NOLA Residency

New Orleans has officially been my home for a week now, and I've already survived a hurricane, a sketchy walk through a rough neighborhood (by accident), and Bourbon Street. I'd say I've had a pretty awesome introduction to this city, and by "pretty awesome," I mean utterly fantastic. First things first, my apartment is adorable! Although furnished in the barest way possible as of now, it still has some charisma. We (Stephanie and I) did manage to scrounge up a couch from Craigslist for cheap, and it's super comfortable, and with a brand new slip cover, looks clean and new! Additionally, my room is massive and I can't wait to get back in my apartment tomorrow (evacuated right now for the hurricane) so I can start decorating and putting a little bit of Cat love into it.

I started my job on Monday, which was the only day I've had to work so far because Hurricane Isaac put a little damper on NOLA's agenda. Despite the office being a little crazy talking about the storm and evacuations, I was so happy to finally see where I'm going to be spending the next year. Everyone I'm working with is wonderfully pleasant, and all have great hearts. I learned a lot about Unity GNO and the kind of organization that it is, and I couldn't be more anxious, or excited, to be with such a caring, invested organization.

The main goal of Unity GNO is to alleviate homelessness in New Orleans, and in post-Katrina NOLA, homelessness is disgustingly prominent. There are many neighborhoods that haven't recovered and haven't been rebuilt at all. Because of that, many people were forced to resort to living on the street. On any given night, there are 8,000 to 10,000 people living on the streets of the city. This statistic is entirely unacceptable, and for the next year I will put my heart and soul into decreasing it.

For work I had to read a thesis paper by a student at UNO, Evan Casper-Futterman. The paper was titled "The Operation was Successful but the Patient Died: The Politics of Crisis and Homelessness in Post-Katrina New Orleans." The entire thesis was captivating, but I won't bore you all with the details, however I did want to share with you the quote he began with:

"If the ghetto burns down we will not know it because it does not show on the symap. If it is not in the census, it is not sensed. If remote sensing is efficient, and it is, why does it follow, and it does not, that intimate sensing is not? We have become so situational that we have lost sight of the site unless we can cite it in a senseless census. Great God, we have to sneak outdoors."

This quote, written by William Bunge in Fitzgerald from a Distance, is honestly brilliant. It opened my eyes to what I am really doing: trying to help the unnoticed become noticed.

Now for the fun stuff. Everything you've heard about New Orleans is true: it's a freaking blast. Everyone here is so nice and hospitable. The greatest part about the city is that you can drink in the streets! This still blows my mind, and yesterday when we were exploring the damage from Isaac around the neighborhood, we were walking in the middle of the streets with beers, and although I felt kind of badass-esque, I had to quickly remind myself that what I was doing was totally legal.

Speaking of Isaac, I am perfectly safe and sound. My new friend Tracy let me stay at her house with a few other people, and despite the weather conditions, we are having such a fun week. As I tweeted the other day: "Isaac feels like an ex boyfriend who wants you to pay attention to him and pisses you off, but can't stop you from having fun."

I haven't been to my apartment since the storm because it is still without power, but I'm praying that there was no flood damage. Isaac was pretty powerful, but it could have been a lot worse, so thank you everyone for your prayers. Please continue to pray for those in Louisiana and surrounding states who have lost there homes and who were injured or killed in the storm.

Isaac did cause quite a bit of damage around the area, and the following photos are not of my house, but were taken during my wanderings around the neighborhood.

But on a different note, the nightlife here is incredible, and I'm not going to start putting it into words just yet. I'm going to leave it up to your curiosity so that every single one of you books a plane ticket to come see me! See you all soon. I'll be waiting with open arms, a beer, and the infamous beads.

The first page of the new chapter

The few days before coming to Atlanta I was starting to get nervous for my year in New Orleans--after all, it is a YEAR of my life that I'm devoting to service. But now that I'm here, surrounded by more than 300 people around my age that are getting ready to do the same thing, I feel at home.

What I'm at now is called Pre-Service Orientation. All of the VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) that are serving in the southeast chunk of the country are here training--that's me! We learned a lot about the history of VISTA today, and a little about poverty in America, which is what the program works toward alleviating.

