Who Dat! - Tommy Mladenetz

It's been more than a week now since we've been back from New Orleans. After watching the Saint's win last night, I had a funny feeling when I saw the game winning field goal sail through the uprights. I never really cared for the Saints until going to NOLA on our trip. After the announcers continued to discuss how great the Saint's fans are, and how much they have been through, I knew exactly what they were talking about, since we saw the devastation of Katrina, firsthand. After showing shots of how happy the fans in the Superdome were, they then showed a live feed of Bourbon Street and the craziness that was ensuing there. I vividly remember the exact spot they showed, and then shouted at my TV, "I was there!". Basically, what I am trying to say is that I am more than happy that the Saint's are going to the Super Bowl, because it brought great joy to the city and to the citizens that we all got to meet. I don't want to jinx them, but if the Saints do indeed win it all, I can't even imagine how crazy the fans will go in New Orleans. They have been through so much and I believe they would appreciate a SuperBowl win as more than just championship rings for the team, but also a win for the city that truly deserves it. Who Dat!

Looking Back - Dave Karas

It is hard to believe that it has been exactly a week since I was last in New Orleans, wrapping up after a week of working at Mr. Alvin's house. I feel as though our work there is not over, and that I should be at the job site, ready to work again on Monday morning.

It is hard to collect all of my observations gathered in our journey. From viewing the devastation left by Katrina, to experiencing the culture of New Orleans, to driving through the night and spending time with friends, it seems like we were there for much longer than a week.

I could not be more grateful and appreciative of the opportunity to take part in this service trip, and to have a hand in the rebuilding of the city. Ever since the storm first hit, I felt that there was something that I personally should do, and now I feel that I have been able to fulfill that duty, at least to a small degree. And I hope to have the opportunity to return to New Orleans again to pick up where other volunteers leave off, and to see how Mr. Alvin is doing!

It has been difficult to watch coverage of what has happened in Haiti. I often find myself avoiding the news channels and stories, afraid to see more photos of the great tragedies and casualties. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be for residents there, and my heart and prayers go out to all who have been affected.

Complete Reflection- Ryan Gale

Almost a week after getting back from New Orleans, the memories of the trip are still fresh. In the wake of the tragedy in Haiti, it almost seems that our work was trivial in New Orleans, seeing as the city is not still in total ruin, and the casualty rate is incomparable. However, the work we did was nonetheless important. It is important to be able to come back and inform others that New Orleans still needs a lot of work and volunteers are still needed. It is hard to impress upon people the need that there is still, especially in the wake of Haiti.

I hope to be able to go down again for the next two years, as I am beginning to learn the areas of New Orleans in the short two weeks that I've been there between this year and last year. Although the weather driving back made the trip difficult, we made it back safe and without any complications which is all anyone can ask for. I look forward to continuing to tell the story of New Orleans and the help that is still needed down there.

All in All- Courtnee Wright

As much as I may have complained or believed that we were not making enough progress from the late starts, the week was a terrific outcome. My group completely gutted a room, and the period left, we were able to put in the flooring and the dry wall for the ceiling. As much as I would love to see a finish product, our house owner was rejoiced to see the progress that we had made. In addition, seeing her happy and content made me realize how proud I should have been to see our result. I learned differnet skills, and I gained an experience that I would never change. Ultimately, I was happy to be apart of my group and produce all the results we made.

Can't Believe It's Over- Jackie

I still cannot believe today is our last day. It seems so odd that by Tuesday I felt like I was just settling in and then by Thursday I became aware that we would be leaving soon. I felt sad yesterday to say goodbye to my homeowner and the house. It felt like we had been almost living there for so long and before we knew it, it was time to go. We made a lot of progress on the room we were working on. We had finished the floor, finished putting sheetrock on the cealing and we were almost done with the walls. I had a lot of fun measuring and sawing wood and I am glad Brian was confidence in us to let us use tools we were not familiar with. I am going to miss Mrs Rosaline as well as her dog Jewel who kept us entertained the whole time we were there. Dinner yesterday was really fun. I ate aligator for second time and tried frog legs which were delicious. I got to dance with the dancing instructor which was also fun, and had a ball with the conga line we created in the restaurant. I also got a chance to experience the french quarter again in all its craziness on a Friday night. I really wish we were staying here longer and it saddens me to know that we are leaving. I am very glad I came and had a chance to hear the stories of victims and to contribute to their homes. These memories will always stay with me and it has been a blessing to have been part of this Katrina effort once more. Still, this really cannot be my last time here and I am going to make every effort to come back.

My site- Jacqueline Abbey

I have been having a great time working on my site and with fellow Bonners. Our responsibilities were to demolish a room at our home owner's house and rebuild the room back up. I have to admit, it was pretty fun hammering and ripping everything apart since we never get a chance to do something like that. I do not think I have seen so many pieces of wood in my life. With the guidance of Brian (our site leader) we were able to take the ceiling, floor and walls apart efficiently with no casualties. My team really worked well together to coordinate our tasks for the day and everyone contributed to the work at hand. I could tell that our homeowner (Mrs Rosaline) was very happy with our progress and her company along with her humor lightened our spirits and kept us going. I am not sure if we are going to be done with the room but I always like to look at the glass half full. We have made a lot of progress and have made contributions towards the completion of our homeowner's home.

End of the Week - Tommy Mladenetz

Well with today comes the end of our five solid days or work. We have pretty much finished drywalling and mudding at our site. It has been an awesome week at our site and it is amazing how much work we have done. At the beginning of the week, I had never even held a spackling knife in my life and at the end, I have had the experience of even doing whole walls and corners. I really enjoyed working with my team and we had moments that will be great stories for a long time to come. After working today, we had the chance of visiting the neighborhood of Hollygrove, in which Lil' Wayne was born and raised. Now we are back at Olive Tree and I am looking forward to going out tonight in the French Quarter again. It's sad that we are leaving tomorrow but I hope to make the best of our last night here in New Orleans.

A look back in the rearview mirror- Evan

As i started this trip I did not know what to expect, I just knew I wanted to help people. Now looking back on my service I have gained much more than that. I have learned about a culture unlike any other that has passion to bring its city back to its feet, but lacks the resources. I learned that there is simply no other place in the United States like New Orleans. This trip has made me appreciate the importance of not just having a place to stay, but a place to call home because there is no place like it.

Progress-Evan Bernat

When I first stepped in to Alvin Ball's house, there was minimal dry wall and mudding up. When I my took my last step, all of the dry wall and mudding had been comnpleted. That can be attributed to the hard work, dedication, and persistence of my site team. It is very refreshing to see large strides made. It makes me feel at ease that if this kind of work keeps being put in that Alvin Ball will shortly have his home back. Thanks to all involved we were able to make progress and a difference in the life of Alvin Ball.

NOLA - Michael Northcutt

Today was a fun but also sad day. It was the final day working on the house. Today I got to know the homeowner, Alvin, a lot better. We talked for a long time about what his neighorhood use to look like. It was very sad hearing him explain how kids use to be everywhere and now its a totally different place. Almost all of his neighbors are no longer there and most likely are not coming back. He then showed me pictures of his house after the storm hit. The water destryoed everything in his house and much of the house was destroyed. Walls were different colors and furniture was ruined. After everyday of working, he brings his wife to the house to show her weve progressed each day. He is very thankful for us being there and was suprised at how quickly we were working. I then felt bad becuase today was the last day of work and I would probably never see him again. I cant wait to see the finished house next year when I come back.

