I took a leap of faith and landed outside my comfort zone

My two highest expectations at the start of this trip were to leave the city better than when I arrived, and to experience life-altering moments. This journey certainly didn’t waste any time fulfilling those expectations. I feel that I have made a positive impact on the city and, in return, the city has taught me about culture, history, and life.

 

I am completely amazed by the service we accomplished over the past two weeks. Everything from digging “trenches”, to planting wetland vegetation in waist-high water, to hearing stories of New Orleans’ past (some particular stories were heard too many times), to rebuilding a house for a deserving family – we’ve done it all. I never knew that I could touch so many lives in such a short amount of time.

 

Besides helping locals, the best thing about community service is the feeling of satisfaction you get immediately after giving your heart and soul to a project for the benefit of others. In a world trained by technology to expect instantaneous results, an escape to the community service realm is a welcomed relief. Rather than flashing lights and advertisements driving the immediate excitement, it’s the look on people’s faces that shows how truly grateful they are for your help, even if it’s simply to share a conversation.

 

The underlying goals for our Service Learning course were to provide service to local communities in New Orleans while learning the ins and outs of this unique city. After a fleeting two weeks, I am confident that the goals were satisfied with the added bonus of learning about myself in the process. Although I had hesitations and reservations about living for three weeks in the Crescent City prior to the course, I have no regrets about the time I’ve spent here. I took a leap of faith, landed outside my comfort zone, and broadened my horizons.