Our Last Week in the Big Easy

Hectic.... just the word to describe our last couple days in New Orleans. The team is actually really sad to be leaving already; New Orleans has definitely left a mark in all our hearts -- from the generous people we've met to the street festivals downtown, there is nothing we won't miss about the Big Easy. This week we visited the New Orleans aquarium (free for AmeriCorps members!) and did some last minute shopping downtown. We also ate a fabulous authentic New Orleans meal at our sponsor's home which included jambalaya, seafood bisque, and an assortment of other delicious treats. It's always sad to say goodbye to people who are making a difference in their own community, but also inspiring to be able to work beside them even for just a little while.

During our last days on the project site we finally finished insulating the home. Insulating a home is very challenging. We all wore our coveralls, along with all the necessary PPE (personal protective equipment), such as safety glasses and particle masks. We were all extremely uncomfortable wearing so much in weather so hot, so we were all glad to have finished the house in a timely manner. The next step after insulating is putting up dry wall. Our sponsor was able to secure enough funding to hire professionals to do the job, which will save time in bringing the home to completion.

After we said our goodbyes to our sponsors, the team hit the road and traveled back to Denver, stopping in Tyler, Texas and Amarillo, Texas. We traveled with another AmeriCorps team, eating lunch together and throwing the frisbee at a gas station in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. When we arrived back in Denver, it was really nice to see faces we hadn't seen in eight weeks. We are officially half way through the program.... how is that possible already??

~Maria C.