Hasta Luego NOLA

Our entire class would like to thank Julie Livaudais George, Esq. (and family!) and Dr. Carolyn Kolb for acting as our gracious hosts to all of New Orleans’ cultural, natural, and culinary delights. We learned so much in our time together with you both.

The night before we left New Orleans I thought about how best to reflect on our three weeks together in the Crescent City. Because we had a 10-hour road trip ahead of us, and because music filled our physical, spiritual, and emotional landscapes wherever we went (whether it was WWOZ, show tunes at McDonald’s, live music at Preservation Hall, or your very own gleeful voices) I thought a music mix might be most appropriate.

Now that we’re home I have been able to add the hallmark New Orleans songs I wanted but didn’t yet have (purchased legally, of course!)

1. “It's the Night Time” Josh Rouse
This song includes the lyrics “I hear you’re really living Uptown/ I’m just a downtown fool.” Although Rouse is singing about another great city, we spent our share of time uptown (some more than others) even though our beloved Depot House was in the CBD.
2. “Get Up Stand Up” Bob Marley
This songs’ insistence that we “stand up for (y)our rights” reminds me of Jericho Housing’s executive director Brad Powers, and the agency’s mission to help people empower themselves through home ownership in Central City. www.jerichohousing.org
3. “Mack The Knife” Louis Armstrong
Roddey and Lorna often sang this song, and I heard it on WWOZ on the way back from the airport dropping Lorna to her early departure. Plus, we had the gift of listening to a fabulous Dixieland trio at Arnaud’s, learning only later that the trumpeter was one of Louis Armstrong’s last pupils.
4. “Give It What You Can” The Meters
While visiting the George Family the evening before we left Will George (fellow Furmanite) introduced us to New Orleans music, making special note of the Meters.
5. “Big Boss Man” Elvis Presley
Although this is not Roy Orbison’s “Working for the Man” (sung haphazardly by Macon Fry the Garden Guy while we were digging the Honduran trenches) it does remind me of Jorge. Another song you might like by the Gourds is “My Name is Jorge” about a man who sells fruits and vegetables. Jorge was not tall (as is the Boss Man in Elvis’ song) but he is big in his way.
6.”Big Log” Robert Plant
This is a quintessential driving song. Knowing we had 10 + hours in front of us the next day, I put it in the mix. The cities did fly by (as they do for the speaker in this song.)
7. Iko Iko Zachary Richard
Featured in “Hurricane on the Bayou” this version of Iko Iko is hard to resist.
8. “Power to the People” (Clean version) Public Enemy w/ Moby
I did a lot of “overhearing” on this trip. One convo I caught was between Sarah Yost and Andrew, who wanted to know if Sarah had ever heard any Public Enemy. It is a rap song, so you’ll want to locate the clean version.
9. “Good Morning” Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Gene Kelly & Singin' In the Rain Singers
It was only fitting that the song you had been singing for two weeks would show up in the matinee Sarah Blake, Savannah, and Lorna attended at the legendary Prytania Theatre.
10. “Have You Ever Seen The Rain” Credence Clearwater
During our airboat tour we were treated to a sunshower, which made me think of this song’s lyrics: “Have you ever seen rain…coming down on a sunny day?”
11. “Atomic Dog” George Clinton and the P Funk All Stars
I couldn’t find a song called “Blue Dog” so we’ll have to hearken George Rodrigue’s signature canine “atomically.”
12. “Red Beans” Professor Longhair
We ate red beans, we cooked red beans, we used them to try to cajole people out of their solitude,, and then we went home.
13. “Beautiful Racket” Mary Chapin Carpenter
This song reminds me of work mornings. Kim, MoPete, and I would be running back from the gym, there was a bustle in the kitchen as people prepared breakfasts and lunches, the passing of the Guarana vitamins (that’s for you Mollie Wade)…a beautiful racket.
14. “Don't Stop Believin'” Journey
This is for all you Journey (and Frontiers) fans out there. You know who you are.
15. “Shreveport” The Gourds
This is the song we played just before we began our Skype session with Dr. Benson’s class. If I had never lived in Shreveport, I probably wouldn’t have lived in Louisiana, and then I probably wouldn’t have had the good fortune of working together with you during our transformative class. So thank you to Shreveport. And thank you intrepid NOLA May Exers!
16. “Stayin’ Alive” The Bee Gees
This song came on the radio as we were crossing the Crescent City Connection back into town after our air boat tour. I do believe everyone was singing this one.
16. “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans”Harry Connick, Jr.
Meg reintroduced our class to the smooth stylings of Harry Connick, Jr. In some way each of us knows what it means to miss New Orleans.

