  Louisiana
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 6189 Louisiana Tips.8944 Louisiana Photos.0 Louisiana Videos. Louisiana Pages by pabertra
| Page Views: 368 Last Visit to Louisiana: April, 2006 | On a Mission---Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief by pabertra - last update: May 31, 2007 |
Louisiana, although part of the U.S., has a culture distinctly its own. From voodoo and spirits, swamplands, the once bustling port of New Orleans, to the old French Quarter where beignets and jazz are iconic it is a somewhat mystical place steeped in the legends and aura of the Old South. I've been to Louisiana before many years ago with my mother for the Jazz and Heritage Festival, but returned recently after the Hurricane Katrina disaster to help assist in the efforts to rebuild.
It is quite a different place than it was so many years ago and many of you that have been through New Orleans and greater Louisiana before would hardly recognize it amongst all the devastation, but in the true American spirit life does go on and the city is being rebuilt slowly-one home at a time. |
|  | What Made This Trip So Special? This was the first trip with my new boyfriend. The two of us, along with several members of his church headed down to New Orleans in the RV on a mission trip to help selected homeowners rebuild parts of their homes. Our group of about 50 split into small groups each assigned to different projects including roofing, painting, and building a carport. My crew re-roofed the home of very sweet and deserving Katrina victim named Vonzella. The trip was not only a lot of fun, but it was life changing seeing how quickly we can lose all our worldly posessions...in an instant our lives can change and the one thing that was reinforced for me was not to place as much value in material things, but rather in the lives of others. |
| | So What Is New Orleans Like Now? New Orleans is still severely devastated and in just a few days I was able to only begin to comprehend how widespread the damage was. A lot of homes suffered water damage and have now been overcome with mold, but it was shocking to see how many homes suffered severe wind damage. Almost every home has busted out windows, a FEMA tarp on the roof, has been permanately abandoned, has large amounts of trash and debris piled in the yard, or is overshadowed by a tiny FEMA trailer that is parked in the yard where the homeowner lives in the hopes that their home will some day be restored to habitable condition. Businesses have been largely abandoned, but those that remain are desperate for employees. (Just as an example McDonalds starting pay is $9.75/hr, CVS operates out of a trailer, and Wal-Mart closes at 8pm because their just aren't enough workers). The city seems like a ghost town with a noticeably disproportionate amount of cars on the roads and people in the streets compared to how congested it used to be. One shocking thing was how much trash and debris there was everywhere. The trash collectors have been overwhelmed and cannot possibly handle the amount of debris needing to be disposed of (Most people have enough trash in their yards to fill an entire trash truck). Yet there are still signs of life re-emerging as some residents have decided to stay and continue on here. The French Quarter remains completely intact and is still buzzing with tourists and the ever increasing traffic at rush hour is a healthy sign of the American resolve to resume some state of normalcy once more. |
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| Pros: | "French Quarter Remains Intact--Life is Slowly Returning" | | Cons: | "Devastation is Everywhere---Many Are Never Coming Back" | | In A Nutshell: | "Shocking to Witness the Aftermath" |
pabertra's Louisiana Travel Tips
| Overview | Things to Do
Tips: 2 - Photos: 2 | | | | Restaurants | Hotels & Accommodations | | | | Nightlife | Off The Beaten Path | | | | Tourist Traps | Warnings Or Dangers | | | | Transportation | Local Customs | | | | Packing Lists | Shopping | | | | Sports Travel | General Tips |
 pabertra's Louisiana Travelogues | | | |
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 Comments for pabertra about Louisiana | | | | |
terps94 Wed Apr 19, 2006 17:52 UTC
your crew did a very remarkable thing for those people there and I hope it spreads to other. My coworker's were there after the disaster to evac lot of people. |
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