Over my spring break last week, I went on my school’s Alternative Spring Break Trip down to New Orleans.  Honestly, I didn’t really think much about it before I went.  I wasn’t going for a passion I had for New Orleans or a sense of duty to help the people affected by Hurricane Katrina.  But all of that changed when I got there. 

Although my leaders had prepared me, I was still shocked to see the number of empty houses and businesses driving into New Orleans.  Even when people and families are returning, big companies haven’t come back because there is no incentive for them too.  In some areas, they are still houses sitting there with destroyed belonging in them.  As news coverage has stopped, it’s easy to underestimate the reality in New Orleans.  I don’t think you can understand it until you’ve experienced it, but there is still so much more that needs to be done. 

As hopeless as all of this seems, my trip was still very inspiring.  My friends who had been last year said there were huge improvements between last year and this.  And experiencing New Orleans gave me hope.  It is a very special place and the way people there are fighting for their community to come back is incredible.  People were very appreciative of our efforts.  As I was checking out in Walgreens, the woman thanked me and said they really appreciate everyone coming down there.  At our Habitat sites, other people would honk as the drove by.  At dinner on night, a guy in the band came over and thanked us.  The way the people in New Orleans love their community is truly inspiring and knowing that there were 700 other people there that week to help rebuild reminded me that so many other people care about New Orleans too. 

As much as it’s easy for us to criticize our government for not doing anything or doing the wrong things, this trip reminded me that no matter what criticisms we have, we still have the responsibility to get involved.  By doing the little that we can do, things will get better and I know it sounds cheesy, but this trip restored my faith in the American people.