NOLA 2014! Days 3-5

RUAB NOLA
by Zeenie Sharif 

January 10, 2014

For Day 2 of service at Green Light New Orleans, I was in a different group than Jenn, so I had a different experience. Our group’s experience was also rich in learning and meeting the residents of New Orleans. Our route took us from wealthier areas of the city to areas that had clearly been hit hard by Katrina and were still in the process of rebuilding. The most interesting part of the experience was the opportunity to go into the homes of seven different people and see glimpses of seven completely different lives, from a young New York woman who had only been in New Orleans six months to an eighty-three year-old great-grandmother, living in New Orleans and Texas her whole life.

One particular person who made an impact on me was a woman named Missy. Her home, like a typical New Orleans home, was one room behind another, but every room was filled to the brim with bright colors and decorations. Her front room was actually a bedroom, so as soon as you stepped into her home, you were stepping into her personal, private space. Something she said had an affect on all of us and truly summed up the authenticity and welcoming nature of the New Orleans residents: “Come into my home; come into my life.” It was wonderful to be able to talk to her, and she was grateful and excited about us helping to make her home more energy-efficient.

In front of Green Light's Headquarters

In Missy's home

That night, we had some traditional New Orleans po’boys and were able to explore some of the city, although it was ridiculously wet and foggy. Green Light New Orleans and the people we were able to meet helped make this day memorable and impactful.

January 11, 2014

We were extremely lucky to have such a great end to our trip in New Orleans. The day started off well because the weather was beautiful, and we were getting to volunteer at NOLA for Life Day. NOLA for Life is an initiative that New Orleans mayor, Mitch Landrieu, to help inspire and work with the youth of the city to help “flip the script” on the high murder rates and street violence in New Orleans. NOLA for Life Day is a huge community day when volunteers from various non-profits (including Green Light!) and residents of New Orleans come out and work on projects in the A.L. Davis Park to clean and beautify it.

Our connection with NOLA for Life Day was actually through a Rutgers and Alt Breaks alum named Dan, who was stationed in New Orleans through Teach for America. He was extremely friendly and was able to introduce us to Mayor Landrieu. The mayor, like everyone else, was so welcoming and appreciative of us coming to help out; he baptized us as citizens of New Orleans and requested a photo with us. It was an honor to see someone in a position as he is being so down-to-earth and wanting to get to know us.

With Mayor Landrieu!

Most of us worked on something really cool: building benches to put around the park. I worked on a bench with a fellow group member, Rachel, and a teenager from New Orleans named Liam. It was a really awesome experience to figure out how to put together a bench and be able to use heavy duty equipment! It was also cool to talk to someone our age about his experience in the city and with Katrina, but also to talk to someone our age in general. Liam was so nice and friendly, and we had a great time working with him. Being able to see our bench complete at the end of the process was such a great feeling; we were able to sit on and see others sit on a bench we made. It’s a different feeling when you truly can see the fruits of your labor and understand how you’re making a contribution. Other members of our group also built benches and planted trees in the park.

Workin' hard on our benches

The finished product!

That night, we had some authentic New Orleans cuisine downtown at Chartres House for our last meal. It was a really cool place and the food was awesome! Of course, we had to stop at Cafe du Monde once more for beignets, hot chocolate, and coffee before heading back to the hotel to pack up for our departure early the next morning.

January 12, 2014

We had an early flight out this morning, so we were rustled awake, quickly packed up our things, and headed to the airport. We flew through security, confirming our beliefs that every airport is more efficient than Newark, and were at the gate for our flight in plenty of time. Back home, everyone’s bags arrived (yay!) and we all sadly departed.

Despite all the bumps in the beginning of our trip, we all agreed at our last reflection that our struggles are what made the trip so memorable. We bonded so much as a group and appreciated our time in New Orleans that much more. I realized that my time in NOLA showed me just a taste of the service that can be done in the city -- and in any city -- and only made my already-strong love of service stronger. I couldn’t be more thankful for the experience, for all the people I met and the friendships I made, and I wouldn’t have had the trip any other way. Thank you to my incredible site leaders and staff partner, my wonderful group, and Rutgers Alt Breaks!