Today was a wrap up day from Bay St. Louis and I was not involved in the wrap up but from what my classmates told me I wish I was their. We did laundry today and took an hour in a half ride to New Orleans. Today is like a cool down day for us because we have been working real hard. We arrived to New Orleans and while on the way to New Orleans we had to cross this long bridge which was the main cause of the flooding in New Orleans. While crossing the bridge I think that everybody on the bus was aware of the after affects of hurricane Katrina which took place almost 2 years ago.

As soon as you crossed that bridge and entered into the town you could still see the devastation that the hurricane had done and all the rumors that you about how the people of New Orleans has no help and that Busch is not doing anything for them, you could see that once you crossed that bridge. We checked into the hotel room and roamed around town a little bit in small groups but today for the most part was a rest day.

Today was a real challenge for me. Today was the first day for me to be a sociologist and I must say that I think that I did a great job. We gave a help in hand to the community today. We interviewed people to hear their stories about what happened during the hurricane and after the hurricane. I think we gave an opportunity to the people that had no voice a chance to speak up. I think they really appreciated us for giving them that opportunity. Even though most of the stories were compelling we as being sociologist had show and almost feel as if we really knew what disaster was and that was the hardest part for me today. We went at library from 8 that morning to almost 8 that night. I think the people of Bay St. Louis will never forget us and they will always thank us for that.

Just being here in Bay St. Louis I learned that this is the place where hurricane Katrina really hit and New Orleans. I did not know this but I felt as if the people felt like they were being over shadowed by New Orleans because New Orleans is a big city. In almost every interview the speaker was bound to say that New Orleans dodged a bullet. I will take my experiences that I learned today and hopefully use it farther more as I continue to go deep into my major and my career.

Today I must say it a drastic change from the civil rights and racial tension of Alabama to the sight of hurricane Katrina that happened in this small place name Bay St. Louis in Mississippi. We had a three hour conference during the day where we got a chance to here a couple of stories from people that witness the devastation of the hurricane. After the conference we took a tour of the city and got a chance to see the actual damages that hurricane Katrina caused in the town. The damage was real serve and the people of Bay St. Louis will never forget that. It has been almost two years later and the people and the community is not where they need to be but they have made progress from the initial day of the hurricane. The houses were swept away and there is still a great amount of people staying in FEMA trailers. The fortunate people are rebuilding their houses and the ones that did not have any damage are already back in their house. During the tour what struck me the most was the poor and poverty part of the town. These people were basically forced to move because the apartment complexes were not being rebuild and if it was rebuild the cost of living was too much for the people.

Today (Day was a pretty low key day. We got up and a few people went to the library. The rest of us went to breakfast and the laundromat. After everyone had finished up with laundry and the last oral history at the library, we headed to New Orleans. I was really excited to come back and see the city, after having been here for spring break. Coming into the city, I was again impacted by the massive destruction that is still present. While the damage is not quite so severe here as it is in Bay Saint Louis, I think there will always a special place in my heart for the people of this city. We had a low key afternoon pretty much to spend however we would like. Lauren, Tania and I walked around the area by our hotel for a little while, before heading over to Bourbon Street to meet up with the other girls for dinner. It’s like entering a different world, walking from Canal Street onto Bourbon. I guess I never really walked down much of it the night we came downtown while we were here on spring break. Even at like 6, there were people walking around with drinks, some stumbling, and girls with very little clothing on, walking to work. Never in my life have I seen so many bars and flashy lights. It was quite a culture shock, to say the least.

Today (Day 9) we went to visit ACORN, an agency who works with city development, helps educate people about their rights, and fights those government agencies trying to infringe on those rights. It was shocking to hear what the woman who worked there had to say about how the poor were being taken advantage of. I think it’s despicable that the government and its agencies consider it acceptable to take from those who don’t have the knowledge to realize that they’re being taken advantage of. I think the thing that really inspired me the most about what this woman was saying was that it sounds a lot like what I want to do. The idea that someone can have their voting rights restricted or their home taken away just because someone can get away with it is completely unacceptable.

After talking to this woman, we went to look at some of the homes that they have been rebuilding in the Lower 9^th ward. I was again pained to look at all the destruction. As I noticed when working in this neighborhood over spring break, there are NO people around. We got out and walked around for a few minutes. Other than a group of workers, there was no one else there. It concerns me, especially after what the ACORN woman said about the government seizing property. If these people are not here rebuilding, it makes me think that this whole area will be demolished and transformed into some other type of housing…not of a low income variety.

Today we arrived in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. I know what people are talking about when they say Mississippi is the definition of the country. The thing that surprised me the most about Mississippi residents was their accents. I was expecting strong southern accents and my assumptions were very off. After we were settled in our hotel we traveled to the local Hancock Library. I had mixed feelings after first seeing the library, because my city library was much larger, but after learning the impact the library had on the community I realized that my city’s library was bigger in size but definitely not as productive or involved with the community. It seemed that this was a place that wanted residents to be present just as much as the residents wanted to be present.