Conclusion- Joey Sison

After looking at the room we worked on, I realized how much we got done. In less than five days, we tore down walls, the ceiling, the floor, the insulation, the roaches and their nests, cleaned the front yard, burned the removed wood, replaced the floor joists, and put up dry wall on the ceiling and walls. It was really great working along side our construction manager Brian, who showed us how to do things from operating saws and nail guns to replacing structural supports. It was also an honor to meet the house's owner, Rosalina, who left us with a heartfelt letter and poem. We hope to maintain communication with her and see the progress on her house. I was also able to bond with my team members and some of the other volunteers at Olive Tree. The French Quarter was a fun place to explore. I hope to return to NOLA as soon as possible to continue helping with reconstruction or help out around home with my new skills.

Jimlise NOLA experience

For my experience at NOLA has been a rollercoaster ride. The days that I have spent working on the house has made me realize there is a bigger picture to the one that I have seen. It is not only about the people and the houses, it is about time and the passion that everyone has invested in this. I love the homeowner Alvin and the house that I have contributed to building. I plan to go to the house in the near future. for this day, thursday, we were finishing up what we started. There are more people from Americorps now that have come to build also. It has made the process faster but sometimes people including myself were just hanging around. I feel that people did their fair share in the work. I really feel that this experience has taught me alot and hopefully I can go to my country Haiti to put in the passion, time, and effort. This has made me realize about how fortunate I am to be alive, healthy with a roof over my head.

Taking a Step Back - Dave Karas

As we near the end of our week of rebuilding projects in New Orleans' Ninth Ward, I look back on our progress throughout our time here, both on a personal and working level. Personally, I have developed an understanding of just how much this region was devastated, and I have began to appreciate what I have to come home to even more than before.

At our site, we have made great progress, completing the installation of sheetrock throughout the house and getting the walls ready for primer and paint. For the first time in our week here, we cannot see through any of the framed walls. It is a house.

This evening, Mr. Alvin, our homeowner, and his wife joined us for dinner at camp. For the first time, I had the opportunity to meet his wife, who works during the day while he works alongside us at the house. There were hardly words to describe the range of emotions when we met. She at once gave me a big hug, thanking me for my work. For me, that moment means more than any others that I have experienced during the week. It reminded me of why I am here, and who we are helping. No documentary or discussion about who we are helping could ever compare.

With one more day of work left in the week, I cannot help but feel nostalgic that we will soon leave our friends at the camp and at our sites, and depart for TCNJ. Seeing that there is much more work to be done, I almost feel that I have not done enough to help. I have the privilege of going home, which is more than so many families in New Orleans can say. But I know that there will be many more groups after us, which provides me with the hope that they will continue to be helped.

And now, we prepare to hand off our site to the next group of volunteers...

Candelario Pati

Hello everyone. First and foremost I would like to say that the ride down here was awesome. Thank God we all got here safe. Walking around the French quarter was amazing. Experiencing southern hospitality was one of the best experiences. He vibe and energy in Nola is so hopeful and upbeat. However, drivin around the 9th ward made me realize how much work there was still left to do. So many houses were left abandoned by their owners who have decided never to return to Nola. Living in such an amazing city makes it hard not to come back but people made new lives in other places and starting all over in Nola is not In their plans.

Workig on Monday made m realize how tiring construction work is and how much work was needed to be done. I kept asking myself if we would reach our goals or if we would live up to the expe taions of our group leaders.

Tuesday was by far the roughest day. I was feeling a bit discoraged and I was wondering if the house would really be finished my march. Being a murder required taping corners but I couldn't help but ask myself if I was Doing enough.

I am typing from my phone so excuse the errors. Anyway lol

going to the French quarter ontuesday nght gave me hope. Nobody should give up on Nola. Nola is rich with so much culture that is idiosyncratic to the US. Wednesday was a day of vigorous work and geting very messy and dirty. It was awesome Today Alvin shared his story with us. My phone is gonna die so I'll update later

Homeowner Dinner - Juhair K

Today was a little different. Usually we would go to our site (desire st.) and start installing drywalls which involved lots of different steps from measuring, cutting, to finally screwing in the drywalls, and sometimes when the edges are not even we would have to sand them. All these steps made it interesting and fun and time went by pretty quick. After being done with drywalling, Alex, our site coordinator told us to do inventory of all the tools (two huge boxes). We finished one box before we left yesterday, and this morning we did the other box which took about 20 minutes to do. Later, Alex gave us a quick 101 on "mudding" and assigned our team which included Evan, Mike, Dan, Warren and I to two different rooms. We had to "mud" the ceiling which was really annoying and after about 20 minutes starts hurting the arm. We did this for the rest of the day and will continue doing this tomorrow leaving the rest for the next group.

This was my day at the site ^^

On of the most emotional times for me so far this week was the devotion today. Hearing the homeowners speak really touched my heart. I really felt good about working hard, and the pain from mudding didnt matter anymore. I just felt good about being here helping out these innocent people getting their homes back. Like on of the speakers said, "no matter how your home is, it is still your home." I'm not sure if those were the exact words but it was something like that.

That is all for now....

Tyler the Dog

Tyler the puppy

will not eat rice krispy treats

All white and fluffy

My Day- Mike Northcutt

Today was a fun day. We actually left out on time and only arrived at the site only a few minutes late. We even got there so early, our two instructors werent there yet but the few people I was working with the day before, Evan, Dan, Warren, and Jahire (Dont think i spelled his name right..lol) knew what we had to do. Yesterday we started checking through an invetory list that Alex gave us but we didnt finish so today the first thing we did was finish that. It was funny becuase most of the tools on the list we had no idea what they were so doing that took more time then we expected. After we finished Alex taught us how to mud. At first mudding seemed like fun, but once we got it all over our cloths, hands, face, hair, etc it was no longer as exciting as it was before. We stopped at 11 to get something to eat at some resturant. I didint want to spend any money so a few of us stayed in the van while the rest of the group ate inside. I got in a quick nap so I wasnt complaining. Then it was back to mudding until 4:30 and after that we left.

Jimlise-NOLA experience

I love what I have been doing. This is what I love to do. the experience has taught me to be more involved (HANDS ON) in many things that I do. I always wanted to go to NOLA and I am grateful that this organization has helped me to do so. On the first day, I did many things that I did not think that I would ever do. the handy man activities that I participated in showed me that I could do anything around the house. The first day was measuring and placing sheet rocks (the walls) in place. It was the best thing because it really showed me my strength. I also believe that the people were involved in their work although the supervisor did almost nothing. I didn't really know what their title entailed but I guess they were there to teach then have us do the work. This trip has made me appreciate soo many things in life. I would never want this to happen to anyone and I remember saying that this could not happen to my country. This is an experience I could never forget. Also the owner, Alvin, is very charming and warm. I also loved the fact that he was hands on with the work also.

From NOLA to Haiti

Tonight there have been many highs and lows here in NOLA. We had a great day at the work site, got the drywall up in the hallway and finished mudding in almost every room.

Even though we are here in New Orleans rebuilding houses from the hurricane over 4 years ago, it is hard to concentrate on it because of the current natural disaster that just happened in Haiti. I am sitting here watching CNN and as the images come across the screen, I am reminded of the images of hurricane Katrina. The same feeling of helplessness and concern.

One of the other groups here with us organized a moment of silence and prayer tonight with all of the groups. It is nice to be around many other people who care about whats going on and to recognize and talk about it.

Tomorrow we will work to finish the walls in Ms Annie's house and hope people from all over the world head to Haiti to help save as many people there as possible.

"Earlier..." Karachi Ukaegbu 2/2

Part 2

Monday and Tuesday (and Wednesday):

I'm part of Brittany A.'s team "Number 1".
We did work in the city of Slidell - mainly drywalling and deconstruction - at two separate houses.

I'm not sure about the first; but at the second house, I met a woman named Rosalee and her dog, Jewel (who LOVES/stole our gloves when we were'nt looking T_T).
They are both very sweet and endearing.