Some statistics I heard really struck me, so I've decided to share those with whoever loves me enough to read this blog.
- An estimated 59% of Americans will experience a year or more of poverty between the ages 20 and 75
- 46.2 million people in the US lived in poverty in 2010
- 1 in 3 children live in poverty
- In 2010, more than 40% of households headed by women live in poverty

And lastly, not a statistic, but more of a fact, I will be living in poverty this year. People always ask me if I will make money this year, and I answer that Americorps pays for my necessities, and that is true, they only pay for necessities. I will be living on about $920 a month--which includes rent, utilities, water, transportation, and food. The poverty rate for a person under 65 years old is $11,702--and if you do the math, that's pretty darn close to what I'l be making. The point of this is that in order to truly want to alleviate poverty in the US and immerse myself in the community, I have to be able to feel what they are feeling, and live like they are living. And I am looking forward to stepping up to that challenge.

But I have plenty of things to keep me going. First, one of the speakers at orientation said, "This is the stuff that doesn't make the news." And it really is. The news is filled with crime and violence and depressing stories, yes, but a lot of poverty and injustices that VISTA focuses on aren't shown in the news. It's my mission to spread awareness of the situations that people aren't aware of, so that everyone, not just the VISTAs, will want to make a difference.

Another speaker said, "You choose what you want to let into your body, soul, mind. You choose to have the good." She also said, "When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you should do is be happy you woke up-- a lot of people don't get to do that." I love both of these quotes, and I think by joining this year of service I have taken a vow to choose the good, or at least try to bring out the good in places where the good may be buried. I'm also so thankful to be alive, and I know when the conditions I'm exposed to in NOLA get overwhelmingly emotional, this blog will be filled with great thanks for what I've been lucky enough to receive: life, health, family, friends, education, food, shelter, happiness.

Lastly, a speaker said, "Defeat poverty and build the kinds of communities where we can all thrive." I couldn't have said it better myself. That's exactly why I'm here.

Side note: Today I got the final approval on an apartment! I won't be homeless :) I will post pictures tomorrow when she sends me them. I also met my roommate today at orientation and she's super nice and a bundle of joy. Can't wait to start making memories.

Without her I don't make sense

There's always one person in your life that you know you wouldn't be able to live without. People come and go often, friends leave you behind, you leave friends behind, relationships are broken, and families fall apart. I am lucky enough to have a person that I know I wouldn't be able to live without--my sister. She is without a doubt my best friend, and my other half. And to symbolize that she is my other half, I decided to have a symbol of our love permanently on my body.

Today, my sister and I went and got sister tattoos. As we are two halves of a whole, this was our inspiration. The acronym means "Without Her I Don't Make Sense," which is probably the truest words I've ever uttered. I love you Sarah, you're stuck loving me forever, or else your tattoo won't make sense :)

22 and still young

"Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years.  We grow old by deserting our ideals.  Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul."  -Samuel Ullman

First of all, I'm aware that 22 years old is not classified as "growing old," however it is older than I was just a few days ago. I felt like I was 21 for several years, and no I never had a fake i.d., so I was never fake 21. I've uttered the words "I'm 22" three times so far since Friday, and man it feels weird. Despite the odd feeling of saying it, I am so thrilled to have lived 22 unfathomably incredible years. I'm not afraid of getting wrinkles one day, but I am afraid of losing my enthusiasm. I never want to lose the zest for life that I feel at this moment, that I felt this weekend, that I've felt my whole life.

The celebration of my birthday was unbelievable. The bulk of the success of my birthday is credited to my mother, sister, Jackie, Caitlin, and the Dickson twins & gang (Not to mention the hundreds of "Happy Birthday" Facebook posts, texts and calls  that I received). You all made my three-day celebration spectacular. 

 There was one point on my birthday that I was sad because a lot of people who told me they would come out with me didn't follow through. But when I realized that those who truly loved me the most were trying to make my birthday unforgettable, I decided just how lucky I was. I felt selfish for sulking--there are so many family and friends who took the time out to wish me well, and I was bumming out about a mere few. 

Now here's a recap:

Thursday night: Bringing in the midnight birthday just right with dollar beer night at Aztec. Starting off the night with beers, and finishing with my favorite, Jack and Cokes, may have been a recipe for a black out, but it sure was fun. What was even more fun was that my friends are way too awesome and I didn't have to pay for one drink. Plus, I had the prettiest sober driver in the world--thanks Jackie :) 

Friday day: An impossibly fun day at the Dickson's house playing pizza box. If you don't know the game, learn it. Although quite embarrassed from some shenanigans displayed in front of the Dickson parents, I wouldn't have wanted to spend my birthday any other way. Plus I got delicious tacos for dinner!

