Thoughts from the plane

I am so excited to get to New Orleans. I have never been to the south and I have spent very little time outside of the western states. I want to see all the green plants and the alligators. I have lived in the California drought as long as I can remember so green plants are not something I am used to. I am used to woody plants with thick waxy leaves. I am also curious about the ocean. I heard that there are not as many waves in the Gulf of Mexico. As a surfer, this thought disturbs me.  I can’t imagine the ocean without huge waves and surfers. What do people do in water without waves? I am also used to beaches with steep cliffs and obvious tectonic uplift. The city of New Orleans only lies a few feet above sea level, so I imagine the beaches would be a soft slope. I am most excited to learn about the culture and music. I love to learn about the different ways people see things. My roommates are psychology, anthropology, art, communications, and political science majors and we are constantly talking about the new things we are learning about. This gives me a more diverse perspective than if I lived with only science majors. I am always looking for differences in the ways people, speak, interact with each other, read nonverbal cues, and stand. I am also interested in seeing how California, as a coastal state can learn from Louisiana and vice versa.