We were welcomed to Bay St. Louis and the Library by important people within the community. They were very kind and welcoming and it seemed that we had helped in so many ways already when we had done nothing. They made me feel like our presence was more important than our volunteering. After a long introduction we watched a film about Hurricane Katrina and the impact it had on Bay St. Louis. It was very touching and put things into perspective. Each staff member that talked to us had a different experience with the hurricane. After hearing all of the different testimonies I really got emotional because although they all had different stories, every victim’s life was affected by the hurricane.

After leaving the Library, we went on a “tour” of the city. There really was not much to show, because the after affects of the natural disaster were still present. It was hard to believe that the city actually had some type of development within it because it was full of houses spread along the ground into pieces and trailers. This was very shocking to see because I cannot imagine my family going through the same issues. My heart was lightened because never once they anyone I talked to blame themselves or anyone else for what happened.

Today was a full day of work!!! We were split into “work groups” and given certain assignments to do within the library. I was lucky to work with Katie and Jayme, because without them I do not think everything would have been as smooth as it was. We were one of the two groups to start the day off. The only assignment that I had mixed feelings about was the oral history part. We were to interview people about their experiences going through Katrina. Talking in public is not my strength so I really did not want to do this part, but in the end it was the most influential part of the day. I thought we were at a disadvantage because instead of conducting 2 oral histories like everyone else, we had three to do. All three interviews were very emotional and difficult to hear, but I found them very helpful for both me and the person I was interviewing. It seemed that the interview was just as hard for the victim as it was for me. This opened my mind and I actually cared and wanted to listen to what they had to say. After finishing the interviews our group started to help organize the history of the library into a scrapbook.

That night the library was hosting a film screening for residents. This was new to me because libraries are usually strict about their noise level. Although we had to read subtitles the entire time it was a very good movie and I was stunned with how many people were in attendance. It only showed the importance of the library within the community.

Today was another early day. We had to check out of our hotel and be back at the library at 8:30am. There was one more oral history to be completed and the people to conduct it were not chosen yet. In the back on my mind I was thinking about how much I did not want it to be me. With my luck I was one of the four chosen to conduct the interview. The lady we were interviewing was Mrs. Prima. We were all well acquainted with her which made the interview a lot easier. She answered each question gracefully with emotion and meaning. It was easy to feel her pain although it was obvious that tried to prevent from breaking down.

After the interview was completed many people complimented me on doing a good job conducting the interview. This came as a shock to me considering that this was not my comfort zone. I started to think why questions just kept coming and coming. The answer that I came up with was that it had nothing to do with me. It was all Mrs. Prima. Because I started to understand what she and others went through during the storm, I realized that this really had an impact on me. I really cared about the situation in Bay St. Louis.After the interview we loaded the bus and went to the laundry mat to wash clothes, and after that we were on our way to New Orleans!!

Day 7: Bay St. Louis

Wow, what a day this was!  We got up really early to go back to the library and setup for our long awaited oral histories.  After some of our reflection time on all the information we had heard in regards to Hurricane Katrina from the day before, and all the horrific images we had seen, I was excited to get to actually hear in depth stories from people who had lived through it.  At the same time, I feel like I went into the day somewhat skeptical, and with somewhat mixed emotions.  It’s hard to go out and see the massacred homes with no remains left but the stairs or the mailbox, and then imagine approaching a way to help through simply talking to people rather than getting out and building homes or something involving more physical work.  Also, all the talk about the money spent to refurbish statues in the library, as well as seeing some people who are relatively speaking, doing well as compared to some who are still in FEMA trailers or without even that, was a complex model to piece together.  I can say after doing the interviews, I can totally understand why that was the task that we were chosen to do, as it forced us to step a little out of our comfort zone to do interviews, but in a way that helped us to grow and learn, all while providing the victims with almost a form of therapy and rejuvenation.

Without getting in to any specifics about my particular oral histories, I can say overall that it was touching to see how we as the interviewers gradually gained the respect of the interviewee, and how as this occurred, their willingness to open up and not fear that they will be judged or rejected.  It really renewed my sense of how important it is just to be a good listener, and show you care about other people, even if you can’t provide them with money or a physical way to make it better, just listening goes a long way.

Though stratification is far from absent in the different levels of recovery from the hurricane, it is an institution in society that simply exists, and there isn’t any way I see to make that change.  At the same time, it is true that we do need people to recover at different times and in different manners in order for more people to be available to help others and resources to be available.  The more affluent people as a general rule did same to fare better in some circumstances, be it access to help, a trailer, medical attention, etc.  Yet, this is just kind of the way it is, and we can’t expect everyone to wait for the very last person to get back on their feet and try to move together all at the same time because it is just not reasonable.  It is not fair to wish the worst on people of higher socioeconomic status in order for them to experience what some of the most underprivileged go through, we must try to identify with everyone and remember how much more horrible this is than any of us can really begin to comprehend.  The oral histories really opened my eyes a lot more to how resilient these people are who returned, how much lending a helping hand makes a difference, and helped to put the city of Bay St. Louis in perspective for me.

