How the art spoke to me

Outer Journey-
The city of New Orleans is so full of art everywhere you go. Art just isn't a painting or drawing, art is a expression of creativity and can be beautiful and powerful. I've noticed the art here since I stepped off the train and into the train station. The first thing I saw was a mural on the top half of the wall. There were so many colors, and just so much going on. In parts of this photo you can see men with black tall top hats, and in another area you may notice a golden colored lion. I took a picture of it and posted it below so you can see just how much detail goes into some of the amazing artwork.

Another place I particularly liked was a photo shop that sold professional framed photographs. The way these photos look are just simply incredible. The photographer makes you feel as if the people or items in his photos are just right there in front of you. I actually got to meet the photographer of these photos, his name is Louis Sahuc. If you look below the first photo By Louis is in black and white. It is of an older couple sitting at a table that appears to look like a checkered board. The older couple looks to be laughing as they both have a drink of some sort in front of them. The older lady is wearing a floppy sun hat, while the man is wearing a nice shirt and tie. I found this to be one of my favorite that Louis has presented because it really captured these two people so well. There's even a story behind them that I will share with you later. It just goes to show you that art really does show emotion and expresses whatever you want it to.

My favorite artist in this city was Elaine Cummins. Her art work was just so full of life, and so full of bright colors that just caught your attention. One of her paintings in particular that I liked was called a Night on Bourbon Street. This photo portrayed bourbon street in a different way. The bright colors and the multi colored street made this photo come to life. Bourbon street usually isn't known for cleanliness, but for the partying and drunks that tend to make the street smell by the morning. From what I have learned Bourbon street hasn't always been this way or filled with bars. At one point these buildings were beautiful homes. I was happy with the way she captured the beauty that it does portray.

Train Station in New Orleans

Louis Photo Gallery

Memories of Margi and Joe- Louis Sahuc

Mardi Gras 03 - Louis Sahuc

A Cool Night On Bourbon Street- Elaine Cummins

Inner Journey-
Art brings out your emotions. Some art makes you feel sad, or happy, or even excited. Taking in all this art really made me wish I was able to buy one to take home with me, but they were definitely out of my budget. I cant even begin to tell you how much art there is in this city. Even the buildings are a work of art. The type of art I love is ones that are full of color, but also tell a story. It amazes me at the stories that are told just from a simple painting. The story behind Margi and Joe was one of my favorites. The man Joe in the photo supposedly popped up from the table at the sight of Margi walking into the Cafe. He was said to seat her and tend to her like a gentlemen. The two had apparently know each other since the 1930s but this meeting up was unexpected, and had been years since the two had seen each other. This story really moved me because I felt like this photo really captured their happiness in this moment, and that's what art does, it captures emotions.

The painting by Elaine Cummins Night on Bourbon street also seems to have a story behind it. I tried to analyze it myself. I believe she used the bright colors to symbolize how alive the street is at night. I can tell its suppose to be at night by the street light lit in the corner. The photo appears to look like a party is going on but you see no people. The specks of colors all down the street look as if they might symbolize a celebration or party. I have no idea if I'm right, but that's what I took away from it. That's the best part about art is it can mean anything to you, and it doesn't have to mean the same to someone else.

This city made me realize how much I am missing from my life. I live in a town where lots of houses look the same, and modern is the style that is in. This city had almost nothing modern about it, and instead showed history and culture. From the structure of the buildings to many street performers, art was all around me. Some would even include the food being a piece of art. I would have to agree with this one. I have learned so much more about art, and have a bigger appreciation for it now. Next time I visit I hope to bring back a painting or piece of art. Who knows maybe I will even decide to live in this wonderful city one day.

How the music spoke to me

Outer Journey-
As you walk the streets of New Orleans, you will hear music. Jazz, Funk, Dixie Land, Modern Jazz, Rock ‘N’ Roll, Blues are just some of the many different types of music. When you listen to the music in the city you will hear singing, or a solo instrument, or even a band. As I have walked the streets of New Orleans I have heard so many types of music. Jazz being one of them, which is also very popular in this city. Milton our guide for our music tour, showed us many different popular songs as we walked through the streets. Songs like I wanna be like you by Louis Prima that can be heard in a popular Disney movie, the Jungle Book.  He also played the song The House of The Rising Sun. As he played this one he showed us what was supposedly the house of the rising sun. The house is said to be in New Orleans, but there are a few houses that the song is said to be about. Below is the house Milton showed us.

As you step onto Frenchman street, there will be a large variety of music playing from different clubs. I went into the Maison on Frenchman street to check it out because I saw that they had a band playing. There were five guys in this band, and they all had a different instrument. The music was very upbeat, and made you want to dance. Below I posted a video that I took during their performance. The guy who plays the trumpet had a minute solo, and everyone in the crowd when crazy. The trumpet sound was soothing, yet upbeat. I found that I really liked this sound.

