We're here!

Today, we were asked to write about our thoughts and how we're feeling now that we're finally here in New Orleans; what we think our biggest challenge will be; and, what event on our agenda we are looking forward to and why. Here is what we have to say:

Maurice:

Arriving in New Orleans was a culture shock alone! I expected lots of things, surprisingly none of which I had seen. Based on preconceived notions within society, I expected to see an empty, impoverished town. 

Although, the “Worlds View” of New Orleans was no where near the reality that I experienced today! Around 8 & 9:00 at night, the streets were full of people from different backgrounds roaming the streets without a worry! 

My biggest challenge while in New Orleans will be remaining level headed while understanding that this trip is greater than myself. Yes there will be times where I will be tired or worn out, but it is up to me to ensure that my head stays in the right place to ensure that I take the most I can from this experience! 

I am most looking forward to Monday, March 18, 2019 because that is the day the community service project will take place! I am most excited for this day because it gives me a chance to give back to a community wholeheartedly without expecting anything in return and that alone, is enough for me! 😁

Trevon:

There are many thoughts that went through my head while in New Orleans for my first day.  Being seven generations deep in the United States and most of my family coming from New Orleans the feeling is surreal.  Andre mentioned in our discussion group that it takes a lot of curiosity for a person to go out of their way to talk to someone.  I have a lot of curiosity and I am always wanting to talk to new people but working past my anxiety to actually get myself to reach out will be my biggest challenge. I often find myself thinking if someone is actually interested in the conversation rather than enjoying the fact that I’m having one in the first place.

The event I’m most excited for has to be the San Francisco plantation House. Like I said my family is 7 generations deep in the United States and seeing the history of my bloodline and what they went through will give me inspiration and gratitude for the  position I am in today in their honor.

Leni:

My initial thoughts about NOLA comes with some bias because I have been here 2 years ago, but I can say that I am happy to be here once again. New Orleans is a big and beautiful city, with equally beautiful people who are unique in their own ways. New Orleans has been through a lot, but I feel like it is a city that perseveres through the toughest storms. I’m excited to continue my adventure here from where I left off, with every day bringing a new adventure with it.

My biggest challenge in NOLA is comparing my experiences from my last trip to this one. Like I said, I have been here before, so I may be biased on the cultural behaviors that I witness, as well as the interactions that I receive from people in the community, compared to a person who has never been to NOLA before. I have a preconceived expectation from my previous visit, and what I want to try to do is steer away from that, and try to have a new experience.

I am most looking forward to the Culinary school day because I feel like the heart and soul of a culture is represented in its food. Creole and Cajun cuisine has a certain spice that is seen through the fiery determination and perseverance in the people of New Orleans. The cuisine of a culture, to me, is how we learn about it because food is the number 1 thing that brings people together.

Ramsey:

My thoughts about the beginning of this trip is that I'm happy that I get this opportunity to be here and I'm excited about what is in store. I think i had a pre determined thought about what I've heard and seen about New Orleans but now that I am here I see that the culture does have somewhat different and similar views to what I am use to but I am enjoying it so far and I cant wait to learn more.

I think the biggest challenge for me is just learning about the cultural and history because there's so much more information to learn.

I did get a chance to look over the agenda and I think what I'm most looking forward to is the swamp tour because i only get to see it on TV but now i will get to experience it myself.

Nate:

My thoughts on today are mostly positive. It's definitely been a long day with our flight starting at 6:50 and not making it down to New Orleans until a little before 6pm. Now that we are finally here though, I'm enjoying myself down here. I feel connected to the environment around here so far especially with  both of my parents being from Louisiana. I appreciate the honesty of the community down here, I've noticed that people in the community don't put a facade on or tend to fake their feelings and I personally appreciate that. You know exactly how they're feeling whether it is good or bad. But honesty is being genuine is always a good look in my eyes. 

I personally think my biggest challenge in New Orleans will be stepping out of my comfort zone to engage personally with community members. I know how much of an introvert I can be so when it comes to making a personal connection with individuals, its usually a struggle for me. However, I will push myself day by day to tackle this hill of mine to really improve and grow.

The event I'm looking most forward to is the plantation tour. The reason why is I've recently declared in the minor program of Africana and Black studies and I'm doing as much as I can to find out about my personal history as well as the history of my community. This visit hits home to me because my families roots are in New Orleans so there's a connection to the environment to me.

