On the road! - Cedwyn

We're just about to take off for the airport. Mr. Kane just got back with a work crew from Momma Gaine's and the rest of us have cleaned the common areas and dorm spaces. It's been a pleasure and a privilege to spend the week with a great bunch of kids, and to get to paint a cool old building a most flamboyant lavender with purple trim. Very un- New England. Time to go!

And the journey continues......

Alright folks, we are on our way home. It has been a long wonderful journey with wonderful people who are truly phenomenal. Here we come New England!

A Letter To My Younger Self (Margaret)

If time machines exist, trust me I would send this letter to you. You need it more than I do now. Looking back on my past there are so many things I wish I could tell you, from what and who was a horrible idea to how everything will get better. Most importantly I want to tell you not to worry. Don't feel worthless or down because I promise it won't matter by senior year. Don't get hung up on who likes you and who doesn't, because you're going to find a group of people called NOLA Service Learning who will accept your weirdness and your quirks. You're going to become a part of something so much bigger than yourself and it's going to change who you are forever, even if you don't think it will at the beginning of that incredible week.

Someday you're going to be challenged to step outside of your comfort zone, and spend long days working in ways you haven't done before, or not for those extended periods of time. You're going to be vulnerable but you'll be helped along by the people around you, who will pick you up and help you keep going.

Someday you will see houses that have collapsed and house foundations where someone used to live. You will meet people who have had to start over completely but never gave up hope. They have lost everything, but they don't spend their days being materialistic. They are grateful for the home and family they have now. You will hear stories of people who haven't yet returned to their homes, and your heart will go out to them as you realize how lucky you are, and how much you really have.

Someday you will fall in love with an organization called Our School at Blair Grocery, even though you'll spend your days there digging trenches and making compost piles. The people there have started from scratch and are trying to rebuild their neighborhood, and give people something to come back to. It'll make you think, and it will feel like home. And you'll think it's the end of the world when you get paint all over your Blair Grocery shirt, but trust me it isn't, and you'll regret the time you waste being upset.

Someday you will meet children who have it so much worse than you ever thought you did. They will be sweet and fun, but they will have seen far more than they should have in their lives. They will be everywhere, from Blair Grocery to United Saints to the Community Center at Saint Bernard, and they will remind you that there is always something to hope for and something to smile about, be it basketball or fruit-juice-frozen-in-a-cup.

Someday you will spend an entire day digging and weeding and planting at a garden for a man who doesn't speak your language, but you won't let that stop you. You'll get very tired halfway through the day but by the end, after songs and rain and time with friends, you will fully understand how important what you're doing is, and how much it will mean to Marlow, the nicest guy ever even though you need to think outside the box to communicate with him.

Someday you will be so tired and exhausted that you don't even want to get out of bed in the morning, but if you do it will be worth it, and if you don't, you'll never know what you missed. Every single day you spend in New Orleans will make you a stronger, happier, more compassionate person. And for the first few days you might not understand that - you won't have the same huge and overwhelming emotional reaction you had (well. At this point it's you're going to have) in New York your junior year. But on the last night it's all going to hit you and you'll fight back the tears as everyone talks about what an amazing week they had.

Someday there will be more things you want to write about in this letter, but you'll realize that you don't need to share everything. You'll learn that some moments are private, and they will be yours and only yours. You'll learn how to be independent.

I so wish I could give this to you, and let it make everything better, but I'm not that worried, because from where I am I can promise you it gets better. And from here, it's just going to keep improving. I'm going to take what I've learned here and apply it to the rest of my life: A positive attitude and the willingness to serve others has more healing power than any medicine or doctor.

All I can really say is you're stronger than you realize, luckier than you know, and I'm proud to say you're myself.

Best of luck with the world out there,

You, writing from New Orleans, Louisiana in February of 2011

The Road I've Traveled - Sean Cunningham

In the past three years, service learning has overtaken my life in the most positive way possible. This being my last year, I have tried to make the best of it. So today, I took a look back and asked myself, have I fulfilled my initiative? I worked tirelessly throughout the day, still struggling with the question I had proposed upon myself. Have I done all I could to make a difference?

The answer was not made clear right away. Digging the stumps up at the Latino Farmer's Coop so a single man could support friends and family with fresh foods and vegetables was exhausting. But, like the saying goes, we all put our blood, sweat, and tears into the day (quite literally at some points). Although we were all very tired, we felt proud to have worked so hard in order to help this one man make his own difference in the world. So the question came up again, has my work had the impact I strive for?

Reflecting on the entire week, from food banks to farming to painting and digging, the answer became clear. The answer? No. As I recall all of the places I've worked these past years as well as all the people's stories I've heard I realize I could never possibly reach my initiative. The fact is the world isn't perfect and there is a lot of work to be done to better it. I will never be done with what I have started along the road less traveled. But, all I can do is try. Keep the service going, maintain an open mind, and always remember those who motivate, inspire, and push us to make that difference. By doing so, my personal challenge will become more clear everyday.

Before service learning, I never really did much. I was never really any good at sports and I definitely sing or play an instrument. So when my brother pushed me into this whole new world of community service, it changed me. I could not be who I am today without the experiences I've had and the people who have shared their stories with me. As one man said to us, I am because we are.