During my time here in the city I was fortunate to hear lots of the locals play their instruments and sing their songs. One in particular was two young boys tap dancing to make music. These boys didn't have tap shoes, but they used smashed up pop cans attached to the bottom of their shoes. These boys looked to be pretty young, but they were very talented. They used the limited resources they had to make music, even if it meant turning a pop can into tap shoes. The music they made was a pleasant sound. It was better than just the sound of tap shoes, and it was very unique. It just went to show you can be any age and be rich or poor but music is something that you can always have and always make.

House of the Rising Sun

Jazz Band at Maison

Inner Journey- When the band at Maison played, I was amazed that I had never really heard this type of music before, at least not in person. I loved it and I fell in love with Jazz while being in the city. The instruments they played just flowed so well together. I found myself wishing we had more of this type of music in clubs back home. While being in the city I soon learned how important music is to everyone there. Some people used music to make a living. I saw so many talented musicians playing on the street in the French Quarter. Most of these people would have a hat or box to place money in. I realized this is what lots of people do for a living here. No they aren't famous, but some of them really should be. One of the musicians that stood out to me was a young boy playing a violin. I saw so many people stop to listen to him, me included. I found myself wishing later on that I had recorded him and his beautiful music. Someone like that I thought shouldn't be playing on the street, but at a venue where more people could appreciate his music. Now I have always been a person who loves music, but Jazz was something I had never been super interested in. I haven't heard much Jazz in my life time but I also never tried to venture out of my usual music taste.  This city makes you appreciate all types of music.

When I visited with my aunt on my free day I noticed that she was playing the Jazz station in her car. I was surprised by myself when I was wanting to know what stations Jazz music plays on and what each song was called. It made me bond with my aunt more in my opinion. I would ask her some of her favorite music and favorite places to listen to music. She said it was hard for her to pick just one but she recommended me going to Frenchman street to listen to some of the best Jazz. I agree with her when she said that Frenchman Street was the way to go, because that's where I heard some of the best music in the city.

I decided to share my new love for Jazz with my family back home. I have been taking notes on my phone of popular songs that I have heard while in the city. One of the songs my mom has heard was the Saints come marching in by Louis Armstrong. Its a popular one known by most, but I have never heard the original song by Louis until we were on a tour of the city. I decided the Louis Armstrong was one of my favorite because I loved the way he played the trumpet. The trumpet is an instrument you don't really hear anymore in modern day music. The only time I hear the trumpet is in marching bands. It's an instrument you really start to love when you listen to Jazz.

Farewell New Orleans

Outer Journey-

 As I stand in the French Quarter, I can’t help but admire the St. Louis Cathedral that sits in front of me.  From the Big clock at the top, to the many windows covering the building. I realize seeing the Cathedral every day is one thing I’m going to miss the most. The structure of the church looks as if it were a castle. The inside was beautiful and just full of so much history. I will definitely be coming back to the city of New Orleans and of course I will see the Cathedral. It’s something I believe everyone should see once in their life time. Being the oldest Catholic church in the U.S makes it even more unique. The reason why it was so special to me is that it was the first place we went to on our first night after dinner. It was a place we would all meet as a class, and a something I saw every day while we were there. In front of the Cathedral is where so many locals would set up their shops. Some would sell art work that they made themselves, and others would play instruments or sing, and some would offer to tell your future. This was their everyday jobs for a lot of these people. Lots of the people singing or playing instruments were so very talented. You couldn't help but give them a couple dollars just because of how good some of these people were. Behind the Cathedral stood a statue of Jesus. At night if you walk past the back of the Cathedral you will see Jesus's shadow on the back of the Cathedral. It's such a pretty sight to see. As you can see right below I posted a picture of it.

I would describe my experience here in New Orleans as full of life and full of culture. I didn't realize how much culture was really in this city until I came and saw it for myself. There so many different types of food from Cajun to Creole. And the music, there's just so much variety. Walking down Frenchman street you will hear all types of Jazz, funk, and just overall upbeat music. Frenchman street was also a favorite place of mine just because you could walk down this street and hear music everywhere you went. It also wasn't anything like Bourbon street, where you would see drunks and throw up all over the street, as well as hardly any good music. I highly recommend coming here if you want to hear good music, and be surrounded by Jazz!

