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I Got the Blues for New Orleans

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erik.storey361

The 10 days that were spent in New Orleans were nothing but good times with great people. Unfortunately, it has been 4 days since I was last in NOLA and seem to be cherishing every minute that I had there as it stretches into memory. From Jackson Square in the French quarter where you could walk for days looking at all the art and listening to the unique cultural and musical gumbo that is played there to the swampy forested wetlands where we laid out transects and identified plant species to characterize the health of the swamp ecosystem.

The culture that NOLA brings to the United States is unique in my experience. It is filled with people from all different origins. The food (which is spicier then I was expecting) is a culinary gumbo, unique to the New Orleans/coastal Louisiana area. We sampled a range of eatings from the Po’ Boys to crayfish (aka crawkfish) boils we gleefully gulped down. The food in New Orleans will give any traveler the spicy kick they are needing and sensory backdrop to their NOLA experience. Another important aspect to the city life is the music. John Boutte and Irvin Mayfield showed us what it really means to jazz it up New Orleans style. As they (and so many others) played, their soul sung out with multitudes of experiences accumulated over years of triumph and tragedy living in NOLA.

From the city to the swamps the experience was amazing. Professor Anderson worked us hard in the swamps. Cutting down blackberry and identifying every plant in each little transect. After days of doing this in combination with sleep deprivation I realized that what I was doing for NOLA was crucial to keeping this city alive. We the students of CSUCI are one of few groups that are actively monitoring bottomland hardwood forests since Hurricane Katrina. Understanding the health of these wetlands is key as these swamps are the last natural wind and storm surge buffer to prevent natural disasters from destroying all that human life and culture in NOLA (not to mention the intrinsic value of such systems).  The people of New Orleans were all very thankful for what we did and that touched the deepest parts of my heart. Knowing that what we did over our Spring Break can and will contribute in some way to potentially helping save the city and many other people in the surrounding areas made all the difference. I would go back and do it all over again. This trip was the most rewarding experience I have had in my college life.

Thank you Dr. Sean Anderson for bringing me along on this fun adventure and introducing me to everyone that you knew in NOLA. This trip was honestly a fun and memorable service learning experience.

 

CORNBREAD

 

ERIK STOREY

In Reflection…

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LaurenKehiayan

I cannot believe that I almost didn’t go to New Orleans!!! I was on the fence about joining the NOLA trip in my last semester before I graduate. I commute from Orange County and barely have enough time to fit everything in as it is, let alone go on a two and a half week Service Learning trip during my Spring Break.  A Spring Break wherein I could have been spending my time completing precious homework, finishing the last of my field work, and catching up on my hours at my workplace(s). Against my better judgment, I decided to apply for the trip and let Dr. Anderson’s decision determine if I should go on the trip. Here I am four months later reminiscing on the absolute most amazing experience of my entire life.

I have visited other states and countries before, done service/volunteer work before, and participated in research and data collection before. But nothing in my entire life could have prepared me for the experience that was New Orleans. Going in to the trip my practical knowledge of what I would be encountering in and around New Orleans consisted of; 1) bring lots of bug spray, 2) bring pants that will hold up to blackberry bushes, and 3) get a lot of sleep before you come because you’re not going to get any while you’re there (and if you like sleep, it’s going to suck). Of those three things, my biggest concern was that I would be tired and not be able to perform in the field. I didn’t think too much about the bugs or blackberry because I was honestly too preoccupied worrying about not getting enough sleep. As it turned out, I actually never even realized how tired I was until I returned home to California. I’m actually embarrassed now that this was even a concern of mine. The work we were doing and experiences that we were having in Louisiana were so non-stop, so fun, so rewarding, and so emotionally and intellectually stimulating I didn’t have time to feel tired. So it turned out that my first two “concerns” were indeed true (so painfully true) and factor that I was most concerned about turned out to be a non-issue…figures!

I’ve never worked so hard in my life and I loved every second of it. I will never be able to recreate a trip with the amount of camaraderie, joy, fun, hard work, and cultural immersion. We were doing work that at first glance might have seemed trivial to some or something that was barely making a dent in the ominous future that New Orleans now faces, but it is really making a difference in the big picture. We were able to see the fruits of our labor while planting a community garden in Buras. We saw the smile on Carol’s face (the man whose property was home to our food garden), the relief he felt knowing that he wouldn’t have to plant a garden alone with his bum leg (torn up in the wake of Katrina), and joy at the thought he and his neighbors would have fresh vegetables in the future to help ease the strain on his budget (a budget that lord knows is limited after losing everything he owned when the levee broke).