Here is the new video- I had to remove one song- oh copyright rules...

Take 4

So here is the link to my blog- but there is no sound. I'm working on it! I may take out all the music and try again- yuck.

"When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you..."

It's been the hardest, most challenging, most rewarding three weeks of my life. Thanks to those who were able to share in the adventure. I'll miss you all!

Click on the link above to catch a glimpse of our journey in the Big Easy. ENJOY!

the last one...i'm gonna miss ya'll!!!

I guess its time to talk about myself, my growth process. As I sat at dinner with my mom and grandmother after they picked me up, I had the time I needed to think about the time spent in New Orleans. I have grown. When I entered New Orleans I knew next to nothing and was ready just to rebuild rebuild rebuild. Silly me. I left New Orleans with knowledge of the political system, the political nature during Katrina, racial lines that run deep along the income line, more knowledge about crocodiles then you can imagine, and much more. I now have plans to create a “Save the Wetlands” club at Furman as well as plans to return to New Orleans to help continue the building process of New Orleans. When I come though, I will know what is needed to a better extent then most people on mission’s trips. I have been able to live here and learn the ways of the people. By no means am I an insider into this community, but I do feel welcomer, and definitely not like a tourist. There will not be time wasted on Bourbon Street although I do love the French Quarter, the time will be focused on getting out and meeting the people of New Orleans and finding out what they need of me, what I can help them with. Places like Reconcile Café where the city is helping itself by giving jobs and teaching life skills gives me such appreciation and ideas that can be used in other places like D.C. New Orleans is not like any other city in America, even the world. It is a place that has been through countless hardships but bounced back every time – the relentless city. It is a place where racial issues have been overcome and regressed back to over and over again. It is a place of happiness and hope in every smiling and helping face, every organization. It is a place that is getting there and if people would just pay attention and listen, it could be done that much faster. New Orleans to me will always be a place of faces. The faces of my professor and my classmates who opened new windows to learning about the Big Easy. Faces of the people of the organizations we helped with. Faces of the people sitting on their front porches watching the afternoon go by. Faces. Please look at the people of New Orleans faces. They do want people to know that they are still there….they still need help.

A Shotgun Discussion

Discussion from John Biguenet's Shotgun at the Southern Rep Theater in New Orleans.

100,000,000,000,000 cool points to our class and New Orleans!

When I sit down to write- whether papers or blogs- I often stare at the paper for a long time before I can think of anything to write. However, when I started this blog, the opposite happened. I kept writing different beginnings of the blog. Which was the most important (mis)adventure? What outing had the most effect on me? What did I learn about the city?

At one point, my plan was to write about the song “Good Morning,” which was sung almost every day on the trip. Then, Sarah Blake and I saw “Singin in the Rain” for the first time and heard the full song, complete with a dance! The fact that something that had become a daily routine for our group was brought up in an outing was so summarizing of our trip! Everything in this city, as eclectic and crazy as it is, seems to feel connected. A couple of times, our group has described it as a city with a small town feel. People know each other and want to get to know their neighbors and coworkers. This feel of connectedness within the city and to the city was one thing that I found particularly moving.

After I had written the beginning of the blog about connectedness, I listened to “When You’re Smiling” and erased it all. I knew that I had to write my blog about how the culture drew me into it. I often joked that I have to marry a Cajun man – one that knows how to cook and sing, of course- but there’s some seriousness behind it. The lifestyle in New Orleans, as bizarre as it is, is captivating! If I could, I would make every person in the world eat a brunch at Arnoud’s while being serenaded by Louis Armstrong’s last student (yes- that happened to us!) I think the whole world would be happier if there were giant loud speakers always playing the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and if every Monday, everyone ate red beans and rice and crawfish on the Mississippi River. Simply put, I love the culture of this city.

While I was writing this, though, I was taking periodic breaks to sing and laugh with our group. I can’t begin to explain how great our class was.  We had troopers who dealt with food that was outside of their comfort zones, gigglers, and GREAT discussions! It was so nice to be in a group of people who can switch from laughing and playing “Bang!” to having intense conversations about the dynamics of the city and what needs to be done. The fact that I was able to sing along to “Wicked,” sob at an art museum, and take part in constant photo shoots in the van and never be alone in doing so was fantastic! I would really like to thank everyone for being so “flippin fantastic!” on this trip. I’ll take all of you!!!