back to New Orleans

[marathoner452]

I'm all in-processed and checked into my hotel where I'll be staying for the next 3 weeks. I'll either be working in a fixed kitchen or riding around in an ERV (response vehicle) delivering food to the neighborhoods. Work starts tomorrow-good thing, because somehow it doesn't feel right to be a relief worker but staying in a nice hotel with such gorgeous weather, just relaxing and soaking up the sun. It's 72* right now, supposedly unusually warm for this time of year, but I ain't complainin'. The food is excellent as well-all you who know me know I love rice and beans and seafood and that's just what they specialize in down here.

Meanwhile, everyone keeps telling me I should have been down here a few days earlier for Mardi Gras. I'd have to agree with that, esp. seeing all the beads my roommate has lying around. :-)

~Bethany

PS-It looks like someone sprinkled blue confetti all over the roofs here. Yes, the tarps are still up, though at least where I am there doesn't look to be too much other damage. I'm sure I'll see plenty of that in the next few days though, esp. if I get to be on one of the ERVs.

From the look of the Superdome (from the highway, anyway), you'd never know all the horrors that went on inside of there.

EDIT: If anyone wants a New Orleans postcard, send me your address at piikanala19@yahoo.com. At 50 cents apiece they're a little pricey, but I figure the extra money gets pumped back into the economy down here.

Comments

[roadwarrior220.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you're in absolute heaven down there, with the weather and the food especially. And you know I'd love a postcard--do you have my address with you? Let me know, and I'll e-mail it to you if you don't. Can't wait to hear from you. :-)

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

I don't have your address with me, I don't think.

[roadwarrior220.livejournal.com]

I just e-mailed it to you.

Your first night

[redcrosshoney.livejournal.com]

Bethany,
Your first post was at 4:05pm, why didn't you post later? On your first night you drove across the Mississippi River into New Orleans as the Designated Driver and never got lost. You are the best!
Don't forget the Sushi or the special hot tub talk, but remember what happens in New Orleans never happens.

Re: Your first night

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

Is that you Christine? You're awesome. You and Joe took such good care of me my first few nights in "N'Awlins." And it's not the sushi or the hot tub that never happened, but the night after my first day on the job. Or rather, the next morning when I woke up sick from trying to forget the day before and had to ride backwards on an ERV all day.

I really could not have asked for a better first deployment. All my fellow volunteers, the clients, the city itself. I am completely exhausted but it was all worth it. It was easily the most satisfying three weeks of my life.

So how're you doing? From what Joe said you were having a tough time getting back to life off a disaster deployment at first-are things going any better?

Hope to hear from you soon.

~Bethany

Re: Your first night

[redcrosshoney.livejournal.com]

No matter what happened in New orleans it never happened! Yes things are getting back on track, it takes awhile to figure out everyone else is on a different page than us. Time does not stand still.