Right away, we got to work. We tore apart the walls and floors of the dining room - leaving only insulation in the ceiling and six wooden bars that separated you from the earth below.
After demolition, we carried out pieces of wood and insulation, which was infested with roaches, rusty nails, and mouse/rat pellets out onto the front yard. On Wednesday, we separated the rubble and burned he wood in a huge bonfire using pieces of newspaper and lighter fluid.

It was a lot of work, but we accomplished a lot in a short amount of time as a team.
In the meantime, we all had fun, bonded, and got to know each other. ^_^

"Earlier..." Karachi Ukaegbu 1/2

I'm blogging late.
Monday, Tuesday : 1/11 , 1/12

The past three days were incredibly eye opening.

On Sunday, we did a tour of the upper and lower 9th ward and visited the French Quarter.
There was such a huge difference between the places I've encountered - devastation in the residential areas and affluence in the tourist (higher elevated) area.

But one thing remained the same.
It was the opptimism and sense of gratitude expressed by the residents of NOLA the moment. Things could have been worse, things could have been better. But that's something we can't control.

Emotions of anger, frustration, and despair would been perfectly understood, but instead they had smiles on their faces - greeting us with waves, polite "How do you do's?", warm conversations, and farewells.

We can't change the history of Hurricane Katrina, but their stories of struggle, sacrifice, and optimism in the midst of devastation have deeply inspired me, changed my point of view in life, and can do the same for many others.

"So far..." Karachi Ukaegbu

Today, Jackie Abbey and I invited the woman we and our team have been helping to the "Project Homecoming" dinner tomorrow night. I did not expect her reaction. When we knocked on Rosalee's bedroom door, she was already smiling as she greeted us. We told her about the dinner and she was delighted, almost as if she was relieved. She let out a sigh, smiled at us, and said, "Wow, that's nice. Thanks so very much!"

I guess I am placing an emphasis on this because the area in which she lives in beautiful, wide, and full of trees, greenery, and fresh air. BUT she does not have any close neighbors.
So besides the company of her dog, Jewel, it can get quite lonely (as she had mentioned lightly in previous onversations).

It felt good seeing and reading the smile on her face; fully appreciating how a simple act can make someone's day. I think our company helps her. I'm not sure how, but I know it does.

I remember at our first dinner at Olive Tree, a woman stood up at dinner reflections and said something about helping families here at NOLA is not just about fixing their homes.
It is also about loving and interacting with them as well.
Sharing thoughts, smiles, dreams, and hope.

I hope she has a great time tomorrow. And I can't wait to show her around. ^_^

Bonner Love - Danielle Cassidy

This week is definitely helping me admire every strength each Bonner holds. We may not always be great listeners, we not always make the best decisions and we may not always have positive attitudes but we definitely have the spirit and motivation to make a change and a real difference in areas that others have so easily forgotten. I constantly tell "The Mudders" that their job is not half as hard as sheetrocking but in my heart I dont mean one word of it because every single job in this house is important and only when we work together do we accomplish anything. Last week there was TCNJ people on our site, working on the same houses as we are now and its amazing how overall we are creating such a team effort to make changes in the lives of those we dont know. Thats amazing. I have been to a lot of leadership camps, summer camps, team building camps... and they have all been great experiences but NOTHING compares to working together like we have this past week. To me this is real world team building and I just want to take the time to thank the other Bonners for being great people. We are most definitely being "the change we wish to see in the world"

-Danielle Cassidy

Forward Progress - Dave Karas

After the third day of work at our site, our progress -- and impact -- became visible. After completing installation of sheetrock throughout the house, the rooms began to take definitive shapes and a home began to come forward amongst the devastation still displayed in the surrounding neighborhood.

Perhaps the best expression of this accomplishment came in the eyes of our homeowner, whose gentle smile provided assurances that our work made a difference, however small that might be.

I am glad to be here, and to be a part of this organization. Though I have quickly learned that the rebuilding process for the City of New Orleans will most likely take years, I know that there will be many more groups after ours who will pick up where we leave off.

-Dave Karas

The beginning-Jackie

When we got to Olive-tree, everything felt so surreal. I could not believe I was really here; it took my breath away. I was glad first of all, to be staying at Olive tree instead of the PDA camp I was in when I went to Mississippi. Olive tree is warmer and nicer and I was so excited to be here. I really enjoyed taking the tour the next day. It brought back the same sadness I had last year, seeing front steps leading to no where and houses that were still untouched. Still, it gave me hope to see that houses were still being worked on and also that more New Orleans natives were moving back home. The tour brought back memories of my time here last year and my home owner who helped build 18 houses before building his. I remembered how great it felt to help build a house from the floor up. A house is not just a house, it is a home. A home where people had build memories, experiences and history. A lot of people lost all of this and one can imagine what they gain when their homes are build back up. A new home means that a family can now start over. Looking around, I feel really blessed for having a home to go to and my heart goes out to families who lost loved ones on this ground I stand on. I am excited to keep doing work here.

Late Starts-Courtnee Wright

Today we arrived at our work site extremely early about 8:47 to be exact. I was trying to be hopeful that this day would be more productive than Tuesday had been. We arrived and of course our worker wasn't there yet. Our home owner came out of the house and greeted us. and we awkwardly sat in the car. We couldn't proceed to doing any work until the worker came. Thus we proceeded to get some breakfast, since it would be another hour before the worker would arrive. When we arrive back from breakfast, the worker was there and at 10:14 we finally start our day. We had so many tasks today and we could be so much more productive if given enough time. But yet again our day was cut short, by the late start.

Amazing Day - Richard Osei

Today was a good day. Woke up 7:00 in the morning, very tired, not ready for the day to start. I got my things together and was ready to make the best out of the day. Larry, our construction site leader chose not to show up in the morning, which meant that we were on our own once again. We did not let that stop us. As a group, we set a goal for what needed to be done for the day. Ryan and I made a good team. We spend majority of the day working on the walls in the hallway. Through this work, I got to know him better. Even though we both attend the same school and in the same Bonner program, on campus everyone is busy with their daily schedule that one does not get the chance to really communicate. I learned alot, and taught me alot.
Larry chose to show up around 4:00 PM when it was time to leave. Hopefully tomorrow he gets there early, so that he can give us his input. But overall, everything was great.

Welcome to The Thunderdome - Sejour Stephens

The ride from N.J. to N.C. to L.A. was like holding my breath for 2 days, but seeing the sign that said "Welcome to Louisiana" was like taking the first deep breath after holding it under water for a long time. The comfort that I feel coming here for the third time is almost indescribable. There is feeling of familiarity that falls over me whenever I encouter people here or even just go on a site to help rebuild a house. It is truly a beautiful thing when you are able to meet or spend time with a person whose house you are helping to rebuild and whose life you are helping to improve.

I know that being here is really going to be yet another "life changing experience" (excuse the cliche). I am so grateful to have been given the chance to visit this place for the third time and dedicate my time and energy to such an amazing and important project. I am excited to see what the next ten days hold for me and I hope that I will come back with something amazing again (other than my AMAZING earrings of course)!

I'm building this house like it was my own - Rana

Pati said "i feel like i'm building my own house" to me yesterday and it got me thinking. Our house has some issues left by the group from last week such as uneven sheet rock and holes in the sheet rock. If people were building their own house, they would try their hardest to have no mistakes. But for someone else's house, they are more careless. though i do not believe people intentionally make these mistakes, i think they aren't paying enough attention. i was happy to see some of my team mates trying hard, taking exact measurements, redoing things when they did them wrong, and spending a little bit more time doing the little things. i'm also happy to be working alongside the freshman watching them bond as a class and work together better. our homeowner talked to a group of them about his story and what had happened. they're also talking about a trip together later on in the year.