I am so humbled and grateful to have been a part of this trip. The live music and delicious food after long days of hard work in the swamp, the fun times with professors and students alike, the relationships that were built between CSUCI and the people of New Orleans, getting to cook traditional New Orleans food with produce purchased directly from the people of New Orleans themselves, being able to connect with students from another university (Tulane) who may never get the opportunity to do the work like we were doing at Woodlands Trail again, and all of the other amazing experiences that we had on this trip all rolled together. I can’t even imagine that I almost missed this opportunity.

Missing Louisiana is an Understatement

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kelsey.erisman161

Over the course of my academic career I have had numerous opportunities to travel and visit culturally and environmentally significant locations. All had a significant impact me, but none were like New Orleans. As I reflect on the trip, I am overwhelmed with emotions. We were able to participate in numerous activities that both benefited the people and places of Louisiana while simultaneously deeply impacting our own perspectives. I was 12 years old when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. I remember hearing snippets of news reports and information about the destruction and chaotic state of the region in the wake of the flooding, but not enough to fully understand. Up until the time I enrolled in this class, I still had that same limited knowledge of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. My eyes were opened to a disturbing reality once I began to comprehend what had actually occurred in Louisiana preceding and following the storm. As the winds and rain faded into memory, the people were left with nothing and relatively little emergency assistance. Levees burst, homes were knocked off of their foundations, lives lost, and families torn apart. Entire neighborhoods were flattened. Debris mixed with untold volumes of family memories, littering the ground. This year arks the ten year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Visiting the coast revealed to me truth about the storm and subsequent recovery of the people, neighborhoods, environment, and culture of New Orleans and southern Louisiana. Evidence of Katrina remained apparent as we drove through coastal cities. You could hear it in the voices of locals as they described the effect these event had (and are still having) on their daily lives. Talking to Carol Arsenoe as we planted our community garden in Buras struck me the most. His home (and entire town) lies directly between two levees: one holding back the waters of the Mississippi River, the other the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. When asked why he returned to such a vulnerable, low lying area that will surely be in the path of destruction again, he replied simply: “This is my home. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.” It hit me then that what we were doing was truly service. We were serving the people of Louisiana who more often than not have a deep connection with their land and cities. It is all we can do to protect it and save it for future generations.

The swamp, I realized, is one of the most unique ecosystems I have had the privilege of understanding and experiencing. It was all I imagined it would be and more. The species that inhabit these humid, warm, and inundated regions are unique (to say the least), different from anything I have seen before. It was breathtaking! When all was quiet, the forest’s peacefulness would manifest as a calm that would wash over me. Clearing my mind of numbers and science, I could feel at peace with the environment and think past the hard labor to better know what I was doing was imperative to preserve that gorgeous ecosystem. In addition, the comradery among my fellow students was strengthened on this trip. Previous friendships grew stronger and new friendships blossomed. These are people I will know and remember for the rest of my life. Our joint respect and passion for service, research, and learning was palpable.

The harsh reality is that this swampland may well disappear within our lifetime. It saddens me to think that my grandchildren might not be able see this beautiful swamp. The opportunity we had to travel to this region of our country was a once in a lifetime experience. Though our visit was short, I feel I experienced much of what New Orleans and the region had to offer, though that doesn’t hinder my thirst to explore the region more. I will never forget my time in New Orleans. And with that…CORNBREAD!

Fully Acclimated to NOLA 

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algreene

Welllll…it’s been an amazing experience here in NOLA, but it’s time to head back to reality. I wanna make a shout out to all of my peers who made this an unforgettable trip. Thank you!

Here we come California! 

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MJ Brown

Thank you Sean, Tom, John, and Diana for this amazing opportunity to help the people of New Orleans and take the time to teach us about the issues Louisiana faces. We are all grateful to be part of this amazing cause!





Last day in the Woodlands

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tevinschmitt464

Bitter sweet ending to the field work in the woodlands conservancy.  Hard to say goodbye to this beautiful park but it was nice to meet and work with young Tulane University students.

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