job again I was glad that we did because even if we would have finished our original way and we thought it was good, it wouldn't have really been finished because it was all wrong. I think through all of this we have all definitely learned how to correctly install drywall, but we also learned how to work together and persevere. Sure it took a lot longer but we came together and corrected our mistakes (and I do have to admit that it looks a lot better!). Tomorrow we set out on a strong foundation of practice and will hopefully accomplish a lot.
Renee
Different Kind of Dandruff
Today has been a very interesting day, we were able to sleep in today, which was very nice. When we went over to the other house to get breakfast, we were able to enjoy a quality meal prepared by a group of our own wartburg group. We were treated with pancakes, eggs and sausage. It was very delicious. I thank the ones who prepared that meal.
After breakfast we loaded up and went to the house where we did our dry walling. Dry walling was a great and frustrating at the same time. In my group, we were taking our time and trying to do the best job we could and as we were finishing up, we were told to take it down and redo it because we had done it wrong. We had done it wrong because of miscommunication. That was very frustrating because we spent all that time and effort and then have to take it down.
We took it down and started over making the corrections we needed to. That took some more time and effort but it felt better because we were doing it the right way, and making it great for the property owners of the home. But when putting the new pieces up, we had to cut a little bit more. I swear I will be finding dry wall dust in my hair these next few days because it got all over me. Now that we have the experience of doing it the right way, I feel that we will be able to get the dry wall put in right and much faster. And hopefully it will be less frustrating than today.
Once we got back to the house, we had a wonderful dinner of tacos. The tortillas were pretty bad but it still was a great dinner. When were doing our group discussion, Smiity graced us with his presence again. It is just amazing to listen to what he has to say. He is very intelligent and he has wonderful stories. He gets you to think critically with one sentence. Listening to him is wonderful.
Overall today was very good and I am glad to be in NOLA.
After breakfast we loaded up and went to the house where we did our dry walling. Dry walling was a great and frustrating at the same time. In my group, we were taking our time and trying to do the best job we could and as we were finishing up, we were told to take it down and redo it because we had done it wrong. We had done it wrong because of miscommunication. That was very frustrating because we spent all that time and effort and then have to take it down.
We took it down and started over making the corrections we needed to. That took some more time and effort but it felt better because we were doing it the right way, and making it great for the property owners of the home. But when putting the new pieces up, we had to cut a little bit more. I swear I will be finding dry wall dust in my hair these next few days because it got all over me. Now that we have the experience of doing it the right way, I feel that we will be able to get the dry wall put in right and much faster. And hopefully it will be less frustrating than today.
Once we got back to the house, we had a wonderful dinner of tacos. The tortillas were pretty bad but it still was a great dinner. When were doing our group discussion, Smiity graced us with his presence again. It is just amazing to listen to what he has to say. He is very intelligent and he has wonderful stories. He gets you to think critically with one sentence. Listening to him is wonderful.
Overall today was very good and I am glad to be in NOLA.
"I don't know anything about this stuff..."
Yesterday, the 28th of February was one of the best days out here in NOLA. Hell, it is actually had to pick which one is the best day so I'll rephrase and say yesterday was just another awesome day out of all the awesome days so far.
We went out to the Bayou Sauvage and did some work on a marsh. We planted trees on the marsh, shuffling through the bush; getting cut by branches, eaten by Mosquitos, being a couple of feet away from a snake; seeing over a dozen alligators and better yet riding on an airboat..."I'm on a boat!!!"
For me the most interesting part of all this is that service is commonly (mis)understood as helping out with churches, non profit organizations or people in need. It is rare that one thinks of planting trees in a marsh surrounded by alligators is doing a service. It is amazing to think that what we did yesterday may help the long-term recovery of the entire city of New Orleans as we helped restore the land.
After dinner, the day took an unexpected turn. We were visited by a man named Smithie, undisputedly one of the most interesting people I have had the honor of being in conversation with. Knowledgable, and a thinker, a philosopher. He spoke about many things but he made sure to question everything everyone said. Not to tell them they are wrong, but to make sure they think more, that they question more, that they philosophize...it was amazing!!!
He spoke about Katrina; imagine the chances of all the terminology he used and everything he spoke about being exactly similar to the things we spoke about in class.
"I don't know these things..." he always said that before blowing your mind and actually telling you (indirectly) that he does know these things.
We went out to the Bayou Sauvage and did some work on a marsh. We planted trees on the marsh, shuffling through the bush; getting cut by branches, eaten by Mosquitos, being a couple of feet away from a snake; seeing over a dozen alligators and better yet riding on an airboat..."I'm on a boat!!!"
For me the most interesting part of all this is that service is commonly (mis)understood as helping out with churches, non profit organizations or people in need. It is rare that one thinks of planting trees in a marsh surrounded by alligators is doing a service. It is amazing to think that what we did yesterday may help the long-term recovery of the entire city of New Orleans as we helped restore the land.