Work and play- Ryan Gale

Last night we went to New Orleans to experience the nightlife of the French Quarter and Bourbon St. It was a god time, and we were able to eat another authentic New Orleans meal. We went to the restaurant we went to last year and several us split some oysters and gumbo. It was a good night. I am looking forward to going back on Friday night, an even livelier night of social life.

Today, we continued work on the house, putting up dry wall and mudding. It is beginning to become a little frustrating to do all this work with no site work assistant or supervisor. Our construction assistant was at the house for a total of about 30 minutes today, making it difficult to work in areas that we have questions on. However, we still managed to get a lot of work done, and the supervisor stopped by and said we were doing well (not sure if he really meant it, but it was appreciated nonetheless). We did not get to see our homeowner at all today, and therefore were unable to ask her to attend the community dinner tomorrow night. It's upsetting that we haven't been able to speak with her at all, especially after meeting and interacting with Mary and al, the homeowners' house I worked on last year. I still hope to be able to meet and talk with her a little bit, or at least show her the progress we've made in her house. I am looking forward to working through Friday and getting most of the dry wall and mud done. Tonight is gumbo night- when a local resident comes in to cook for all the volunteers at the camp, just another gesture to show how much our work and concern is appreciated. Should be a good meal and a restful night...

Reconstruction- Joey Sison

On our first day, our team was sent to a home in Slidell to put up dry wall and do mudding, which turned out to be more difficult than I thought. The house seemed to be on a slant, as well as some of the rooms, which created problems later on in terms of measurements. Our team was then split into two groups, and I went with the one group to another house about half an hour from the first one to do some demolition. We met the owner of the house and her dog, and both were pretty happy to see us. However, some of our members *cough*Richard*cough* were not so happy to see the dog. We tore down some walls and the ceiling of one room, which was a lot of fun until we found the roaches hiding behind them. The second day, we drove to a new house which was really far away to dispose of garbage in the front yard. We went back to the second house to tear out insulation, kill the roaches, and put the garbage from that house into a pile outside to burn. The amount of time we spent driving bothered me a little because I felt like we could have accomplished so much more in that time. I guess I expected for us to be going from house to house all next door to each other in the same neighborhood, instead of single houses all over Louisiana. Aside from that, our team seems to be bonding a lot and we're getting a good amount of work done. I'm having a lot of fun, learning new skills, and also new things about myself. I've been wondering why I haven't gone on service trips like this in the past, and also when I'll be able to go on my next one. On the way back to Olive Tree, we also saw one of the coolest sights ever. While driving over that 5 mile long bridge, we watched the sun set under two clouds that formed a cross.

First Day- Courtnee Wright

I came into the first day without any expectations. The first day begun with me having a lot of fun mudding new dry walls in the house. It was amazing how much fun I had mudding minus the fact I lost feeling in my fingers ha. But than the must important part of the day came after lunch, when we split our team. My team went to a different house, and we had to rip down the walls and ceiling of a room. From talking to a house owner we learned that the house had made it successfully through Katrina but the following hurricane resulting with a tree falling on her house. When we were taking apart of the room we found roaches and mice poop. It was epically surprising. But it was fun to say we helped fix her room and clean the house. And ultimately I had a successful first day.

Dedicated - Danielle Cassidy

Yesterday was my first day working on the house. When we walked in they asked who was able to sheetrock and for whatever reason I stepped forward. Next thing I knew I was holding heavy boards, cutting things, measuring and screwing boards into beams. I was doing real hard labor, real work and it felt... amazing. Throughout the day I saw the home owner walking around and even though I havent had the chance to talk to him yet I felt like we had a connection because I am building his house and trying my best to make a difference.

So I had a huge flashback today while I was working. I was thinking about everything that I am grateful for and suddenly I remembered something crazy. While vacationing a few years back with my family I went to the theme parks in Florida. My sister and I waited in line for some okay ride that had a four hour wait (typical) and we started talking with the people around us. The young guys behind us asked where we were from so we said "orginially Brooklyn but now Jersey" and they said wow New York we were there once. We asked why and they said when 9/11 happened they came up to help out. As I think back on it I remember, clear as day, that they were from New Orleans. This house is for them, I feel like I am giving back finally for the love they put into a city so close to my heart.

So if there is any chance those guys behind me in line (for four hours waiting for the Hulk ride) those very same guys we shared the very front row with..if you are reading this...I'm here..in your home town.. ready to give back to your city like you did for my family.

-Danielle Cassidy

Teresa Couto

Today was very frusterating because we spent so much time just driving around. We could not get to our second house because of a trailer that was moving in a mobile home. We had to then go to a third house that was 40 minutes away. We did get there and worked for about an hour cleaning up some garbage that was outside of the home. It was annoying that we had to spend so much time driving around when we could have been doing some meaningful work at the house. On a brighter note, when we did get back to our orginal house, we got a lot of work done which made me feel a little better.

Another day of work- Ryan Gale

Today was the second day of work at our house and it went, pretty much, as expected. We continued to dry wall and mud. We were left by ourselves for most of the day (without a site manager) which was nice, but at the same time, it feels as if they are unprepared for us. We finished dry walling the bathroom and will start on the hallway tomorrow. Also, today, we went to a local bakery to pick up several king cakes (the seasonal cake for pre-mardi gras). We only bought three, but the owner of the bakery gave us one for free and a customer also gave one to us, as it was evident we had been working all day. We explained that we were working on a local house in their town (Slidell) and that we were a college from New Jersey just trying to help in the rebuilding efforts. The simple acts of generosity show me how much our work is appreciated down here.

Our home owner was dropped off today by a taxi as we were working on her house. She said she was tired and wanted to go inside, and didn't seem to want to talk much. It is discouraging to have a home owner that does not want to interact much with the workers. The camp we are staying at is holding a dinner on Thurs for all the homeowners, workers, and volunteers. We were unable to ask our homeowner if she would like to attend because she was so short in conversation with us. I cannot blame her as she goes to work very early and understandably is very tired at the end of her shift. I hope to be able to talk to her one day this week, before we leave, and here her story.

First Impressions - Dave Karas

After both a driving tour of New Orleans and our first day of work, I have been able to see the devastation experienced by Gulf Coast residents with my own eyes. It was difficult to see how many were still without homes, and how many empty lots remain.

I was happy to see that there were many homeowners who are back in their rebuilt homes, living life as if Katrina had never happened. However, they are surrounded by the ruins of what used to be a neighborhood, full of life and energy.

Overall, I feel honored to serve along with those from PDA, and to be part of such a great movement. I hope that by the end of the week, I will have made a difference in the lives of the homeowners I am working with.

-Dave Karas

NOLA So Far - Tommy Mladenetz

Words cannot describe how I felt when we took our initial tour of the city. I have seen endless amounts of pictures and videos of the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, but seeing it in my own eyes felt completely different. I saw the markings they used on the houses when they searched for bodies, houses that were completely blown out and vacant, and also stoop steps that led to nothing; all signs of the horrible aftermath of Katrina. After seeing the Lower 9th Ward, we got to see the Superdome and also the French Quarter. These two spectacles were amazing to see. The French Quarter is so lively and colorful and I really liked the narrow streets, back alleys, and the general architecture.

Today, we were sent on our first day of work. The house my team was sent to was in Slidell. It was tiny but there was a lot of work needed to be done. I put up drywall and spackle for the first time in my life. I quickly caught on and am eager to finish spackling tomorrow. We briefly met the homeowner and she seemed very nice. I had a lot of fun working with my team as well and I'm looking forward to working with them for the rest of the week.

First Day of Service

Today was a fantastic day. We meet our assistants today and I cannot express how awesome they were. They were informative, helping, and fun people. Working in the 9th ward with homeonwer Elvin Ball is fantastic. He works right along side of us and has a great personality and work ethic in his time of struggle. We have made great strides putting of dry walls and mudding and we hope to be done with that tomorrow. The house is beginning to come together and I am excited to see how much we can do in just one week.

