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Corps Year: 2005 |
How have your students been affected by Hurricane Katrina?
Immediately after the hurricane our school population increased tremendously. Classes that were originally 25 students grew to 40 students in a matter of weeks. Given that our school was one of the first to re-open after the hurricane (about two weeks after the storm hit), we experienced a huge influx of students from Jefferson and Orleans parishes.
When I first saw my students after Katrina, I was surprised at how unaffected they seemed. Since they live about 45 minutes away from the city, many had a difficult time understanding the full impact of the storm. When they found out that I couldn’t move back into my house because it was in the heart of the city, they began to really absorb what had happened. Many of them had family members who moved in with them, while others were unaware of the significance of the situation.
Some of the new students who came to my school from Orleans and Jefferson Parish had seen their loved ones die; others were in the Superdome during the hurricane. It was very difficult for them at first to deal with being in a new environment on top of all they had experienced, but my students were—and still are—a resilient group of individuals. They have experienced more at a young age than some people will experience in their entire lifetime.
What is your neighborhood like?
This year I live in the uptown area (between the garden district and the Tulane/Loyola University area). We’re a couple of blocks off of the infamous St. Charles Avenue. Our apartment received a little bit of flooding during the hurricane, but the owner was able to repair everything before we moved in. From our house we can literally see the vast range of poverty and wealth in the city: to the right of our house begins the elaborate mansions near St. Charles and to the left of our house is a string of modest homes owned by our neighbors who have multiple jobs to make ends meet. Every time I return home, I feel as if I’m riding through the social dichotomy of the nation in one single drive.
Do you feel safe and secure where you live?
I’ve always felt safe and secure where I live and teach. I’ve never felt threatened or insecure about my surroundings. I try to exercise the same precautions in New Orleans as I do anywhere else. I think a lot of people are extra vigilant about the measures they take to keep them as safe as possible. I know I try to go out with friends rather than walk by myself. But, then again, living in any city will make a person want to take those extra precautions.
What do you love the most about living in Greater New Orleans (GNO)?
I love how GNO has a festival for practically anything that’s tradition. In St. John the Baptist Parish they celebrate their famous Andouille Festival every fall. You can actually buy a piece of andouille sausage on a stick! Throughout the New Orleans area you can also go to a strawberry festival, an Italian festival, a Greek festival, a crawfish festival, and more. And if you’re stuffed on food, you can always rock to the music at Voodoo Festival, sway to the music at Jazz Fest, or line the streets for Mardi Gras. There really is no place like New Orleans.
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