Amazing - Susan Hamel

To all the parents of our NOLA students: Thank you! You have amazing kids! It was a pleasure to work with each of them (and they did work) during our time in New Orleans. Mrs. Hamel

Humanity ~ Jillian Cormier

Tonight is my last night working with an organization that I have fondly come to know as NOLA. When it all began, at the end of my sophomore year, I felt like a balloon that was floating comfortably in God's patient hands, and I knew that he was waiting for me to find the place that he wanted to tie me to. These past two years, I have witnessed the devastation that has torn through a community to create a new one, and I realized that if anything, I have tied myself to the idea of humanity, a place where God's creation comes alive in an infinite number of ways. This week, I planted things in this earth to feed a growing community, I tore out nails to help rebuild another's livelihood, I weighed boxes to send to the hungry, I painted over someone's past to give them a clean slate; and all for the sake of humanity. It is this constant work in process which has changed my life and contributed to a multitude of tears, drops of sweat, and blood stains. And due to this monumental change, I felt, for a few blessed moments, God's ultimate love shine down upon me, and realized that there is nothing greater in this world, than contributing to the work which helps to make humanity better. Thank you, God, for tying my balloon to this idea.

What hard work is - Chris

I have been coming to New Orleans for 3 years now. Every year I have dealt with the same burning question that has plagued my mind: What is hard work? I have heard many different definitions of what work truly is from many different people. Yet despite my friends input, I have been unable to define it for myself. During my time down here I have participated in a wide variety of projects. They have ranged from changing light bulbs to moving mountains of moldy cat food. Each has had different aspects to them that make me further ponder what hard work truly is.

For example this week I helped out at the Community Center of Saint Bernards where I supplied food to elderly members of Saint Bernards Parish. This raised the question: is hard work determined by the benefit you provide for people? I also helped out at Animal Rescue New Orleans which demanded much of my focus as I was being constantly ordered on what food was to be given to which dog. Is hard work defined by how much mental energy is given?

Yet today, I believe that I discovered today what hard work truly is. I started off in Blaire Grocery where my group and I added onto a 15 ft high pile of compost. It was dirty work, but more importantly it was tiring. By the time we were done with the compost pile I was not sure if I had anything left in me and to add onto my feeling of fatigue, we were called to help with the construction of a garden for the Latino Farmer's Co-op. I was not the only one tired. Beyond my group which had been working hard all morning, the group that was building the garden was completely wiped out by ripping up stumps. This work proved grueling, and there were points that I was not sure if I could continue to give it a hundred percent. Yet at least if put to rest my question.

I realize now that hard work is something simple. It is the point when you can physically give no more. When you can look back and say to yourself that you wasted no effort and would not have changed your effort level if you had been given the chance.

Definition of hard work...Katie DeLeo

Up until this week I used to consider vacuuming the pool in the summer sun, or pulling up weeds up around my house was hard, strenuous work. My definition of those two words has flipped completely. The days have all seemed to blend so I can not describe each day but I can tell you that I have sanded a whole ceiling two days in a row, gutted a whole room infested with black mold (both of which needed respirators and safety goggles), cleaned out a yard that has over grown for years and had been crawling with cockroaches, lizards, ants, and worms, made a 15 foot pile of compost, painted the exterior of a house, and tore up around some of the biggest stumps I have ever seen. That to me redefines hard work and dedication. I can no longer find it within myself to complain about one single task I have completed this week.
While completing all these I thought that the day was never going to end, but looking at the progress and change that was made, helped me realized that all the hard work, gallons of sweat, and loads of frustration is more than rewarding and I would not ask for any easier work in a million years.
But if my parents are reading that does not mean I am going to come home and dive into everything that has not been done yet!
This trip is definitely life changing I do not want to leave, but at the same time I am happy to come back home and take all the skills and new experiences and put them to great use around locally. Love you all and see you soon enough!

Painting, the group, and more. (Allison)

Over the past few days I have continued painting the house I originally started on. It is really nice to see the progress we have made, and now the house is almost done. I have really enjoyed working with everyone to put the hard work into that house because now it looks so beautiful.

Besides working we have been doing many other things, like going into the city, playing four square, or just talking. The group has really come together and really supports each other. It is nice to be working with the group to get all of these different projects done. Everyone supports each other, works hard, and is having a lot of fun doing things that most people would consider boring, or tiring (like composting, or digging up stumps, or cleaning the floor after dinner).

Overall this trip has been a great experience, and I cannot tell you how many people are upset we are leaving so soon. Even though we have been waking up at 6:30 every morning, and working all day, and going to bed really late everyone is having the times of our lives, and we all want to have a lot more time here.

Pictures of "US"

Hello everyone! Thank you for reading the students blogs. You have amazing kids! If you want to see some pictures, United Saints has posted them on their facebook page. Go to www.fbook.me/unitedsaints or search for United Saints 1st St. Recovery.

Ms. Osowski :)

Where I need to Be--Laurel Haines

Today I was working at David Leonard's house. We had a relatively large group there, and we were all scraping, sanding, cleaning, priming...and doing whatever needed to be done for the final coat of purple paint to be put on the house. Although I had a great time and a lot of fun, I felt frustrated. I pondered for awhile and was not about to find the source of my unhappiness. However, I realized that I felt so so so insignificant. There are so many houses demolished by hurricane Katrina...and so many houses that aren't even houses; they are just empty concrete slabs where a house once stood. I see these things and so much more and I wish I am so much bigger than I am... That way I could make a bigger difference. But I can't...I am who I am and I am where I am. It was hard for me to paint today for some reason because I kept thinking about all the other empty slabs. The city could fine a house for having an unsatisfactory paint job. But then I think of the houses half rotten with no paint jobs. I wish I could be so many places at once. They all need help. David Leonard and his family still needed us to repaint their house. People keep saying to me this week that you are where you need to be. I needed to be there...and there....and there...oh and there too. I just can't though...but I was where I needed to be...which was helping. One house at a time is all anyone can do, and helping in one way or another is what we are here to do. I am not a superhero, nobody is unfortunately. So I just try to work to do whatever needs to be done. Well, that was the epiphany I had today. I am so overjoyed that our group is here working together, doing whatever we can no matter what. Not once have i heard someone say that they can't do that because-oh it's gross, or nope too hard. So thank you everyone for all your hard work, determination and teamwork. Together we can make a difference despite the fact that we are all only one individual. We are where we need to be which is now in the present helping, so thank you everyone.