-Evan Bernat

New Orleans 2010 Blog 1 - Lire "The Boss" Botes

Today we started working on our house in lovely Slidell, LA. Sildell is so much different than the upper ninth ward where I worked last year. The house is small and in a quiet residential area. There is a lot to do at the house, but Tom and I will hopefully be able to finish mudding the entirety before the end of the week. I'm excited to be able to make a major improvement on the house.

I've had a great time here so far. I've especially enjoyed seeing the change over the last year in the communities in NOLA. It is amazing how much has changed, although there is still a seemingly endless amount of work that still needs to be done.

I also love hanging out with the froshies. go froshies!

Monday

Today was the first the day of work, a new experience for me. My team went to Slidell today. The first house we went to, we began dry walling. It was something I have never done before so I was nervous. After a while, I began to get the hang of it, it became fun working with my peers. After a while we went to eat lunch at the church. We talked about how our day was going so far.My sandwhich was good. It was good to take a break too, and to be in some heat. Working together as a team is what I love doing, everyone works together to accomplish a common goal. After lunch, we split up into two teams. Some went back to the first house while others went to another hose. This house was owned by a lady in her late 40s. She lived alone, well with her pitbull Jewl, who richard was horrified of. Sorry Rich, it was funny. Her house was not hot by Hurricane Katrina, but was messed up due to wind and rain damages. Her house was built by her mother in 1965, her mother later passed the same year she says. The house we worked on, we tore down a room, the ceiliing, and took out the carpet. It was very tough, but we managed to get the job done.
It was a great experiance working with my team today. I look forward to the rest of the week and woring to get the room done we started working on today. We are building stronger relationships with each other on teams and its great. It very challenging beacuse seeing this in person is way different then seeing it on television.

Day 1: During the Tour - Richard Osei

During the tour, I took my time and looked around the improvement that is happening here in New Orleans. From last year to today, I have seen some sought of improvement. This does not mean that the work is done. This means that we still have to continue and work hard so that everything will be able to be the way it was before Hurricane Katrina. Getting the opportunity to come here again has allowed me to set another goal for the week. Day by day, i will do my best to give my all. One remarkable scene that I wll never forget is the Superdome. Being able to see the Superdome allows me to reflect upon that people were actually in there, without a place to go. They were all piled on top of each other, looking for survival. Everyday is a working improvement. One person will not be able to rebuild New Orleans. It will take the nation as a whole to lend a helping hand. It will take the nation as a whole to set different service groups to make a difference in someone's life. The more people that comes to help, the faster change will occur.

Off to a Great Start - Britt Aydelotte

Highlights so far:

- Lower 9th has more houses! There are more people back in the neighborhood than when I was here in May. It is great to see people around!

-While walking in the Lower 9th, a woman stuck her head out of her house just to say "Happy New Years" to a group of 30 strangers.

-The scavenger hunt this year was awesome! 2 proposals... fire truck... wait until we post pictures and stories!

- Great first days for everyone at their houses.

This year we are working on the "North shore" of Lake Pontchartrain in Slidell. Today we worked on the drywall, mudding, and a little exterior painting of the house. Our home owner came home just as we were leaving the site today; I am excited to get to talk to her more tomorrow.

One of the groups that was down here with us this time last year is back again. It is great to see some familiar faces and build up the relationships we started last year.

Sorry for the short post today, but I am very tired from cooking dinner tonight! I am excited for the rest of the week and hopefully will have more fun things to post soon!

Juhair Khan - Monday

I had no idea about this blogspot so my first blog which I wrote back home is posted in SOCS blog...

Its been two days since we arrived in New Orleans, the 2 day drive here was tiring and I couldn't wait for it to be over after a few hours on the second day. We arrived around 11pm on saturday and all I could remember seeing first in New Orleans was the tall bridges. The first thought that came into my mind when seeing the bridges were about the thousands of people who were trying to leave the city because of the flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. That was all I noticed but my expectation of the city was that the whole city was half abandoned and I would see thousands of broken houses and empty spaces where houses once use to be. I expected to see people in very severe living conditions and many homeless people still.
However, this was not the case, after four years things have improved a lot, more than I expected.

The next day we woke up and had breakfast then went out for a driving tour of the city. This was the most exciting part of this trip so far. This was when I realized that the city of New Orleans is slowly standing back up on its feet. Many businesses opened up, many of the residence of NO came back, tourists were coming back, thousands of houses were being rebuilt, and the city looked very lively. Even with all this positivism of the city, there were still much work to do. The effects of the Hurricane is still present, but I believe slowly this city will come back to full recovery and possible even better then it was.

I am excited and thrilled about being a part of this and helping rebuild New Orleans.

Ryan Gale- Initial Impressions

So, after two days of travel, we finally made it to New Orleans. Yesterday we toured the city, and experienced the lively culture in the French Quarter. After being here last year, I was interested to see any change or new development. When we reached the Lower 9th Ward in our driving tour, I was amazed to see the progress. Althought not a large number of houses had been put up since last year, the area has improved. The foundations and steps that marked where homes used to be last year, were mostly gone and dismantled this year. Although the area was overgrown in parts, it made great strides since I last saw it a year ago. The rest of the city also has developed quickly in only a year. Downtown New Orleans and the French Quarter were lively as always, mostly with tourists, but the spirit of the city was still evident. It was interesting to see all of the pride that the area has in the Saints (especially since they are in the playoffs this year). It may give the city and it's inhabitants some sense of recovery, recreation and escape.
Furthermore, today the TCNJ group divided up into three groups and began work on our houses. I am currently working on putting up dry wall and mudding the inside of a house for a middle-aged woman a town over from New Orleans. The need of the work was evident when the woman arrived home from work. She did not own a car so someone had to drive her home from her shift at Wendy's which she had to wake up at the crack of dawn for. I did similar work last year, and it is nice to be able to work somewhat independtly and help others at the same tasks I had explained to me last year. We were only able to breifly talk to our home owner today, and I am looking forward to talking more with her and hearing her story. I hope to not only make progress on the house, but to be able to talk with those who lived through the tragedy that was Hurricaine Katrina and bring their stories back to New Jersey. Many of the problems that still exist in New Orleans are, if not forgotten about, somewhat ignored by society now, with things such as the economy and international conflict on many people's minds. I look forward to bringing the issues that still exist and need to be addressed to the forefront of people's minds back home.

Tuesday--Lindsay Klein

So far, I have been having a great experience here in New Orleans. Yesterday, we did a driving tour throughout the city (the lower 9th ward, superdome, etc.), walked around the French Quarter, and had a scavenger hunt in the French Quarter. The scavenger hunt, I thoughtm was a lot of fun. We got to know the city really well and were able to interact with New Orleans natives and get a feel of the city. Today, we started working at our homeowner's house. I was overwhelmed by the spirit of our homeowner, Alvin. When we walked in, he had a huge smile on his face, and I could immediately tell he was so happy we were there giving him a hand. It was great to see that he was working right beside us, especially since we were able to talk to him and get to know him. My half of the team did mudding, and we had fun doing it. We spackled in corners and ceilings, making sure every area was meticulously smooth. I'm looking forward to see how much we can get done by Friday, because even though we were at the house for only a short time today, we got a great deal of work done. I can only imagine how much we can get done if we all work together and keep the New-Orleans-spirit up.