Inner Journey- 

My favorite part of the class has to be the many sights I got to see from the Cathedral, to the hurricane Katrina museum to the beautiful architecture. I love the mix of Spanish and French architecture throughout the French Quarter. It’s hard to pick just one thing I loved about the city when there was so much. During the trip, I feel as if I established friendships with lots of the girls. Sharing a room with girls I’ve never met before the trip had me feeling a little nervous because I wasn’t sure just how well we’d all get along. But I couldn’t of asked for better roommates! I had a blast with these girls and I wouldn’t have changed anything about this trip. I know I have gained some new friends from this experience, and i'm happy to have more nursing school friends who can relate. I feel like I also opened up more. I can be quite sometimes around people at first, but after I get to know someone I feel like my real personality comes out and I'm no longer the quite girl. I learned to be more open to new things during this trip. I branched out and I tried different foods including turtle soup, which is probably something I would have never done back home. I even ventured out to the garden district to see as much of New Orleans as I could, and of course see the beautiful houses. I fell in love with the city and the people in it, On almost every street you hear music playing from either a band or just someone on the street. There is also art everywhere you go. The art and the music combined just make it a amazing city that I wish I lived in. I loved that all the people in New Orleans treat each other like family.

When visiting the Garden District,  Brittany, Emily, and I had a security guard from the district ask us if we wanted him to show us around some of the most popular houses to visited. Of course we said yes because we trusted a security guard and it meant less walking for us so we hopped in. We end up getting a free tour of the district. This act of kindness is just one of the many examples of how the people of New Orleans are. If this were Chicago someone would probably wouldn’t be offering to tour you around, and definitely not for free. As I reflect on this trip, I honestly don't think I would have changed anything. I will never forget all that I got to see and experience. I can't wait to come back to this city. I now have a new love for this city. Until next time, farewell New Orleans. 💕

 

Presbytere Museum

Outer Journey-
Today is our very last full day in the beautiful city of New Orleans. We are going to the Cabildo and the Presbytere museums that are located next to the Cathedral. The Presbytere was my favorite. As soon as I walked into the Presbytere museum I saw glass bottles hanging all over the celling. A light was shining on the bottles turning them different colors from blue to purple to pink. They glistened above me and I notice they all had a rolled piece of paper inside the bottles with a cork in the top of the bottle. They looked like a message in a bottle that you would see washed up on a shore. The paper inside each bottle stood for each person that lost their life to hurricane Katrina. As you walk into each room of the museum on the first floor, they show different aspects of hurricane Katrina. The first room showed a history of hurricanes that have hit, as well as new report clips that talked about evacuating the city before the hurricane hits. As you continue to walk through you arrive to a room that shows many different clips of people’s personal stories. One corner of the room showed videos of local heroes during and after Katrina. As you look around the room you may notice a spot light shining in the slightly dim room. The light would move to a different video around the room and the videos would play the stories of the Katrina survivors. In the next room, you will see models and videos about the levees. It shows you why the believe they didn't hold up, and that the type of soil plays a role in this. You then go into the next area where there is a white garage door spray painted with red wording all over that says things like “2 cats” and “Dead dog”.  This garage door is what a survivor used to signal for help, as well as let them know how many people they had or how many animals, dead and alive. On the other side of the wall is a framed outfit that looked like it belonged to a little boy. The top and bottoms were covered in filth. Next to the outfit was a teddy bear in a glass case tattered and covered in dirt. It looked to be a hundred years old because of its condition. But this bear was recovered from after the Hurricane.The very last room on the bottom floor had a show they played. The "show" was a series of videos put together that would play in many different size wooden window frames placed all together. The video showed clips of those who had lost something in the hurricane. Whether it was a personal item or their house, they all lost something from this tragedy. Upstairs was where the Mardi Gras exhibit was located. Once you walk up the stairs and into the first room you are greeted by many colors and extravagant outfits that are made up of feathers and jewels. All outfits were different in the sense that no two outfits looked the same. Though they were the same in the sense that they all had many colors, and of course sequins and jewels covering them. This exhibit gave you a little taste of Mardi Gras. It made you feel as if you were in a Mardi Gras parade. Below I posted just a couple of the many outfits that were in the exhibit.

