Definitely not TMI, Ben. Yes, the openness and gratitude of the local residents were a wonderful and unexpected bonus. How is it that you've been down so many times already at your tender age?
Ben: Thanks for chance to give my Dad a plug! Here's the long answer...
New Orleans has always been a special place for my family. My brother and I grew up hearing about the time my parents spent living and working in New Orleans after they graduated from college--about the spicy food, the smoky coffee, the sweaty summers, the wild Mardi Gras parades and the exceptional jazz music. New Orleans would surface in dinner table conversation every so often, but it wasn't until Hurricane Katrina hit that the city really became a daily topic of conversation.
After that first trip, I was hooked--on the work, on the people and on the city. So this past summer, when I returned home briefly from my work in New Delhi, India, and had a bunch of free time, I hopped on a plane down to New Orleans and spent a few days working with the St. Bernard Project to rebuild a house in Gentilly. At the very end of October, again back from India--this time for good--I had the opportunity to join Klene-Up Krewe 7.
And this last trip was a particularly special one. For the first time, my entire family--both of my parents, my brother, an aunt and two uncles--all traveled down to New Orleans together.
Zach Weiss, rebuilding, St. Bernard Project;
photo credit: Lawrence Weiss
Zach: To echo my brother's points - we grew up in a house where New Orleans was always a part of our lives. My mom, who struggles with spicy food, still complains about her unplanned yearlong diet and, hanging in our house, were Jazzfest and Dizzy Gillespie posters that my parents held onto for over 20 years and through four moves.
After the storm, I know a lot of people had a visceral reaction to the images on tv or the government's inability to help its citizens, but I wasn't really affected until I saw the way it affected my parents and their immediate desire to go back and help.
Like Ben said, my dad, David and Stuart organized the first trip shortly after the storm and have led six more since then. For me, school and work got in they way of the first six, but I was finally able to go on this one and see the city for the first time. New Orleans is truly an amazing place, and after meeting the people, eating too much fried seafood and listening to music on Frenchman Street, you realize that it's not a coincidence that the volunteer support has been so overwhelming. It's just a special city, and I'm trying hard to get back there for KUK8 to do some more work.
What was it like doing this with your families?
Michael: Speaking of going on the trip with family members, I was very excited to go on this trip as it was the third trip that my Mom had been on and my sister had already been a part of the Klene-Up Krewe. I have always wanted to go down to New Orleans and experience the culture and people that have not changed despite their circumstances. Being in college during Katrina was especially interesting as at the University of Wisconsin, we had many transplants from Tulane University who had to spend a semester in an entirely different situation than they were expecting to.
Although we were only in New Orleans for a few days, it was very important just to be "counted" as one of the many volunteers who have been a part of the largest volunteer operation ever.
Good point, Michael.
Pace: This trip was definitely a realization for me as to the extent the US failed to deal with this disaster, which is incredibly valuable.
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