Teresa Couto

The first day on the work site was quite interesting. After working on one house as a complete team, we split and we went to another house to help out. Although it was even farther away, I was still glad we ended up at the house. We got to meet the homeowner, Rosalina, and she was very nice and inviting. There were a few obstacles we had to overcome, some being a colony of roaches and a friendly, yet intimidating, pitbull named Jewl. As a team we were able to have the people that didn't mind the roaches work on tearing down the wall, and those of us who were deathly afraid of them, myself included, worked on putting leftover sheetrock into bags to be disposed of. It was good to figure out our weakness and find ways to overcome them.

Back in New Orleans

We arrived last night in New Orleans, which is now my second trip. However, we did not really get a chance to settle in and see the city until today. Driving around elicited mixed emotions. While I felt that the city had progressed a great deal since January of 2008 (my last trip), there was still a great deal of damage all around the lower and upper ninth ward, as well as St. Bernard's Parish.

After the tour and a quick scavenger hunt of the French Quarter, we settled back in for dinner at camp and were able to get to know some of the other groups. It was very encouraging to listen to several other people from different parts of the country who were here in New Orleans for the very same reasons we were there. I'm definitely looking forward to another week, working hard to continue the great progress this city is making. It's wonderful to know that I am apart of that progress

Arrivals And Expectations- Joey Sison

We arrived in New Orleans a little after midnight on Saturday. All I could think about as we got closer were the countless images of houses reduced to piles of garbage that had been shown in the documentary we watched. Everything but the bridge we were on was enveloped in darkness, but I could see that there were not large amounts of buildings around. We briefly introduced ourselves to the couple in charge of Olive Tree, where we're staying, and I haven't had to remind them of my name once, which is really cool. That seemed like I used too many commas. As we toured the Ninth Ward the next morning, it was obvious that many houses and areas still had not been touched since Katrina had hit because they were still in disrepair and had the spraypaint markings. Many places in the area had been rebuilt and it seemed to be pretty developed, but the residential areas only had a few houses that were surrounded by tons of open space. So even though there has been some progress, it isn't enough to get to the point to where many of the previous residents could move back and start their lives over again. Afterwards, we toured the French Quarter, which had some really fancy places such as upscale restaurants and hotels to some... less fancy ones like the erotic cake store and other fun places. We had some really great Creole food on Bourbon Street, and I hope we can return to try more. I'm very excited to help out with rebuilding this week.

Teresa Couto

Today was definitely an eye opener. As we had said so many times, it's one thing to hear about something and talk about it, and something completely different to actually experience it. As we went through the Lower 9th Ward today, it was very depressing and upsetting to see how the neighborhoods still were. I couldn't believe that houses were still in the condition that they were. It's hard to think about what I would do if I were to be in these condtions. I am sure I would lose hope and want to give up and yet the people that we did see seemed to hold on to that hope and continue to prosper despite what their living conditions were. I am really looking forward to finally helping out and lending my hand in whatever way possible.

New Orleans 2010 Blog 1 - Danielle Cassidy

New Orleans 2010.

Today was my first day touring New Orleans. I was not sure what to expect but I can say I didn't think that there would still be so much devastation in NOLA. There was actually steps that lead to where homes used to stand, markings that the Coast Guard posted on the houses, and open fields where all that was left was foundation. In my van was a group of Bonners who were on the trip last year, they explain different things in the area and spoke of the trailers that FEMA gave after the hurricane (which were still there last year).

Half way through the tour I sent a text to my mom (who watched the documentary with me before I left). I said "It's so sad down here. Shocking. Wow." Three simple shorts sentences that do not even begin to express what I was feeling inside.

Leaving our tour I saw a sign that said "Lower 9th Ward Reconstruction" and spray painted on the bottom of the sign it said, "Only 5 years later" Even though so much has been done, there is so much more to do. I feel privileged to be a part of making a difference in NOLA. Tomorrow we start construction. I'm absolutely looking forward to it.

-Danielle Cassidy

On top of the levees - Rana

We toured around New Orleans today, starting with the Upper and Lower ninth wards and ending in the French Quarter. The french quarter doesn't seemed to have changed much, but the changes in the lower ninth ward are amazing. I was in the minivan today with primarily people who were chaperones returning for a second visit and all of us were so surprised. Where we once saw slabs of concrete foundation, today we saw houses. We also had a chance to climb on top of the levee and look out only to get a better look at the depressing landscape. Things are far from good, there are still abandoned buildings we saw last year down the street from camp still being rebuilt. As we were driving, we passed a house I worked on last year that looked finished and remembered they were victims of contractor fraud. I'm excited to start working tomorrow and learn someone else's story. What happened to them, where they've been, what they've done, and what they see for their future.

9th Ward Tour

As we take a tour of the lower and upper 9th Ward, I think to myself how can this be. I'm finally in New Orleans. Coming here I had an image that everything would look fine, not perfect but back to normal. I was wrong. As we took this tour around the 9th ward, I saw houses that still needed to be fixed. I saw houses that have not yet been touched. Some streets had only about two houses. There is so much work that needs to be done here. After four years you would think that things would be up and running, and some are but more needs to be done.

As we rolled up in our TCNJ Bonner Vans, the warmth and welcome that we received from fellow New Orleaneans is amazing. The people here are so friendly and welcoming. They noticed we from New Jersey, and knew what we camr for. Just to see that these people have high spirits after loosing everthing is great. they have excellent spirits.

Later on that day we went to the French Quarter. It was somthing new to me, there were many people shopping and just looking around. The scavenger hunt was a little bit challenging, but with the help of some of the pople in New Orleans, they made it easy and fun. What an experience I had today. I am looking forward to starting work with my team.

NOLA - Michael Northcutt

This was my first time I ever watched "When the Levees Broke" and the only word that came out my mouth when it was over was "Wow!". It is almost as if a tornado swept through the city and didnt leave anything left. I watched other documentaries of Hurricane Katrina and I've seen many pictures but I never really got to hear feedback from the people who lived in New Orleans and were affected by Hurricane. It was sad seeing many people's property basically blown away but even more sad to hear their reaction and how many of them lost hope. Everything they had, gone, lost or ruined.

Watching this movie refreshed my memory and made me aware again of what actually went down in New Orleans in 2005. Im glad that I now have to the opportunity to help out and rebuild what was once one of the most beautiful cities in the US. This is my first time going to New Orleans and I am excited and really looking foward to seeing the city and what it looks like 4 years after the disaster.

Michael Northcutt

Returning - Rana

When the destruction of Katrina was first shared with the rest of the country through the media, I was awed by it. Never had I seen a natural disaster that had caused so much destruction and affected so many people. Years later, the lower 9th ward still seemed like a war torn country that wasn't part of the United States the first time I saw it last year. We got out of the vans and when you looked around, the number of homes that had people living in them could've been counted on my fingers and toes. After watching the documentary a second time and remembering my first trip down to New Orleans, I am still amazed. I am amazed that our society continues to forget about what happened. There are beautiful pictures of the Eco Friendly Brad Pitt housed, but few pictures of the barely rebuilt lower 9th ward. That while people blame our leaders and our government, few have done something to help the people rebuild their lives. It is easier to forget or think someone else is taking care of it. We are too consumed with our own lives to even think to spare a thought to what people in our own borders are experiencing. At a holiday gathering some of my family asked why I want to go again on this trip. It is because I too am consumed sometimes by my own life and responsibilities and forget to be thankful for what I have. If I can help someone by spending a week painting a wall or installing a closet or getting on a roof (even when I know I don't trust ladders) why shouldn't I? How can I be content with allowing myself to forget what I have seen and move along with my own life? It is the same reason I am involved in service.