The Lost Children -- Casey L.

At first, I was a little bit disappointed about the work I did yesterday. I went to OSABG for a conference, ate some of their home-grown food, only helped a bit with moving some materials, and then I turned around and went to the French Quarter to learn about the city. At first it felt like I hadn't done anything worthwhile, but then I remembered Bre, a girl that I had spent my two days at OSABG talking to. She's a bit of a brat, but honestly I don't blame her, not after spending a long time talking to her and learning about her life. Talking to Bre (who's only 8) reminded me of a kid I met last year named Lazyharus. Lazy, as I fondly called him, was living with his aunt next to Mamma Gaines last year after both his parents died due to violence and then his second guardian, an uncle, had died of a heart attack. Lazy didn't feel at home with his aunt, her two kids, and her abusive boyfriend, but it was the only home he had. All he wanted was to become a lawyer to help people like himself when he grew up and I remember worrying that he'd never even have the chance. Worst of all, I tried to keep in touch with him, but all my letters remained unanswered. And when we visited his old house earlier this week, Lazy and his family were nowhere to be found.

Talking to Bre yesterday caused the same feelings I have/had about Lazy to resurface. She's only in 4th grade, but she's currently suspended from school for fighting. Back home, almost no younger kids get suspended and even fewer get suspended for violence like that. Bre also has a scar on her chest from some medical procedure (I'm guessing a central line or some sort of open chest surgery). She goes to a bad school, lives in a bad neighborhood, and knows plenty of very bad kids. She's only eight. Eight.

On top of all that, she wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. It bothers me that I even doubt her ability to achieve her goal, just like I did with Lazy a little less than a year ago. If a kid at home said that he or she wanted to be a vet, I'd believe in them without a doubt. But Bre doesn't have the opportunities we have back home or the support system to push her in the right direction. I feel heartbreak for her, just like I felt for Lazy and it's beyond hard to relive those emotions. I worry that she won't make it and I worry that Lazy is dead or stuck in the system or being abused by his aunts boyfriend.

Bre is my new "lost child"; another kid that I've "collected" (as some one put it at reflection last night) on my journeys here. She is another kid to worry about and feel guilty about since I'll never have to deal with have the stuff she has to deal with.

When I talked about Bre at reflection last night, one of the girls in our group said that what I said made her think about the annoyance and anger she had felt towards Bre during the day. Someone else told me later that they liked what I said. I only mention this because I'm happy two of my teammates thought and felt about what I said. This is what needs to happen. I need to share the worry I feel, for my own sanity and because it isn't fair and we aren't grateful enough. If I could change one thing about Massachusetts I'd make everyone more grateful. We complain about teachers and homework and AP classes. But instead we should be happy that we even have the opportunity to complain. We have a school with teachers that care enough to push us. We have safe homes to do our homework in and the means to make us so busy that homework gets pushed aside sometimes. And we have schools that can afford to teach AP classes instead of just the basics.

If there is one thing that the New Orleans program has taught me, it's that we have it good. There are so many screwed up things about this world and it's time to open our eyes to the bad stuff, even if only to understand just how lucky we are.

Hopefully, if everyone does that, then there will be less "lost children" in the future.

Tony's House. Meghan T

Today I went to a guy named Anthony's house. It was my favorite work day yet. His house had chipped and peeling paint and was going to get a $150 fine and then everyday after that a $500 fine until he fixed/painted the house. Tony is elderly and lives with his wife and two adorable dogs. He is on oxygen and there is absolutely no way that he would ever get his house painted without us and United Saints. I was on a roof all morning with Meg Hannah and Peter scraping paint and sanding and painting. It was scary but really really fun. We did such a great job the house does not even look the same. I'm really proud of everyone that was there for their hard work. I'd like to see Louisianna fine them for that house now.

Gospel (Gwen)

This morning, we drove over the Claiborne Bridge into the Lower Ninth Ward, watching the houses and the emptiness rise out of the mist. We'd found a radio station that plays gospel music on Sunday mornings, and the five of us in the van all stayed wrapped in our own thoughts. The voices rang slow, honest and raw, singing about seeking comfort in Mary a long way from home. I'm a long way from home. Residents of the Lower Ninth are still a long way from home- even the few who've returned.

Since part of our group attended a gospel service this morning, religion has been a topic of discussion all day. Personally, I've never been much for traditional Christian theology; as a Unitarian Universalist, my beliefs tend towards humanism. As a result, lyrics about reaching out to the Virgin Mary didn't mean so much to me on a personal level. But underlying the religious overtones was a feeling of loneliness and homesickness that is so intensely human that it transcends boundaries of culture, belief and geography. Singing our souls out, unloading our pain together, reaching out for comfort- it doesn't matter the medium, these are all essential parts of being human. The structures slid by, home after abandoned home, new construction, vacant lots, the endless, endless loss. My eyes filled with tears for a moment, and I was glad for the quiet place within the voices where I could take a minute just to grieve.

Sometimes a part of our task here is to let the magnitude of it all wash over us; to grieve. After we've been overwhelmed and come out the other side, we gain the strength we need to fix it.

As the song ended, we arrived at Blair Grocery, where we heard a gospel of a different sort. They believe as strongly as I do in the dignity and value of every person, and their vision and passion for creating a place for that dignity in an unjust world is contagious. Their method of creating social justice through community organizing, education and food was yet again just what the doctor ordered, and I left feeling vitalized.

Day Four- (Colleen)

Today I was able to participate at ARNO (Animal Rescue New Orleans). I also was present yesterday for the first day here; but, today was a much different experience. Thanks to friendliness from my fellow group members and the leaders at ARNO I was able to walk a few dogs today which was the most rewarding part of my day :).

