NOLA 2022 Reflection

I thoroughly enjoyed this class in all aspects. I gained a tremendous amount of experience through this class and our trip to New Orleans that I will continue to utilize for the next foreseeable years. Particularly, our research of the mesmerizing hardwood forest of Woodlands Trail parcel of Belle Chasse, Louisiana has really left an impact on me. Being able to see first-hand armadillos, fireflies, cypress trees, and sprawling ferns for example, inspired a new sense of wonder and curiosity in the natural world around us. This mesmerization is apparent in my choice of presentation, a poster delving into the function of cypress tree knees. The wetlands environment itself progressively becomes more captivating as I continue to learn more about it in my own time.

We learned not only of the environmental conditions of the Louisiana wetlands, but also of the cultural, economic, historical, and continually developing conditions of New Orleans and the surrounding area. Some of my favorite and personally most memorable events of the trip were our visit to the cultural center, trying all of the cultural dishes around New Orleans, eating in the rain, and when my sisters and I explored the French Quarter together in search of a voodoo priestess. It was incredible to have learned about the origins of the city of New Orleans and being able to see the sprawling complex it has developed into today. I think that starting the trip with a visit to the Lower 9th Ward was one of the best ways to remind us of the story of the New Orleans area and the importance of preventing history from repeating itself, a theme that can be applied to many topics surrounding New Orleans and Louisiana as a whole.

From the French Quarter to the Lower 9th Ward to the coastal marshlands of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana is a place I will never forget. This trip was so impactful that my sisters and I plan on revisiting the city again at the nearest possibility.