I find it almost ironic that this year the freshman are going to Philadelphia this year. They are to learn about the city that was pretty much the birthplace of Democracy and Government in the United States. From there they will go to a city that experienced first hand how that democracy and that government centuries later failed its citizens, especially its most vulnerable populations. The footage compiled in "When the Leves Broke" shows that failure. The government can send thousands and thousands of troops into a country halfway around the world, but they can't send medical care to people in our own country. They can sit at a desk and use a joystick in Washington DC to send a bomb to some remote cave in Pakistan, but they can't allow get bottles of water into a city 5 states southwest from the capital? When hollywood actors get involved in disaster relief before the national guard, someone should be embarrassed. While many are still angry at former President Bush, I hear no mention of the golf from our current president, no agency reform, no new strategies, nothing. We as a country have forgotten.

I am curious to see what has changed, if more houses are up, if more houses are down and being rebuilt. I want to hear about homeowners and hear from more locals such as the poet/pastor my team met last year who talked to us in the middle of our day. I hope to see changes that prove me wrong.

:: When the Leeves Broke -NOLA- Karachi Ukaegbu ::

My initial response to the documentary was, "I can't believe how real this is..."

You may be puzzled at my reaction; but to be honest, no one can imagine the pain, suffering, and humiliation the people of New Orleans went through. One can easily say, "Oh yeah, I know what you mean..." simply for conversation's sake. In reality, seeing and hearing one thing is extremely different from experiencing it. For example, you can watch the movie,Titanic, but never really understand what it is like to be on a sinking cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic. You learned about the Holocaust in middle school, but you can never fully comprehend the emotions and fears the victims faced day to day. You can be African American and know your history, but you will never know or can even relate to the struggles faced during the slave trade.

This is what I meant by my initial reaction. I always heard about Hurricane Katrina and knew it was really bad, but not to what extent.

Watching the movie, I felt helpless -- just watching as people cried, gave up on hope, and let go of all they lived for. I was emotional halfway into the documentary. This is a natural disaster, no one could control what was going to happen. I remember a woman saying, "Is this what God wanted for us? To die?" It is moments like these when I begin to question my Christian faith and God's plans for this world.

Living in the "endowed" United States of America, you would expect immediate relief after a natural disaster. Obviously, the government handled the aid of Katrina victims terribly. Seriously? Is President Bush RETARDED? Is he and the government RACIST? Is Condoleezza Rice that SELFISH? It is embarrassing to know that the leaders of this country were so ignorant and irresponsible, especially at this time.

However, that could slightly be a hypocritical statement.

Like I mentioned in the beginning, the problem is lack of awareness. No one understood the urgency of the Katrina aftermath until it was in their face: on the television, in documentaries, radios, outbursts, etc -- Government and ALL US citizens alike.

Even then, help didn't come until much later.

Can you imagine how that feels?

Being ignored an neglected after being promised protection and aid simply by being a citizen in the "Great US of A".

Can you really imagine?

The hurricane disaster brought out and highlighted the best and the worst in people. Whether it was in the residents who were directly affected by it, or government officials trying to help (or cover their faults) from farther away.

It was uplifting to see that they, as brothers and sisters of the human race, can put away their differences and sacrifice for each other, even in the hardest of times.

...- -- . - . -- -...

I don't know what to expect entering New Orleans. In fact, I am terrified.

All I know is that I should follow their example and help the best I can.

Two hands can make all the difference.

Imagine what we, as Bonners, can do together...

NOLA- Kristina

This is my second time going to NOLA to help rebuild. After watching the movie When the Levees Broke I was blown away by the amount of damage done by this natural disaster. When Katrina actually occurred in 2005 I was only 15 years old and completely unaware of the world outside of my safe haven, Hoboken. It wasn't until I watched this movie that my eyes were opened to the decimated land that was now New Orleans. Through the film I learned of how the government failed to support the less fortunate population. I think what I most out of watching the film was the ability to compare when this tragedy first happened to the present. Last year during my visit I was able to appreciate the rebuilding done to help bring New Orleans back to normal. I was able to see the progress that the ninth ward has made through the years. For this trip to New Orleans I am excited to see the improvements made since last January. I am looking forward to seeing the house I worked on last year as a finishes product. I am also excited to see what I can accomplish during my trip.

When the Levees Broke-Jax

I first saw the documentary last year before the trip but even while watching it again, it seemed as if I was watching it for the first time. I am first really glad a documentary such as this was made and that it focused on the survivors and their points of view on what happened. The hurricane Katrina I saw on the news when it first happened was quite different from the katrina I saw in the documentary. Of course the news showed the disaster and suffering but the documentary definately went deeper. It made me imagine myself in such a disaster and to empathize with the survivors. It made me thank God for my blessings and be thankful for each day I am alive because it not garaunteed. No one could have imagine something like that occuring on American soil and what the hurricane took: lives, families, homes, possessions, schools, history... is something to be remembered. I am now over being angry at the below par assistance the survivors were given and now I am just focused on being a tool to be used to rebuild someone's home. I really enjoyed being there last year and feeling like I was part of something historical and I cannot wait to get back in and get dirty and just to give a helping hand to someone in need. I am really greatful for the opportunity.

When the Levees Broke - Tommy Mladenetz

Just finished packing and finally got to sit down and write my thoughts on the documentary. After watching it, I was both sad and almost scared for what I will see while in NOLA. The first person accounts were horrifying and the pictures and videos were tragic as well. I can not imagine what it would be like to have my home completely demolished, and have to almost start fresh with my life. Not only that, but these people and families were also handled terribly by our government, and not given as much help as they deserved. Athough I am a bit scared of what to see while there, I am also more than excited to go on this trip. I have never been down there before, and I have always wanted to see the city. When Katrina hit, I was actually vacationing in LBI and I vividly remember seeing the first newscast about it and the live feed they had of the terrible flood waters. Pictures and video can only say so much though. Seeing things first hand always have a greater impact on us. With that being said, I am prepared to see firsthand the damage that has occurred down there and hear from survivors. I am ready and anxious to help them in whatever we (the Bonners) can do. Besides going to New Orleans itself, I am more than excited for the drive and to be able to get to know both my freshman class better, and also the rest of the Bonners attending. I'll see everyone in the morning, hopefully it isn't snowing too bad.

NOLA-Teresa

I think before seeing this documentary I was a little naive about that day in New Orleans. Although I remember how much of a tragedy it was and know that it must have affected and hurt many people, I believed it was something that could be a passing pain, that people would soon recover and move on, building there lives over once again. After watching this documentary, I could not help but cry thinking about all the people that knew, once they left their homes behind, they would never have that same house. They would never regain everything that they had left behind because Katrina came in and destroyed it all, leaving them to start their lives over with nothing but the little that they were able to take with them.

Then another emotion came over me. I felt angry that the government had taken so long to come in and help everyone they knew was still stuck in New Orleans. It almost seemed like they could not care less about the people who were stuck on rooftops and in houses filled with water. Granted they were supposed to have left but it's understandable that people will hesitate to leave everything. At this moment, I cannot keep away my feelings of anger knowing that years later, not much has changed in the lower income areas. I am glad to be going on this trip so that I may experience first hand what the situation continues to be like down there, and also, to finally lend a helping hand to someone who needs it the most.

NOLA - Warren Smith

I saw the documentary before and decided to watch it again before going on this trip. The tragedy that happened in New Orleans really was devastating and this documentary depicts how badly it affected everyone living in the area. With the houses completley wiped away and a vast amount of areas shattered, Hurricane Katrina definitely left a mark on New Orleans that will never be forgotten. Hearing the people talk about how much their lives were changed from the event and seeing what kind of damage was done throughout the film made me feel bad for everyone the hurricane effected. I personally have family (my aunt and uncle) who lived in New Orleans at the time and I was actually visiting them one week before the hurricane hit. Me and my family got home before the hurricane came and my aunt and uncle went to Houston until the storm blew over. When they returned home their house was completely gone. They are now still working to get the lifestyle they once had back to this day. That really shows me along with the film how this hurricane basically changed the people's lives who live in New Orleans forever.