The group mainly worked on cleaning out numerous animal cages and animal supplies and also spent time inside of the Chi-Pom area, both walking them and cleaning their cages or feeding them.

Seeing the cute faces of the animals staring out at you from behind the cages makes you realize that cleaning some not-so-cute-stuff is worth the effort and discomfort completely. Even the barks can't annoy you (which is impressive because chi poms do NOT shut up) because you know they are only a result of the pure excitement of the animals to be free from the cages on a walk in the beautiful New Orleans spring (ha New England :P).

I was so proud of my group here at ARNO today because we worked hard, efficient, and fair making sure that the jobs got done and that everyone took their share of the fun jobs (walking the cuties) and the not-so-fun jobs (you can imagine...). I had tons and tons and tons! of fun here and I happily would have adopted every dog I walked if it were rational or possible to do so.

I also spent some time in the French Quarter today with Hannah, Peter, and Zach. It was extremely fun and I was able to pick up a few presents for family and myself. I had my first beignet! which was essentially fried dough but better. Way better. I felt like I was getting a portion of the "New Orleans experience" though it was the tourist part and not the community that most of us feel is where we belong. It's odd to go from helping people- or animals- who need it and deserve it to entering a location filled with tourists who are most likely not there to help in the recovery of New Orleans. Still I'm glad we were able to have some diverse experience and it was nice to have a sort of break from the hard (sometimes dirty) work.

All in all I'd like to thank everyone from those in the community here at New Orleans, to my family, and most of all to our Nola Service Group for making this trip one of the best experiences in my life so far. Thank you all. I love you all.

Stranger in a Strange Land (Margaret)

Today we went to the French Quarter. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew it would be something akin to my visits to other big city visits, with lots of tourist shops and traps. And it was basically that. We were there in our vans and after getting lost and separated and saved by phone calls and a GPS, we were told we had until four thirty to look around, as long as we stayed in big groups.

Throughout my week, I've done some pretty amazing things - I helped to dig a huge trench, getting an atrocious sunburn that was absolutely worth it. I made so many phone calls that I know city codes for phone numbers. I have known every single time I perform an action that it is valuable and it will mean something to someone.

But in the French Quarter everything changed. We seemed to be the only ones who knew or cared about the real New Orleans. On every corner was another store with "I Love New Orleans" tee shirts in the window for people to buy, gigantic floppy purple, gold, and green hats that would proclaim to all who saw you, "I have been to New Orleans!" And I felt so out of place. We didn't belong there, among all the cameras and cheap made-in-China goods. I bought two prints, a really lovely bag, and a Mardi Gras mask. I know other people bought beads, jewelry, things that would remind them of their trip. But these things aren't all representative of the things that we do.

I'm reminded of something Gwen spoke about earlier, while we were looking around at the artists with their work spread out around the square. The paintings were either bits of "disaster tourism" - salvaged work turned into famous scenes, or else pictures of the Garden District, the French Quarter, things that everyone who has't really worked in New Orleans associate with this city.

What are we going to bring back? What would we have left of this trip, if suddenly a hurricane took away all of our material possessions? If we didn't have those masks and tee shirts and souvenirs of our afternoon in the Quarter?

That's what I've been thinking about, and what I couldn't get out of my head when we walked by a bar where adults were stumbling out drunk at three o'clock in the afternoon. And I realized that even if I hadn't bought the things at the Quarter, I would have been fine. I guess in retrospect, it wasn't even so horrible that we did go to the Quarter - the frustration I felt wasn't directed at the people selling things, at anyone who lived in the city who was making their living. It was the tourists, who have been everywhere, who simply don't understand that the world is more than shot glasses and cheap beads.

I wish that everyone in the world could go through the things we're experiencing this week. I think it would teach them a lot. Mr. Kane read us an amazing piece tonight by Dr. Bob Moorehead that talked about how this world has become superficial, yet we still have the choice to go out and change it.

There's a life to the city and the Quarter that I don't see in the Lower Ninth Ward. I know other people feel exactly the same way. In my perfect world where everything always gets better, that life would spread, grow, and move out throughout the rest of the city and every other area devastated by Katrina and the other hurricanes.

For once, I believe that my perfect world and reality are going to collide. It's going to take a lot of time, and those tourists I saw in the French Quarter certainly didn't help, but I have met so many incredible people who believe in change, and are so passionate about their work, that I have hope. It's nice to have hope.

Going to the French Quarter showed me how alive this city can be. I can't wait for the day when all of New Orleans will have as much life and soul as this place did.

(I'm going to go so Colleen can blog now.)

Letter to God.

Dear God,

I feel like I have dedicated myself to pushing you away. The more I push you away, the deeper and deeper the dent in my heart becomes. It is so deep that it has long passed the stage of hurting. This is what scares me the most; giving you the cold shoulder and having no feelings about it. I have purposely filled my time day to day with ways to avoid and defy you. Sometimes, as I enter my deepest thoughts, I wonder what you think of me. Me; one of your beloved children who has lost her way in this enormous world composed by billions of paths that lead you to the same fate; the emptiness of death. At least this is what I believe. All the fellow catholics in my community teach me that Earth is just a stop along our great journey which ends in the Kingdom of Heaven. There we will live our real, joyful, and eternal lives at your side. The problem is that I find this hard to believe. Maybe it is because I know that your Kingdom is so far out of my reach that I strongly refuse to believe it even exists; but sometimes I look up at the sky and slowly contemplate about the things that I could but don't do to at least be placed on your eternal list of people to be judged by you.

As I spend more time down here at New Orleans, I think more and more about you God. For this I am eternally grateful; for having this opportunity to clear my mind and somewhat restore communication with you.

