My last week in New Orleans was great. My sponsors took my team out for ice cream and we got to meet the owners of our house. They invited my team back for Mardi Gras, apparently they host a huge breakfast on Monday morning because a parade goes right by the house. I am planning on returning for that. They also informed us that the house served as a backdrop in The Curious Life Of Benjamin Button, the new Brad Pitt movie. In the movie Brad moves into the house across the street and there are a couple shots with the house in the background. They also told us that Angelina Jolie and her kids spent time in the house while the movie was being shot. I will have to see the movie now.
My last Saturday in New Orleans was amazing. I spent the day volunteering at Jean Lafitte National Park. I went out with a bunch of park rangers to plant trees in the Bayou. We planted about 20 trees and then set off on a 5 hour Bayou tour. It was amazing. I saw about a hundred Alligators and a Bald Eagle. I learned so much about the critical role the wetlands and bayous play in New Orleans. I saw my first Mardi Gras parade my last Saturday night in New Orleans. It was a great experience, everyone down here is so passionate about Mardi Gras, it is a great celebration.
I am currently living in Ocean Springs Mississippi in a Lutheran volunteer camp called Camp Victor. It finally feels like the Americorps I envisioned. I am working construction and living with many volunteers from all over. This past week there were over 200 people here. Camp Victor is very luxurious compared to other volunteer camps I have been in. There is plenty of food and warm showers. I am also a bit spoiled being with Americorps. There are two main bunk rooms with about a hundred beds in each. One room is for the women and one room is for the men. Because we are here for more than a week we have our own bunk room off in the corner. It is a split room with 4 bunk beds in each room. Bill and I have an entire side to ourselves where as the 7 girls in my group are crammed into the other side. It is nice to have a quiet space to retire at night.
This past week I was given the job of roofing three structures in the outside warehouse. These structures were used as tents a few years ago and have been sitting outside for years. Bill and I took on the challenge this project had to offer. It was very difficult because these structures have been weathered and nothing was square. Each time Bill or I put up a new piece of wood and old piece would fall off. However we were able to overcome the obstacles and we managed to put up three roofs . All that was left for us to do on Friday was shingle them and we were making great progress until the heavens opened up. Bill and I finished two of the three roofs. We plan on being done with this project on Monday morning. I was honored to be given the sole responsibility of this project. It feels great to work with my hands and power tools.
On Friday night I found out my next assignment. I will be on a new team and we will be going to Greensboro, Alabama. We will be working with Habitat for Humanity. I am very excited for this project because I will be doing construction and working with new people. For all you Forrest Gump fans out there, Greensboro is the town forrest grew up in. Even though it is a fictional movie, it's still a cool fact.
Next weekend I have 4 days off for Mardi Gras. I will be returning to the New Orleans area and meeting up with my friends outside city. I don't plan on going into the city too much, it will be a little too crazy for my liking. I am excited to experience Madri Gras some more.
I finally have internet now and I am beginning to look for jobs. My main focus is a government job, Firefighting, EMS, Park Ranger, and FEMA. I am looking in the Boston, Denver, Raleigh, Charlotte, Connecticut, and New York area. I have made a few contacts that have given me some great advice on how to look and apply for a government job. I don't know where I will end up but it is exciting to think about a career path. It will be nice to get a paycheck. I will be in need of a vehicle come August so if anyone hears of any promising leads I am all ears. I am looking for something cheap but reliable enough to last a few years. I miss you all and I will write again soon.