Friday night: Beach bar with my sister, Bry, and Jackie (sorry for being cranky guys!). Jack and Bills with Jackie, and Bamboo with Jackie, the Dickson's, Milne siblings, Nick and Andrew. Although I do normally have hatred for Bamboo, being with you all somehow made it an insanely fun time. I won't doubt your love for Bamboo again--or maybe I will.

Saturday all day: To finish off the celebration was a Kenny Chesney/Tim Mcgraw concert that my sister and I received tickets for from my father for Christmas--thanks daddy and Tami! It just so happened to fall on the day after my birthday, which was awesome. This was definitely one of the best days of my life, filled with old friends, new friends, good beer, other assorted liquors, yummy food, and incredible music. We even got to sit in section 110, despite having tickets for section 334--high five to us Sarah!

So, thank you all for making my first 22 years pretty kick-ass. Here's to making the next 22 even better. Cheers.

JM ialreadymiss U

Yesterday I saw a man with a JMU football t-shirt on the beach and it made me think of the first football game I went to freshman year, which I'd have to declare as one of the best days of my life. That day I realized that I had already found great friends, had gone to a school that was unbelievable, and that I could tailgate with the best of them.

Throughout college, most of my friends from that day remained my best ones, with the addition of 572 and the rest of weaver along the way. And honestly, it's pretty unfathomable that I was blessed with two different groups of friends that I get along with equally as well, and who I love equally as much.

I wanted to thank everyone in weaver for letting me basically join their dorm. I don't know where I would be without any of you, especially the girls--who I've been informed of didn't like me freshman year (haha thanks Amanda!), but thanks for giving me a chance later on! And the boys--you guys were always my favorite part about JMU.

Also my gratitude goes to 572. We met in a weird way. A very weird way. But when I started participating in 151 Wednesdays, or Tuesdays, you all had my heart. We entered college strangers, and left a family. You will always be my family.

And I can't write a JMU blog post without mentioning 345. Keith and Alex you are my brothers--I can't believe how indescribably crazy you are, and how much I love you for that. I couldn't have asked for better neighbors in college (although Ry, Jeremy, Chris and Harrison are pretty cool too). And Cara and Marlee: you were my first friends in college, and rightfully so. We've been through a lot, and our bond is stronger than I ever imagined it would be. I'm also going to throw Laura into this category, because Laura I don't have a category for you--but I couldn't have made it through college without you.

I guess I was overdo for a sentimental JMU reminiscing blog post, I just didn't think a single Madison t-shirt would set off my emotions. I guess I have a lot to be prepared for in the future if something as small as a t-shirt can send me on a tangent. I just had to tell everyone how much they mean to me, and how you all made my college experience honestly the greatest four years of my life. I look forward to the mayhem we will ensue together in the future.

Sidenote: Anyone I didn't mention, it doesn't mean you weren't important to me. If I individually attributed everyone I appreciated and that contributed to my times at JMU, this blog post would be obnoxiously long.

The Start of Everything

I had a lot on my mind today. Luckily, my favorite place to think is only up the block on the sand. Even luckier was that there was a full moon illuminating the water. As I sat there I thought about how much my life is going to change in the next few weeks. I'm moving to a city I've never been to, working with an organization I've never volunteered with, living in an apartment that I haven't even found yet, and I don't know a single soul. Not to mention I'm diving right in it all for 11 months.

A lot of people have told me I'm courageous, but all I can think about is how I hope it all turns out well. To be honest, I'm equally as excited as I am terrified. It's safe here in Lavallette: I have my family, my friends, a beautiful beach and bay, and a safe neighborhood. Hopefully in NOLA I'll have a safe neighborhood too, but the rest will be lacking--although I do get the Gulf.

It's also safe in Harrisonburg: I still have so many friends there, a school I love, a town I love, and an atmosphere I thought I'd never leave.

I have yet to have a second thought about going. I know the direction I want my life to go in, and this is the way to start that. I just need to get there and be okay with it all I guess. I know I went through this same thought process when I moved to Virginia, and look how well that turned out. Plus, everyone keeps telling me how awesome NOLA is, which is fabulous to hear--so everyone keep bringing on the NOLA praises!

I guess now that my dreams are coming true, it's kind of hard to believe. The rest of my life begins in three weeks. Just three weeks. I've been thinking about this since I was a little girl, and it all happens in three weeks. Whoa. Breathe Cat.