The very first day of our trip, a friend of mine that I don't really know that well but have always known to be a faithful follower of yours, shared with us one of the most honest and simple prayers I have heard in my life. Of years of going to mass celebrations and other services, I had never been so touched by a single prayer. I was amazed by this person's humility as she openly prayed to a group of teenagers who are not really close to you either. As much as I was amazed, I could not help but feel envious. I felt envy because this person has a wonderful relationship with you. The relationship every father and daughter desire but can never quite get. This is truly what I most desire in the world. I desire us to have the same relationship you have with your closest children. For some reason unknown to me, we do not seem to reach this level of closeness that we truly desire with our last breath. It is not because we do not see eye to eye but because I have yet to receive the most wonderful gift of all in the universe; the gift of faith. As much as I want to hold on to it, it just teases me and leaves me to deal in loneliness and desperation all the problems that go on in my head and around me. I ask of you to please make me try harder to and make me put more effort to try and make this work because without you I am nothing. Without you I am just a hollow corpse walking without destination. I cannot tell you for sure if we will be in contact soon but I hope that the next time we do, I can finally call you my father.

Sincerely,

Maria

So uh..really great day at OSBG! by Hannah

This morning there was mist and fog everywhere. Usually there is, and it goes away fast, but today it hung around for a long time. We were going to Our School at Blair Grocery, which is located in the middle of the Lower Ninth Ward. When you drive into the Lower Ninth Ward, you have to go over the Industrial Canal Bridge..There was so much fog that you couldn't see ANYTHING. We were driving over this empty, white nothingness. And as we drove into the Lower Ninth, houses started to sort of rise out of this mist. Now, these were houses that had been totally destroyed in Katrina, windows were boarded up, roofs were falling in, weeds growing in yards...they were really a mess. I've seen them all before, we've been through the Lower Ninth; but there was something very different about seeing them this morning..the mist made them look like ghost houses.. it was very symbolic.. and sad to see...

Anyway, today was the best day I've had so far.. I absolutely loved Blair Grocery. I loved that there was a total lack of total structure - I mean, they have a wonderful mission, and great volunteers, and a lot gets done, but the place seems to run in well-organized chaos. Our small group of 7 ended up digging a trench all day around the parameter of what will soon be a hoop house (greenhouse). It was especially hard because the dirt was packed really tightly (it's pretty much clay) from all the flooding, I presume, but we just worked and worked, jumping on shovels and using sledgehammers and pickaxes (and yes, I had my knee brace on) and we finished the trench, which felt really great. I had a lot of fun working on it. At one point, they brought in new green waste from wal-mart, which was pretty much produce they had thrown out, and we ended up eating oranges and grapefruits out of the dumpsters/compost pile.. (Which sounds disgusting, but was actually delicious.) (Equally delicious was our lunch, which came from a little taco cart a few blocks over. Best tacos ever.)

While we were working, we couldn't help noticing all the little kids playing in the area. Some even came over and helped us or talked with us. What was really crazy to me was their age - there were kids under 6 years old living in this totally devastated area of New Orleans. And since they were so young, this is all they really know. I'm sure none of them can really remember what things were like before Katrina..which is really sad. There were boys playing on the roof of a collapsing house (which we learned belongs to a cop), and playing hide and go seek in an abandoned house..and there was really nothing we could do about it....It was very upsetting to see. I'm glad that Blair Grocery is there to provide support for the community...

Anyway, I had a really great day and I can't wait to go back to OSBG tomorrow.

-Hannah

A Different Perspective (Jeremy)

Today my group and I went to the Animal Rescue League of New Orleans, ARNO, to help walk the dogs and clean out the cages. ARNO is one of the only, if not the only no kill shelter, meaning they do not euthanize animals just to make space. It was interesting to help things that can not say thank you, but can still show gratitude. The dogs all bark like crazy and act wild when they are in their cages, but as soon as you get them outside they are sweet and quiet and just so happy to see you.
After that I went to a project called Project Greenlight which gives CFL lights to anyone who wants them. this reduces the electrical use and environmental impact of light bulbs. The program will give the light bulbs to anyone who wants them regardless of socioeconomic background. It was interesting to get such a cross section of the city, and see the people of the different backrounds.
At first I was very frustrated and felt like we were not really doing anything of importance, stuff that we could have just done back at home at local animal shelters. Then I realized that the dogs were all rescued from the area, some displaced by the hurricaine, and they need just as much attention and help as the people do. They may not be able to say thank you, but they are just as important as any person. Also It was very interesting to see how the people reacted from the different classes, all of them welcoming us into their homes with open arms and the same gratitude. Even still I thought we were not really doign the kind of work that we came down here to do. Then Gwen made a very interesting point, saying that the light bulbs decrease the environmental impact, which is a small yet important attempt to stop global warming, which will in turn stop another Katrina.
Mr. Kane said during reflection that this trip is about gaining the whole experience, and I really feel like today helped to do that. Even through all of my frustration, I came to realize that alot was accomplished today by the group, and that I personally got a new view of what impact everything really has.

Growing Places -- Casey Libonate

There are very few things that I have experienced in my 17 years that I would consider to be truly inspirational. Today, however, I was a part of something that will forever have an impact on my life.

Our School At Blaire Grocery is a mix between a school, an after school program, community garden, and neighborhood hang out. Located in the lower 9th ward, this organization has an interesting approach to making a difference in their community. OSABG is not a charity organization; in fact they are far from it. Instead they have a policy of creating change through community involvement and education. Currently they have a few gardens, 3 greenhouses, an amazing compost system, and even an interesting method of using fish to fertilize plants. They then use these resources to grow micro-greens, which they sell to local restaurants in order to create an income for the program. On top of that they provide an education for local students who have been abandoned in the New Orleans school system. They're whole education system is based off the idea of learning skills and these skills are learned through working in the garden. For example, students learned about the chemical composition of compost and they used local grocery stores to learn about money, food, nutrition, and even socioeconomic classes in New Orleans. Honestly, I believe that this is the way to go when it comes to education. These students are learning skills that will last them a lifetime, skills that will help them create a positive future.