Brandon: 

We did it! CWU's 2019 CCLP cohort, including myself, have finally arrived in New Orleans for our Spring Immersion Trip. Our day consisted of alarm clocks being set at unreasonable times in the morning (mine was set for 2:00 AM), early car rides to SeaTac, and over twelve hours spent in airports or sitting in airplanes. And if you didn't know, airport food will not only upset your stomach but also upset your wallet...

However, despite our long day traveling, I cannot be more excited to be here in the beautiful city of New Orleans, Louisiana. From just walking down the streets to all of the small local restaurants scattered along every corner, you can sense the rich history that had occurred along the streets. Buildings are covered in art and lights that capture the essence of their culture perfectly. 

Upon arriving to Nola, I expected myself facing some social, ethical, or cultural barriers when interacting with the locals. Ironically, that hasn't been the case at all and that the biggest obstacle that I believe I am going to have to face here is myself. It's quite the shock coming from a town in eastern Washington where there is not much cultural diversity and then being placed in one of the biggest hubs where there's countless amounts of people who come from thousands of different places, backgrounds and neighborhoods. With that said, I have challenged myself to overcome this uncomfortable feeling and embrace every individual that I cross paths with while I am here. My goal is to widen my scope and understanding of people, not just their cultures. I can't wait for what's in store while I am here.

An event that I am looking forward to while being here is when our cohort will go to Mardi Gras World on Tuesday, March 19th. It'll be very interesting to gain more insight on how Mardi Gras became the holiday that it is today and why it is so impactful in many people's lives that are from this area.

RJ:

I was shocked at how different the city was compared to Seattle. In Seattle, there are plenty of hills and many of the big buildings are often concentrated in one area. However, in New Orleans the land is flat, and the big buildings are spread out throughout the city. But overall, the vibe of the city is different. From what I have experienced thus far, the attitude is more blunt and straight forward. It may have just been a bad day, but some of the employees from the different services that we utilized today seemed very disgruntled. However, it could just be the perspective of the lens that I have on currently. I look forward to experiencing more from the city and see if the vibe I felt today was accurate. I understand that one cannot judge a whole area from one small experience, so I look forward to more experiences to come this week.

I think my biggest challenge while in New Orleans is to remind myself to have a blank canvas every day while I’m here. I can’t let one negative or positive experience determine my whole trip to the city. I must live each day as an open canvas and paint a new picture of my experience as I experience them. Letting each day be a clean slate to experience New Orleans in a whole new light

I’m most looking forward to the Adventures in New Orleans Bus Tour. This event will give a brief history of a little bit of everything that should be known about New Orleans. Granted, I don’t expect the event to go in detail about the whole city, but rather give light to the different ideas that make New Orleans what it is.

Aubrey:

I was really excited to be going to New Orleans for the first time because all I have heard were good things. Now that we are here, I feel as if we haven’t had the chance to really explore New Orleans. Nothing really has stood out to me because we arrived rather late and we just had dinner and went to Walmart which is everything I could’ve done back in Washington. With that being said, I feel like by tomorrow I will have an idea of how I would feel about finally being here. 

I feel my biggest challenge while in New Orleans will be opening my mind to their culture. Just like Andre said in our group circle, it’s about the curiosity. Not that I don’t have curiosity for the people of New Orleans their culture it’s just that I have a shy person. So the challenging part would be to step out of my comfort zone and just ask a random person something about themselves or their time here in New Orleans. 

The event I am most excited for is the adventures in New Orleans bus tour. By doing the bus tour I feel as if you’re doing all the touristy things here in New Orleans. I feel that is the purpose of our trip, To experience New Orleans culture, it’s people and their experience living here, and it’s history. 

Samantha:

Honestly, I am stressed out. Originally, I was excited for the trip, but now that I am here I have found it difficult to interact with the culture of New Orleans. I came into this experience with a preconceived notion of how New Orleans would be, but my initial thoughts were incorrect. However, I look forward to exploring the true culture of New Orleans over the course of the next week.

My biggest challenge while in New Orleans will be interacting with people. Having lived in one place my entire life, I am used to being treated a certain way. Even just having been here for less than twenty-four hours has given me a sense of culture shock. An event that I am looking forward to is the San Fransisco Plantation tour. I am looking forward to the plantation tour because I have a deep appreciation for history and I hope to achieve a better understanding of how such history has shaped the cultures we experience in New Orleans today.