After dinner, the day took an unexpected turn. We were visited by a man named Smithie, undisputedly one of the most interesting people I have had the honor of being in conversation with. Knowledgable, and a thinker, a philosopher. He spoke about many things but he made sure to question everything everyone said. Not to tell them they are wrong, but to make sure they think more, that they question more, that they philosophize...it was amazing!!!
He spoke about Katrina; imagine the chances of all the terminology he used and everything he spoke about being exactly similar to the things we spoke about in class.
"I don't know these things..." he always said that before blowing your mind and actually telling you (indirectly) that he does know these things.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Never in my dreams..
Never in my dreams would I have imagined such an experience that is occurring right before my eyes. I was so afraid coming in to this not having a best friend with me every step of the way like other trips. I also was excited to come and experience the culture and life of New Orleans and to learn about the disasters that have happened here. This trip so far has blown my expectations out of the water and even more in the days to come. Renee said in the beginning that she would never imagined that our group would get along so well and I have to agree. I didn't think the trip would be like this at all. The way we all have bonded so quickly and become such great friends is incredible. I have not laughed this much constantly in a long time. I can't even count the amount of "inside jokes" that we now have from this trip.. Sorry Bill. I can't wait to see how the rest of the trip goes and create many more memories we'll be able to look back on someday.
Service has always been a huge part of my life. Mostly done through mission trips or work all with my church. This is a little different. Service through my school that is required for class. I was unsure of what a required service trip would entail but obviously had to go along with it. After the experiences thus far, who can say they got to perform service by riding on an airboat through the wetlands and marshes of New Orleans? Few. Amanda said it well today during discussion that while working today she stopped to think about how blessed and how amazing this experience was.. To do service in New Orleans in a wetland planting trees that will hopefully survive and last a very long time. The work we do now will contribute to the land in the future. This trip makes me feel like I was in the right place at the right time signing up for IS 201 back in January. I love service, and I need service. Its something that keeps me grounded, reminds me of what I have and how I should be thankful for it. Service is an act of kindness with nothing in return to keep except for the memories made.
I am so thankful for the reflection time each night. It is very interesting to listen to my classmates and teachers and learn from them. We are a very diverse class and have many different answers, reasons, ways of thinking for every situation and question...this could be why so much conflict starts...not to worry though, it always gets resolved. Tonight I didn't talk very much in our discussion but just listened to the different opinions through the diverse ways of thinking. The chance to sit in a room with 10 other people discussing life, disaster, and anything else that comes to mind is such a learning experience that I am beginning to cherish greatly. In such little time, I have learned so much just from talking to people and opening my mind up to what others have to say. We have to be thankful for the diverseness in each of us because its what makes us individuals.
I am so thankful that I got the chance to participate in this service trip to help make a difference even though it may be small. I said once in the beginning of class, what can one person do? What can one small group of individuals do? We won't be able to make a difference, were too small? I was wrong. One individual or one small group can make a difference. The little change can create bigger change and lead to bigger and better things. No matter how small you are or how small the change you do is, it still makes a difference. I love this experience. I love my class. and I love New Orleans.
Service has always been a huge part of my life. Mostly done through mission trips or work all with my church. This is a little different. Service through my school that is required for class. I was unsure of what a required service trip would entail but obviously had to go along with it. After the experiences thus far, who can say they got to perform service by riding on an airboat through the wetlands and marshes of New Orleans? Few. Amanda said it well today during discussion that while working today she stopped to think about how blessed and how amazing this experience was.. To do service in New Orleans in a wetland planting trees that will hopefully survive and last a very long time. The work we do now will contribute to the land in the future. This trip makes me feel like I was in the right place at the right time signing up for IS 201 back in January. I love service, and I need service. Its something that keeps me grounded, reminds me of what I have and how I should be thankful for it. Service is an act of kindness with nothing in return to keep except for the memories made.
I am so thankful for the reflection time each night. It is very interesting to listen to my classmates and teachers and learn from them. We are a very diverse class and have many different answers, reasons, ways of thinking for every situation and question...this could be why so much conflict starts...not to worry though, it always gets resolved. Tonight I didn't talk very much in our discussion but just listened to the different opinions through the diverse ways of thinking. The chance to sit in a room with 10 other people discussing life, disaster, and anything else that comes to mind is such a learning experience that I am beginning to cherish greatly. In such little time, I have learned so much just from talking to people and opening my mind up to what others have to say. We have to be thankful for the diverseness in each of us because its what makes us individuals.
I am so thankful that I got the chance to participate in this service trip to help make a difference even though it may be small. I said once in the beginning of class, what can one person do? What can one small group of individuals do? We won't be able to make a difference, were too small? I was wrong. One individual or one small group can make a difference. The little change can create bigger change and lead to bigger and better things. No matter how small you are or how small the change you do is, it still makes a difference. I love this experience. I love my class. and I love New Orleans.
New Orleans: Let the Good Times Roll!