Additionally, OSABG provides a place for the neighborhood kids to play safely. As we worked young children were playing hide and go seek amongst the compost piles and older kids were playing basketball. Some kids even picked up shovels (which were bigger than they were). Seeing this kind of community was amazing. The older kids looked after the younger kids and the adults kept the older kids out of trouble by providing them with an education. In my entire life I've never seen so many people working together. And in a community that is still completely demolished from Katrina, and I mean dilapidated houses and only a 12% return rate, this kind of friendly, neighborhood connections are more than important. The connections were real, and raw. It made me realize that we need to go back to our roots sometimes, I don't think we're really kind enough to each other back home, at least I've never witnessed this magnitude of community-spirit.

Beyond the education, there is another reason I loved OSABG. That reason was the gardening itself. I'm a vegetarian and I've always been interested in local, organic food, in addition to sustainability when it comes to food. This is what OSABG is all about. They believe food should be used as a tool for activism and I couldn't agree more. They believe that things would be simpler if everyone in the food industry helped each other (meaning the stores sell food that the local farmers grow and then the leftover food gets composted), just like I do.On top of that, they have a really spectacular composting system that I could easily write on and on about, but I won't due to space constrictions. What I will say is that it was really nice having someone to talk passionately about compost with. Today I was able to discuss vermi-compost, nitrogen vs. carbon, and the benefits of compost for the first time with someone who enjoys it as much as I do. I can't even describe how amazing that experience was, since compost has been dear to my heart since an AP bio project last year. That may sound weird, but it's hard to explain just how cool compost is. And for the first time today, I got to talk to people who think that fermenting, rotting food and the microorganisms that break old things into new nutrients is the coolest thing ever.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, OSABG has had a profound impact on me. As I worked digging trenches in order to build a new hoop-house, I discovered so much about community, sustainable gardening, and even what it means to be truly passionate. For the first time in my life I was surrounded by a huge number of people who love the same things I do, believe the same things I do, and want to live the same way I do. Sure, the sun was hot and the sea-shells and clay that we were digging through made me want to scream, but all of that was beyond worth it. Today I was inspired, and as a result I will forever be changed.

St Bernard's (Marc)

I gazed into the fire, seeing myself deep within the flames. I knew here I was not stressed or overwhelmed, and that here, I was me, happy and free. But let me rewind to the beginning of the day.

I woke up at quarter of six pretty awake and ready to work. I went over to eat at seven a nice bowl of fruit loops and I was out and rolling. It was a warm, beautiful day: 70 degrees, the grass green the trees growing and the bright sun welcoming. I had not seen this weather since the beginning of school last year, and was glad to wear shorts. We hopped into the car and I was off to our site: Community Center of St. Bernard.

Let me start with a little background. It was started in August of 2008 by the citizens of St. Bernard's Parish via a petition. A parish is essentially like a district. The people of St. Bernard started to realize after the immediate disaster relief groups had to leave they would need to maintain themselves and sustain the rebuilding effort. That is why the petitioned for the community center, to provide basic necessities for those less fortunate: food stamps, food and clothing. Not only that they provide financial help classes, access to free internet and different nightly classes such as art.

After a tour we and hearing that we got down right to business. Our job was to take out pre-packaged weekly food boxes and distribute them to the elderly and then to sort out miscellaneous clothing so it could be organized to give out. The boxes though were about 30 pounds and so for the most part, we needed to help out bring these boxes to their cars. There was one thing that struck me the most. The people were so grateful when I brought this box out to their car, at times, almost overjoyed. It really didn't seem a big deal to me at the time, but time after time I was met by so much gratitude. These people really needed someone, and I was helping them to have what they needed. I talked to many of them and they all were so ecstatic that I was down here all the way from Mass. helping out New Orleans. Then a couple people tried to give me tips. That stunned me a little bit these people who seemed to have trouble getting by as it is tried to give me their hard earned, needed money out of sheer gratitude. It just blew me back.

But on a lighter note here is a funny little story as I was helping one of the ladies out to her car. She asked where I was from and I was like Massachusetts. She responded with "how y'all keep warm up there?" I really didn't know how to respond but i was like well fire first off... and then she cutting me off a little "was like y'all just have giant fires in all your rooms? That can't be safe." I laughed and said well we have natural gas and oil too. Again surprised she was like "don't all that freeze when it's cold?" I then explained it was underground and again she said "well yeah but the ground is freezing too right? So how's that work?" I laughed again and i said well it just doesn't freeze. It was pretty funny. Then came the end of the day and we had served 250 boxes, which accounts for 250 people essentially. This was amazing and I was so glad to have worked that hard. After dinner and four square we wounded down with reflection and a fire. In the fire I saw myself not stressed at school, at sibling or at drama; I was here to just help people and do community service. After that reflection I finally went to sleep ready for the next day's work.

Am I Making A Difference? (Jeremy)

As we sat around the fire tonight, as we have done and will do every night, we were all talking about the projects we had done today. The group splits up everyday and goes to various projects around the city, some that we arrange and some arranged by the United Saints group we are staying with. As I heard the other members of the group discussing their days, going to places that handed out food and clothing to the needy and other things along those lines, it got me thinking about whether my day had just been yard work, or if we had impacted the city just as much as the others.

