At a loss for words

I am at a loss for words… Describing my experience in New Orleans is nearly impossible. It was incredible, wonderful, eye-opening, educational, humbling, and for me, a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will never forget. Our adventure was not merely a trip, it was a life experience. I was able to meet and listen to people who call New Orleans home, they loved to tell us their stories and they loved to see a group of people who cared enough to listen. Dr. Anderson really showed us all that what is truly important is being empathetic and having the ability to understand where others are coming from and even learning from their experiences. When we open ourselves up to this, we are more able to help and make more responsible and thoughtful decisions.

I returned from Louisiana excited to tell me family and friends about my excursion and what I had learned and what I had seen. Not only did I learn a lot, but those who I relayed the stories to, did as well. In class lectures were an amazing way to introduce us to New Orleans, but being there in person seeing the effects of Katrina firsthand is something that can’t be beat. Some of the most memorable parts of the trip, were when we attended live music performances around town. The culture was so alive and the artists had such pride in the music they shared with everyone. Everyone danced, everyone sang, everyone was happier than they’d ever been before. It was enlightening.

Lastly, I quickly grew t love my classmates. Everyone was so kind, caring and friendly. This made the trip even better. We all had a wonderful time together. Even when times got tough, we all worked through it together and encouraged each other to keep going and that all our hard work was more than worth it. I am proud to say that I made an entirely new group of friends; we were a family. New Orleans brought so much into my life that I wasn’t expecting. If I could relive it, I would.