I never thought I would have such a good time going on a required service trip to New Orleans with a group of people that I didn't really know much about before we started class seven weeks ago. Now I couldn't imagine not having the experiences I have had thus far. It has amazed me how well the group has worked together and grown closer. If you had told me a couple rural Iowa kids (Laura and I), a couple bigger city Iowa kids (Gavin and Taylor), a Twin Cities gal (Amanda), a couple South Chicago gals (Alex and Bri), and a couple guys from Africa (Njorgi-Kenya, Tweet-Swaziland) would get together so well, I would have laughed at you. Now I know that if even one of these people were missing, the group would feel incomplete. But enough about the group dynamics...
New Orleans has been great. My dad's side is from Louisiana, but that didn't prepare me for everything I was going to experience in NOLA. I did have the cuisine covered, though! :) Being a small village person, I'm not much for big city life, so I'm always a little uncomfortable with so much bustle. Bourbon Street on Sat. night was especially uncomfortable, and I did not enjoy my time there. That's just not my cup of tea. However, the church service on Sunday morning was really good, with a mixture of Lutheran and Southern (Black) services rolled into one nice package. Exploring New Orleans after the Mardi Gras museum was fun, as I got to spend more time getting to know people better. We always have the best conversations, but our laughter can be a little much sometimes... :)
We FINALLY got the the service part of our trip on Monday, doing some tallow removal, which choked out the natural trees after Katrina. Teamwork was huge in getting work done, and everybody pitched in. Today we headed to the Bayou Sauvage to plant some hackberry and oak trees in a part of the bayou unaccesible by truck, so we got to take airboats back in there. We saw some gators on the way, which was neat. Amanda and I hacked our way through just about everything, planting trees while crossing paths with feral hog paths, armadillo dens, fire ant hills, and a cottonmouth. Don't worry, I steered well clear of the poisonous snake!!! We also went and planted more trees in an area that was originally going to be a housing development, but it was too wet. After we had another amazing supper, a gentleman just let himself into the house and started having a philosophical conversation with us. He had great ideas and really made me think about a lot of things that happened during Katrina. It was amazing how he touched on many of the things we talked about in class and have conversations about ourselves. "Smitty" provided a lot of thought-provoking ideas, and I'm sure that I will be analyzing what he had to say for a long time.
This trip has been amazing thus far! The people are what has made this trip what it is, and I will be taking many great friendships away from this experience. The other thing I will be taking from this trip if nothing else is a greater appreciation for diversity because there is sooooo much diversity down here that it can be almost overwhelming. I'm glad that I have a great group of peers to pull experiences and ideas from in order to comprehend and analyze what we are experiencing down here in New Orleans. This trip is about so much more than service; service is the medium through which we make connections and learn about people. I'm looking forward to hearing more stories and sharing more experiences with this great group of people!
New Orleans has been great. My dad's side is from Louisiana, but that didn't prepare me for everything I was going to experience in NOLA. I did have the cuisine covered, though! :) Being a small village person, I'm not much for big city life, so I'm always a little uncomfortable with so much bustle. Bourbon Street on Sat. night was especially uncomfortable, and I did not enjoy my time there. That's just not my cup of tea. However, the church service on Sunday morning was really good, with a mixture of Lutheran and Southern (Black) services rolled into one nice package. Exploring New Orleans after the Mardi Gras museum was fun, as I got to spend more time getting to know people better. We always have the best conversations, but our laughter can be a little much sometimes... :)
We FINALLY got the the service part of our trip on Monday, doing some tallow removal, which choked out the natural trees after Katrina. Teamwork was huge in getting work done, and everybody pitched in. Today we headed to the Bayou Sauvage to plant some hackberry and oak trees in a part of the bayou unaccesible by truck, so we got to take airboats back in there. We saw some gators on the way, which was neat. Amanda and I hacked our way through just about everything, planting trees while crossing paths with feral hog paths, armadillo dens, fire ant hills, and a cottonmouth. Don't worry, I steered well clear of the poisonous snake!!! We also went and planted more trees in an area that was originally going to be a housing development, but it was too wet. After we had another amazing supper, a gentleman just let himself into the house and started having a philosophical conversation with us. He had great ideas and really made me think about a lot of things that happened during Katrina. It was amazing how he touched on many of the things we talked about in class and have conversations about ourselves. "Smitty" provided a lot of thought-provoking ideas, and I'm sure that I will be analyzing what he had to say for a long time.
This trip has been amazing thus far! The people are what has made this trip what it is, and I will be taking many great friendships away from this experience. The other thing I will be taking from this trip if nothing else is a greater appreciation for diversity because there is sooooo much diversity down here that it can be almost overwhelming. I'm glad that I have a great group of peers to pull experiences and ideas from in order to comprehend and analyze what we are experiencing down here in New Orleans. This trip is about so much more than service; service is the medium through which we make connections and learn about people. I'm looking forward to hearing more stories and sharing more experiences with this great group of people!
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