My group went to the home of a man that could not maintain it himself due to health and financial problems. The city was going to take his house because the lawn was too long and the house was too unkempt. We came in full force, and had the yard looking presentable in around two hours, a job that they thought was going to take all day. I got to hack things loose with a machete, (HI MOM!) and just clear debris out of the lawn. The real work started after lunch. One of the rooms in the house that was infected with black mold, something that is highly dangerous and can cause cancer. The filthy flood water that had filled the house had left this deadly moss behind and it was our job to get rid of it. My group and I spent all afternoon ripping up the walls and demolishing the dry wall, shoveling it out, and piling it in the back yard. It was long, hard work as we had to wear respirators and goggles in a room with little to no ventilation that was infested with dust.

As I sat staring into the fire, I realized that we did make a difference, one that matters just as much as the work done by my peers today. I just needed to look in from the bigger picture, zoom in from the relief effort as a whole, and zero in on that one house, that one family. We made it so that this family will be able to move back into there home and not have to worry about that mold. We made it so that the city will not seize the house. We made it so that that family can have a home again, so that those kids can play with the toys in the front room once again. Rather than impacting the whole city, we impacted one family today and for many many years to come. With that epiphany I realized exactly what the work we do here is all about, about rebuilding homes and lives, and I managed to do both in one day. For once in my life I feel like I have a real purpose, and like I am working for someone other than myself. I am truly discovering what it means to lose yourself, and find yourself, in the service of others.

Day Two (Allison)

Today I went to a home and we worked on the exterior of it. First everyone there was either scraping the peeling paint off, or sanding the walls. Then we primed the walls. The homeowners were extremely nice and really appreciated us being there. They made us a homemade lunch, and it was delicious. Some of us had beans and a delicious broth over rice. Others had chicken and potatoes in a broth. The homeowners also provided us with salad, carrots with different dips. All of us enjoyed eating the lunch on their porch listening to them talk to us.

Scraping, sanding, and priming the house was surprisingly a lot of fun. We were singing and laughing and talking while doing the work. Doing so made the time fly by, and despite the amount of progress we made, everyone of us wanted to keep working after we were told it was time to go. I had been working on a double door for a good while. I had scraped it, sanded it, and was in the middle of priming it when we had to go. I know I wanted to keep going and finish the door before we left. Others really wanted to finish the roof, or the section they were working on. It is really nice to be here working with people who are determined to finish the work, and can make the work so much fun.

So far the trip has been great. I am really enjoying being here with everyone. The city is amazing and I am having so much fun.

Alive (Gwen)

I know that I am not alone in walking through my life with an ache of boredom and dissatisfaction somewhere deep in my bones. I know that I am not alone in so often feeling restless and unfulfilled. As my senior year wears on and new worlds of responsibility come into view, the rhythms of the daily grind weigh on me more heavily than ever.

Tonight, for the first time in months, I feel free. Service creates a new kind of ache; rather than the dull emptiness, it feels like the twinge of a muscle well used. It's a hunger to do more, a growing feeling of strength and empowerment.

I spent the day at Our School at Blair Grocery. It's a complicated concept that boils down to an alternative school in the Lower 9th Ward which educates students who have been left behind by the public school system, using an organic urban garden as a teaching tool as well as to sustain themselves financially and increase community access to healthy fresh food. It's a rambling, chaotic compound based in a former corner grocery, smelling of chickens and compost. There's a handmade energy to the whole place- the dilapidated chain link fence is decorated with a canary yellow sun made of scrap wood, the greenhouses have names like "starship nine" painted in bright colors over their entrances- and the volunteers tend towards Birkenstocks and nose piercings. The organization itself is as disorganized as its premises, and for the first part of the day I was frustrated by the seeming lack of direction or purpose. We'd had no orientation, so I had only a vague and incoherent idea of what Our School was even doing.

Finally, as we packed up for the day, one of the directors of the program finally found time to sit down and talk to us. I watched the sun-leathered lines at the corners of his eyes dance as he explained the school, talked about his students, talked about farming and food justice and experiential learning and real education. The K-8 school a few blocks away went home for the day as he was speaking and suddenly a slow trickle of energetic kids began to arrive. The proceeds of the vegetable sales allow them to pay some students a stipend to work on the gardens after school, but I realize that these students aren't here for anything so formal. The place is exploding with love and joy. It's a community, and it's real.

Our School at Blair Grocery is a rare, true grassroots group. It's haphazard, it's piecemeal and it doesn't play to expectations. It serves the needs of the people as they arise. Organizations can only stay in that state for a limited number of years; it's not a sustainable model past the initial burst of activity. But in that brief window- what an exhilarating place. It's raw. It's intense. It's alive. For the first time in months, I feel alive.

"If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time.

But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."

-Lilla Watson

This quote was painted on the shed door today, and it sums up pretty well why I do what I do. This isn't charity. This isn't "doing something nice." This is recognizing that as humans we are all connected to each other, and then it's putting that recognition into action.

I am grateful to Blair Grocery tonight. Their energy was exactly the kind of jolt that I needed.

First Day! Alexandra Ríos

It is very fitting to say that today was a long day. The group arrived at the house somewhere around 1:00 am which we soon came to learn that in our time (MA) was actually 2:00 am, so we were all pretty tired. When we arrived at the house we met the director of the place where we are staying, The United Saints. He was friendly and talkative. We were given a tour of the facilities which, from what I hear from the people who have participated in this service trip before, are really accommodating. Just by being here one day I agree with this.

We soon went to bed after this only to wake up at 6:50 am because breakfast is a 7:00 am. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day so we cannot miss it! We started the day bright and early with introductions. It was decided that the first day we would have a tour around the places where this trip had worked in the previous years. During this time I realized the real importance of what it is that we do here. I finally saw all this places I have always seen only in pictures and we saw "Mama Gaines", someone Ive exceedingly heard about since the first meeting the group had.

After this tour it was time to work. I got to work at the Second Harvest Food Bank and not only was it as great as everyone said it would be but it was really fun. We spent at least two hours distributing food and working with these fast paced conveyor belts. We had to be alert and quick at all times, but it turned out to be extremely fun.