We later had the opportunity to watch a Finnish movie with English sub titles called “Mother of Mine.”  It was by far one of my favorite movies I’ve ever seen; it even brought me to tears.  I definitely want to try and find this movie to buy.  This was a neat cultural activity to get a glimpse of some of the library activities, and the people in the area.

Day 8 & 9: New Orleans

We traveled to New Orleans today after a trip to the Laundromat, and conducting the last oral history at the library.  We had a good discussion on the bus about what the individual oral histories meant to us, and how we felt about our time at the library.  I feel like it was a general consensus that people got much more out of it than they expected to when they went in.  This was definitely a major eye opening experience for me.

After checking in, we walked around and went shopping and got dinner.  I can’t say we had the most pleasant dinner ever, but we definitely got to experience the culture of New Orleans.  A walk down Bourbon Street, lined with tons of restaurants, bars, clubs, and souvenior stores, is unlike anything I have ever experienced, and definitely gives new meaning to why they call it “The Big Easy.”  I have never seen anything like some of the hair styles, clothing, and PDA that I witnessed while visiting this street.  Quite a culture shock from the seemingly a little more conservative and smaller town atmosphere of Bay St. Louis.  We also learned to be very careful due to the rising levels of crime in the city, particularly after the hurricane, so we made sure to travel in groups, and hide all personal belongings.

The next day we visited the organization called ACORN, and heard a very different account of the hurricane.  It was much more of a geographical and more city overview, and less personal hard times such as we experienced in Bay St. Louis, so the combination really rounded out our experience learning about the hurricane.  Despite all the news reports, I really had failed to realize that the levies were what really had caused all the damage to New Orleans.  Between Bay St. Louis and New Orleans, it was two very different sites due to the water vs. wind damage, as well as the types of houses and attention that the places had received.  Though we heard much more information regarding New Orleans, the help didn’t seem to have filtered down to them as Bay St. Louis received, but also there may have just been such an extreme number of houses destroyed in New Orleans that it was just taking that much longer.  It’s hard to decipher exactly why some areas have recovered faster, and how their ability to access resources and receive outside help may have modified their recovery.

For lunch, a few of us went to an amazing restaurant called mothers with the best po’ boy sandwiches I’ve ever had.  It was definitely a favorite spot in the city, and seemed to be a good representation of where the locals go to eat.

This is my first post in a while as I have had a rough couple of days, emotionally speaking. At the church this morning, I thought again of something that has bothered me off and on throughout the trip and hit home most especially in Hancock County.

Primum non nocere means “First, do no harm.” Sociology involves the science of observing people and then analyzing how and why they behave the way they do. I am not a sociologist, but the techniques of observation and analysis are familiar to me from my doctoral work. What has bothered me is the risk we take in harming the people that we study through the very act of observation. I was uncomfortable at both the George Washington Carver homes and the Lower 9th Ward because it seemed we were close to the line, if not crossing it, of gawking at the residents of the neighborhood and causing them discomfort. A 45′ bus is not an easy thing to disguise and neither is a multicultural group of 23 people with cameras. A number of participants have already blogged guiltily about the hand-lettered sign on a falling-down house in the 9th ward reminding us that “1600 people died 4 u 2 take this picture.”

In Hancock County, students had the additional complication of carrying out a service project while at the same time being trained to observe social stratification issues around them. These blogs are wonderful tools for collaborative work but they are also a public display of research in progress. In the 72 hours we stayed in Hancock County, views of the community matured rapidly among many participants. Surface observations at the beginning of the trip often did not hold up to be valid. The consensus at the end was that this was a strong, closely knit community trying its best to recover from a storm of unnatural ferocity and restore the community to all its residents. We went to help, I only hope that we did no harm.

It was hard to depart Bay St. Louis today for me. I felt that I had connected to the residents of the community and that they had left a permanent mark on me as well. Coming into Bay St. Louis I had perceptions about the situations revolving Hurricane Katrina and after my experiences in the great city of Bay St. Louis, my perceptions have done a complete 180 degrees. I thank the community for helping me change my views.

Riding along the I-10 interstate connecting the two devastated cities of Bay St. Louis and seeing all the destruction was a rude awakening. The images depicted by the media were disturbing, but to actually ride up and down the highways that served as evacuation routes was a whole new experience. It was hard for me to fathom how the city of New Orleans was flooded so bad until I learned of the faulty levy system and how it protected a city that was literally situated in a ‘bowl’. Riding over the bridges that were suspended over the bodies of water that caused so much harm to innocent people was amazing. I never fully understood how water could be so forceful until I saw the magnitude in size of the neighboring lakes and gulf waterways.

Entering the city was interesting, because this was my first visit. I am kind of happy that I had not seen New Orleans prior to Katrina, because it would have hurt me more to see how beautiful the city was compared to the hindered city that remains. It was still very hard for me to see windows still boarded up and business shut down even 2 years after the storm. I can hardly believe that the destruction is still so evident so long after the waters have receded.