Pre-NOLA Thoughts

            With less than 20 hours until we finally leave for our trip, I am flooded with emotions. I cannot wait to be back in the place that I came to call my home after spending a week there last year. As we get closer to our departure date, I think back to all of the amazing memories that were created last February and cannot wait to experience so many more. Since it has been over a year since our school has traveled down to New Orleans, I can only hope that those that had been affected by the storm are in a much better place. We met so many amazing people that shared their stories with us and I am eager to hear where they are today. I hope that Mr. Ernest George, a man that had to leave Louisiana after the storm, is back living in his home that we tiled and painted last year. I hope that Lieutenant Dan, a paralyzed cat from Animal Rescue New Orleans, has been adopted and is now living with a new family. I hope that the schoolhouse at Houma, a Native American Reservation site, is in better condition than we had seen it last year. Although I understand that the city of New Orleans will be in need of help for many years to come, I hope that the work that we completed in our short week made a difference for at least one individual, whether it be a paralyzed cat or a man that was forced to leave his home after the storm. Each of these individuals has left an impression on me and I cannot wait to return to meet so many more amazing people.

Kaila Proulx