Dinner was great! We had tacos!! Like the facilities, the people from the previous years were commenting on how food is better that the last year. Now that we were all at the house again, fed and happy, the only thing we had to do was kill time. We had lots of fun playing basketball, football and exploring the neighborhood. I am really glad I am part of this trip with all these people whom I am proud to call my friends and second family.

I'm excited for tomorrow and I believe this whole experience is going to change all of us and make us better individuals.

First Day! Kyle Franklin

Okay so my first day began at around 3:00-4:00 A.M when Matt Kirk's phone went off. I was displeased, but Mr. Morgan said something funny that Ms. Hamel said that I shouldn't post . Breakfast was solid, I had an untoasted bagel, then I found out that there was a toaster. Then, the day really began when we went on a tour of the Lower Ninth Ward, it was weird to see what had changed since I had been two years ago. Brad Pitt's houses that don't actually look like houses had practically taken over when just two years ago, there were only like three. Secondly, I saw Robert Greene again, who was in a trailer when I last saw him, who was now occupying one of said houses/houses that don't actually look like houses. Later, we went to a food bank, and I showed those boxes of food who was boss. We packed like pros to say the least.

The thing that I liked most about today was seeing how genuinely friendly people were to us. People said "Hi" as we passed by, and went out of their way to talk to us. It's so different from what I am used to seeing back in Massachusetts.

Oh, and lastly I would like to thank Chris Schott for halting my one and only chance at meeting someone somewhat famous. See, some TV show was being shot just a couple blocks from our house, but Chris wanted to go see a parade. I personally wouldn't have had a problem with this if the parade actually existed.

First Impressions - Margaret (not Meg, not Maggie)

I really wasn't sure what to write about when Mr. Kane asked me to write one of the first blog posts as a new member of the New Orleans trip who had never been before. "First impressions," he said, and Gwen suggested I write about what I'm expecting.

The plane was stressful, and my ears popped very painfully during the landing and for about two hours afterward. Only a few of us had ear pain that extreme. I'm thinking about asking for these ear pressurizer things Marc told me about for the flight home. That'd be easier than dealing with the popping again. But our flight time, aside from a tiny bit of turbulence, was painless. Yes, it was stressful because everyone was in a hurry and everyone was cramped all in the back of an airplane together for hours. But the flight was a half hour ahead of schedule, and the wait in Newark wasn't long at all, and even though airport food is so overpriced, it tasted good. But I definitely would say that landing in New Orleans was a relief after an entire day of going, going, going.

New Orleans is really warm, and honestly that was the first impression I got as I got off the plane. I don't think anything else really registered, because the area we were in looked like any regular city. I don't know what I was expecting - but where we landed didn't look that bad. I'm pretty sure it's because we were in a very busy area that requires upkeep. But it made me think how easy it could be for people to ignore the problem, ignore the fact that in some places there is going to be devastation. I've seen pictures from previous trips, I know.

Slowly, I've been realizing more and more that I'm actually here. It didn't start right away, it was very surreal. I got off the plane and still, did not realize the magnitude of what we were doing. I got on the shuttle bus, crammed in tight with other NM students, and still did not realize we were really here.

I think my awakening came when the second shuttle from the airport showed up at the car rental place where half of us were waiting and involved in an intense game of frisbee. A family got off of the shuttle, and a man was talking to Mr. Kane. He was saying that what we were doing was incredible, saying thank you. (Mr. Kane makes friends wherever he goes, I've noticed) And then when he got off the shuttle, this man turned to all of us standing around and said thank you, said what we were doing was really amazing, and said that the whole would would be impacted by people like us.

It was really powerful to hear that from someone who we didn't even know, but I've been informed that this is the norm. People will come up to us and thank us for what we're doing, since it's because of groups like us that things are actually getting better. And that made it real, more than anything. For the first time, that very first night, I saw first hand that we can make a difference just by being here to help.

Since then I've been feeling more and more that I'm really, truly, here. And it's exciting. I've journaled six pages so far, I've met a few people - Alex even met the pastor of the church we're staying at. I'm so excited to be here. I'm trying to push away all hesitations and just go headfirst into anything I'm asked to do. I think what I want to do more than anything is get to know the people I'm helping, hear their stories. Because that way I can share them, and bring even more people down here to make a difference.

It's kind of hard to believe it's only the first morning.

New Orleans! First Day! Maggie

Hi! Yesterday the planes rides were a bit stressful, but we all got through them. Then we got here around 1:30 in the morning and everyone was exhausted and had low patience but our group dealt with it so well and we got organized and everyone to bed quickly.
New Orleans is amazing, it's so different from Ashby, Townsend or Pepperell. I'm really excited to get going and start doing our projects. Every time I think, I'm in New Orleans, I just get so happy and proud of myself and the people with me. I realize that it's people like us who make a difference and I'm so excited being here with so many great people.
I so excited to get going!
Bye! (:

Ohhhh the places you go....

Arrived last night at United Saints around midnight and after the tour and room assignments and re-assignments and re-,re-assignments, we settled in around 1:45 AM. We are an hour behind here in NOLA so for us it was 2:45AM and we are at breakfast, everyone up and ready at 6:30. Oh the nights sleep.......

And the journey continues.....

As we make the final preparations for the trip and finalize 11 months of hard work, service and dedication, I think about the program that we created 5 years ago. "Oh the places you'll go," as said best by Dr. Seuss. We have done over 10,000 volunteer hours in New Orleans and continue our commitment to a great city! As part of our trip this year, we will take time to blog each day to reflect on our experiences and keep everyone informed about what we are doing in New Orleans. Please feel free to "follow" the blog officially or unofficially and your comments and additional threads are much appreciated.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!!!!