Laissez Le Bon Temps Roullez

Translation: Let the Good Times Roll ... in New Orleans, Louisiana!
Wow I don't even know where to start. This week has been such an adventure in and of itself: the 5 long work days we spent working on Ms. Vera's house with the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana (the organization that has been fixing up houses that were destroyed during Katrina; the excursions to Bourbon street (an absolute madhouse, and a million times more overwhelming than Times Square); the media coverage we received from abc TV and a mainstream radio station here in New Orleans; the Soul Rebels concert; and the countless beignets we've all consumed at the famous Cafe DuMonde have made this week one of the most rewarding and exciting I've experienced.

The Build: So this week, all 32 of us arrived at Ms. Vera's house on the corner of N Miro and Mazant. For the first couple days, we sheetrocked that house like nobody's business, and then "mudded" and sanded the walls. It was awesome to see such a transformation, to see the evolution of a home-to-be, and to know that we were a part of improving the quality of life of Ms. Vera and her family.

Visit to the Lower 9th Ward: One of the places that was it the hardest from the hurricaine. The entire neighborhood is be characterized by abandoned houses, and concrete slabs where houses used to exist, athough there seemed to be several families that had moved back into their homes. To say the least, the neighborhood is depressing, mainly because the government has done little-to-nothing to fix it up for the families who used to call it home.

R.U.B.A.R.B. (Rusted Up Beyond All Recognition Bicycles): A community bike shop right around the corner from Ms. Vera's house. The founders have gathered bikes and bike parts that turned up after the flood, and teach the neighborhood kids how to build a bike and fix a flat tire, among other things. In return for their efforts, the kids get to keep the bike they worked on. Totally awewsome project.

All in all, this week was an incredible bonding experience for the group... a chance for us to get to know each other in our normal clothes (not spandex), although at this point everyone has memorized everyone else's (limited) wardrobe .... and wonderful way to lend a hand to a family in need.

Love from NOLA,
Erica.