With that in mind I am eager to go on this trip to see exactly what kind of impact Hurricane Katrina had on New Orleans first hand. I also want to work as hard as possible to make as much of a difference as I can to help bring the city of New Orleans back to the wonderful place that it used to be.

When the Levees Broke-NOLA

This is not my first time watching this movie. I first saw it in 2006, when it came out. It was very depressing to watch it again. It's sad to see the seperation of family memberes, and it hurts to even think about it. The many lives that were lost due to the flooding reminds me of how we do not always have the help we think we are going to get. With a crisis like this how could they lack government support. It was left in the hands of the people to survive to help each other out. One song that has a strong impact on me is Georgia Bush, by Lil Wayne. It just basically tells people how George Bush did not help during Hurricane Katrina, and part of it is his fauult. Although this rap maybe a bit explicit, I believe he is telling the truth.

Having never been to New Orleans, or having no experiance with Hurricane Katrina, I'm not really sure what to expect. I'm pretty sure some progress has been made, but I look forward to helping out more. I also look forward to having a great experience with the Bonners.

NOLA-Jimlise

I saw the documentary before and it made me cry the first time. The people had nothing and the response was slow and the progress seems even slower. The things that people went through made me really want to help but did not know how. One man said that the disaster did not effect just some people it effected everyone. This means that no matter where you were/are it had some impact on you. The surprise, agony, and sadness that the people displayed was heartbreaking. what was worse was watching the children look so helpless.
I believe that this trip will help me first hand in understanding the tragedy and how it has really affected people.

A Sense of Home - Dave Karas

Among the four hours of heartbreaking stories, troubling images, and testimonials about the failed government response to Hurricane Katrina, one thing stood out in my mind more than any other. It was one of the residents, who said, "They can't come home."

"They can't come home."

I can't help but think about how, after we spend a week down there, we can come home. Whether it is home with parents, friends, or at TCNJ, we have somewhere to call "home." We have somewhere to go back to. That is much more than we can say for so many, who have not yet received the help and support they deserve in the wake of a natural disaster.

I had never seen this film before, only watched the television news broadcasts surrounding when the Hurricane hit. Last year, I was not able to attend the Bonner NOLA trip, but I wrote an article about it for The Signal. I kept hearing Bonners tell me that there was so much more to be done, and to this day I have been hoping that they were wrong. It is simply incomprehensible for me to imagine families not having a home, or for that matter an adequate form of shelter, for four and a half years, with nothing being done about it. I can hardly imagine the pain they must have experienced, and the daily struggles that must fill their lives.

Watching this video assured me that it is that bad in New Orleans, even now, even today, even over four years after Katrina. Though I am nervous about witnessing the extent of the tragedies that we will encounter, I am looking forward to playing a part, however small it may be, in helping to restore the feeling of "home" for some of the residents.

When The Levees Broke- Joey Sison

This was my first time seeing this documentary and it was a reminder of how truly privileged I am. I have never been to New Orleans before, but I am truly afraid of what I will see. Residents from the movie kept saying how they expected there to be more progress, and there definitely should be, seeing as how it has almost been five years since the tragedy. I cannot imagine the heartbreak and difficulty of losing one's home, family, sentimental possessions, and lifestyle. I really cannot begin to think of how one would start over completely. The feeling of not having a place to call home anymore must be horrible.

It was aggravating listening to the victims' testimonials about the lack of support they felt. Some were left to sit in their flooding houses with no food, water, showers, surrounded by an ocean of debris and corpses of their neighbors until help (hopefully) came. Others watched their friends and family members die from these causes, or because they were unable to seek medical attention. I can't remember what I was doing at the time Hurricane Katrina hit, but it probably wasn't anything to help out these fellow Americans who were suffering. The fact that race was still such a major problem was also striking. I had never thought about the use of the term "refugee" when it was used in the media. One would hope that in such a situation where so many people are in distress, something such as race would be disregarded. I guess that's just wishful thinking though. I was also baffled at the part where they described that the levees they were replacing were not improved at all.

I'm glad to be getting the opportunity to help rebuild and break out from the sheltered way of life I grew up in. I am also looking forward to learning about New Orleans' culture and getting to know everyone better.

NOLA-Courtnee

I remember when this documentary first appeared on HBO, and my dad gathered our family to sit and watch it. it was a very mind-bogging experience, because hearing something and seeing them are two different things. I did not realize how big the cry for help was in New Orleans, and all the assistance they really needed were not being completely received. Vacuuming the water out of your basement after a huge rainfall is one thing, but trying to fix a community after a storm destroys a city is challenging. What really surprises me though, is how people's lives were put on hold, while the city is slowly being rebuilt. And how without the community, people who can afford to relocate try to, while others are stuck to suffer with lack of jobs or any resources.
Well I know we cannot change everything, but I am really excited to make an impact and help produce a result. I always wanted to go to New Orleans for a chance to give a helping hand and help in spots the government has missed. As well as going to experience an enriching cultural experience and exotic food.

Opportunity - Richard Osei

Last December when I went to New Orleans it was nothing as I imagined. I asked myself what can I do to make a difference? Will it be enough? The first night there, I planned a layout of all the possible things I would do so that I know that I have been able to touch the life of someone. I was there for a reason, and that reason will be fulfilled. It has been about five years since Hurricane Katrina occurred. There is lack of progress because enough is not being done to help rebuild New Orleans. I was talking to a home owner who just had her house rebuilt, and she said everyday when she looks outside to see that her neighbors who used to live there house is still in despair, tears flow from her eyes. Streets are still not fixed. The progress rate is very slow, and I wish New Orleans and the Mississippi area could receive more help. One person will not be able to do this by themselves. Different communities lending help and the government helping the residents will help increase the growth of improvement.

I am honestly looking forward to go to New Orleans again to continue the work we started from last year. Being there last year, I know what is expected and also know the work load that is ahead. But as a group, I believe we can accomplish any task that is given to us. Last year, Lire and I were in the same group. I never really knew much about him, but after getting the opportunity to work with him, I learned lot about me. He was able to teach me what he knew, i gave him a helping hand when he needed help, but most importantly we established a good friendship after the trip. This trip will help everyone get to know one another better, and will also give everyone a chance to learn more about themselves such as character strength, weaknesses, insights or steps needed to better what one is not good at.

NOLA 2010 Evan Bernat

Besides the political and racial themes of the movie, which are very important because the Bush administration did drop the ball... well anyways one other very important thing stood out to me. 4 and a half years later there are still many people still in need. I thought by this time much of the damage would be taken care of but that is clearly not the case. This movie was very informative and a great precursor for the trip. As for my expectations, one man during the movie said, "you see all of the video and hear all of the reports on television, but you do not really feel the impact until you return to New Orleans." Thats what i am excited for just to be there and take in the culture and environment, as well as helping people in need.

Thoughts--Lindsay Klein

So having just sat down and watched When the Levees Broke for four hours straight, a lot of things are going through my head. I was shocked at not only the pictures and videos in the documentary, but what New Orleans citizens were saying about the response (or better yet, lack of) of the government and government agencies. It is infuriating, in a way, to think that these people were left with nothing for days, which turned into weeks, and no one was really doing much about it. I am greatly looking forward to heading down to New Orleans on Friday. I think it will be very interesting to see how much it has changed (or hasn't changed?) since 2006, when the documentary was filmed. My parents just returned from a weekend trip to New Orleans--the last time they were there was before Katrina, and they were shocked at the difference (and they also told me places to get the best beignets (did I spell that right?) haha). I am looking forward to helping out in any way I can to get the city back on its feet. I have never been to New Orleans before, let alone Louisiana, and I can't wait to not only experience the cultural differences, but to help the community.