Sunday, lazy Sunday

Due to it being our last day of rest (and the fact that much of the group had a lot of fun on Bourbon street last night), today was pretty laid back. We spent the afternoon on Magazine Street (pictured above), famous for its old houses, good food, and many fancy boutiques. It feels strange to be living the good life with so much post-Katrina destruction just around the corner, but all that will change very soon. And by soon, I mean tomorrow at around 7:00 AM, which is when I will somehow make myself wake up.

Out on the town

Nothing really starts until Monday, so today was mostly just full of fun things to do. The entire group had a meeting at 10:00 to discuss what the next two months will be like. Generally, we'll be working from 9-5 with classes from 6-9 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Every other week there will be a special lecture or panel discussion; Ray Nagin may be a speaker.

After lunch, I went to the New Orleans City Park (pictured above) with a friend from home. The botanical gardens and artwork were breathtakingly beautiful.

Afterwards, we went to a free Save the Wetlands concert in the French Quarter. It was mainly jazz musicians, all of whom were incredible. The goal of the concert was to gain congressional funding for wetland restoration in the area (politicians are currently debating the amount of funding that may or may not be given). The wetlands, besides being ecologically unique, are an extremely important part of hurricane protection. Roughly, a mile of wetland prevents an entire foot of storm surge. For more info: http://saveourwetlands.org/

I have arrived!

I got in at noon today after a very uneventful flight. Above is St. Martin Deporres Hall, where I'll be living for the next two months. My room is downright palacial: I get an open double complete with a bathroom, a fridge, and a microwave. What did I do to deserve this. . .?


And, as the building I'm in (seven stories!) is just about the tallest around, there's a pretty great view of the city:
The Xavier campus is beautiful and unique; the buildings are a mixture of old and new and are quite interspersed with the surrounding area. The University is historically black and Catholic, so, needless to say, I stick out like a sore thumb. But sticking out like a sore thumb is a useful experience to have.

The Blog's Namesake

Hey Angela, by Nick Lattanzi

It's an absolutely beautiful song; I thought I'd share. Buy his CD Paxamericana on ITunes!

Hello.

Hey y'all!

By y'all, I mean Bryna (you know that person you had awkward interactions with your first day of college who then became your best friend? That is who Bryna is).

I figured I should do at least one post before my internship (May 29-July 31) actually starts. This way I can look back when it's over with a mix of nostalgia and lofty disdain for the naive soul I once was.

The internship is actually somewhat vague at this point. I know I'll be taking two classes in Urban Studies at the beautiful Xavier University. I'll be working at one of five community-building organizations. Do I know which of these I'll actually be working at, or which is likely? Absolutely not. Either way, I'm very excited. I've been on rebuilding trips to New Orleans four times and have since become very passionate about the city's reconstruction. Hopefully, this internship will help me continue to do my part.

A small record of my life right now to supplement the nostalgia and lofty disdain:
-Last night Bryna and I did homework and then watched various documentary-style sitcoms, including but not limited to 30 Rock, The Office, and Parks and Recreation. Our lives are somewhat wild.
-Today I'll be training for a campus orientation board for white students interested in antiracism activities.
-Classes: World Politics, Intro to the Study of Literature: The Dysfunctional American Family, Making of the Modern Middle East, Astronomy.
-The first leaves of spring have just popped out outside my window.
-This week, I organized fifty-five members of my World Politics class to dress like my professor in sweater-vests, collared shirts, and ties. This is what happens when I get bored. I also worry that I've hit the pinnacle of my college career far too soon.

Also, credit where credit is due: The blog is named after a beautiful song called Hey Angela by Nick Lattanzi, a budding Boston artist. His CDs Shiny Car! and Paxamericana are both on ITunes.