Inner Journey-

Seeing all the glass bottles hanging from the celling as I walked into the Presbytere really hit me hard. Knowing that each of those bottles stood for a life that was lost really made me emotional. In the museum, they showed videos of the survives and their stories. Some of these stories told were just horrific. I say this because the situations they were put in, the lack of help they got was just unacceptable in my opinion. There was one video that had me almost in tears. A woman that had stayed in New Orleans during the hurricane. She explained that afterwards she lost her home, had a lack of food and fresh water just like so many others. But what really got me is when she said her as well as many others went months before anyone arrived to help. She had lost all hope of someone coming to the rescue. I can’t even begin to imagine being in a place where there is no food, no water, no place to sleep at night, and no one to come to the rescue. She then went on to say that they had got word of there being a bus on the bridge to take people out of the city and as her and hundreds of others walked to the bridge they started getting shot at and told to get back. These people lost everything and we as a country had failed them. In my opinion there had to of been more that could have been done! Then when some help did arrive they only got them to a save place from flooding, but these people were still in short supply of all food and essential items. Another thing that had a big impact on me was the garage door that was exhibited in the Presbytere. It had messages written on it such as “Dead dog, owner will bury” and “2 cats” People would write messages on things such as garage doors or roof tops to get attention of rescuers to show them how many people or animals they had that needed to be rescued. Seeing an item like this just really made me reflect on my life and all that I have overcome. Reflecting about my own personal situations made me realize that nothing I have ever had to go through is as bad as what these people had to go through. People lost their life’s, homes, loved ones, and some were stranded for months, and some lost hope. After seeing all of this I couldn’t help but feel a strong desire to want to help people in disasters like this. As a future nurse, I will be able to help people not only by donating my time to help rebuild and provide food and water, but also medical needs as well. Knowing this, I feel even more dedicated to my major in nursing, and I can’t wait to go out and make a difference in people’s life’s. Also if you ever get the chance to come to New Orleans, the Prebytere is a must to go to!

Glass bottles hanging from the ceiling in the Presbytere

FREE DAY

Outer Journey- Today was our free day to do whatever we wanted so of course I wanted to make the most of my time. I decided to spend the day with my Aunt Jackie who lives in Louisiana and is less than two hours from New Orleans. I've only seen my Aunt on holidays so I was excited to finally be able to spend time time with her and get to know her. She visits the city many many times so she came here to take me to a few of her favorite spots. She had me meet her on Bourbon Street at a restaurant called Galatorie's. As I walked in I could see elegant mirrors hanging down the walls. The tables all had white table cloths covering them as well as fancy Silverware and water glasses. The water glasses had the name Galatroie's written elegantly on them. All the waiters wore crisp black suits. The people dining around me were all dressed nicely too. The women were in dresses and heels and then men all wore dress pants. I felt slightly under dressed. The restaurant had all original flooring and wall paper from when it first became a restaurant years and years ago. I sat with my aunt in the corner of the room next to the window. She told me that she had been coming there for about 30 years and she knew almost all the waiters there. She ordered an appetizer that I was unfamiliar with called crab moison. The food itself was very lite with white pieces of crab through out the dish. It tasted delicious and didn’t even have a fishy taste with it that most sea food has. After finishing our meal we had desert. We had a vanilla custard type dish. It was a creamy yellow and had a texture of gelatin. Surrounding it were fresh blue berries and bright red strawberries. It was delicious! After we were finished my aunt decided to show me around the city. She has many friends whom live here in town so we ventured off to see a few of their apartments. Though we didn’t go in any of them she would point them out as we would walk past. Many of them lived in the beautiful apartments around town just above the local shops. Most of them has bright green plants hanging from their balcony’s and some brightly colored beads and ribbon in honor of Maddie Gras. She took me to her favorite book store next. The book store was a tiny little shop but it had shelves and rows full of books. Everywhere I turned there were books from big to small. To thick and thin. The room lit up with all the different colored books on the Shelves. I forgot to write the name down but it’s located behind the Cathedral if anyone would like to check it out! My Aunt then took me to one more place before she had to head back. We went into a local Artist shop who takes professional photographs. The photos were so vivid and I could feel as if I were right there with the people who were in the photos. The place was called Photo Works New Orleans, and my Aunt personally knew the owner and photographer Louis Sahue. I even got to meet him while looking around his shop! He has even taken photos at the restaurant we ate at earlier. I don’t think my free day could have been spent any better.

Photo Works New Orleans

Inner Journey- I got to learn so much from my Aunt today, and I felt almost as if I lived in New Orleans. My Aunt has lived in New Orleans for about thirty years now. Not many of my family member have came down to visit her though because its usually her visiting us back in Illinois. I think I really made her day by asking her to spend the day with me while I was here in the city. I learned a lot more about my aunt and her interests. She even got me to try some crab moison like I mentioned above. While she gave me her tour of the city we saw many people dressed to celebrate Mardi Gras. People were dancing and playing instruments in the street even. I have never seen people come together like this back home like they do here. It just amazes me how everyone treats each other like family especially when it comes to celebrations. My aunt seemed to know many of the small business owners. She would chat and catch up with everyone she knew. This kinda reminded me of my home town Galva because in our small town we are always seeing people we know no matter where you go and its the polite thing to stop and talk when you see someone you know.

 Before my Aunt left she gave me a Magazine she had brought with to give to me. The magazine was called New Orleans that Official Visitors Guide of 2018. I thought this was really neat to have as a keepsake to remember the trip by, but also because it showed places and restaurants to visit here. I learned by reading through this magazine that there is so much to do here, but also I only have so much time left. As our trip is coming to end I'm really starting to take advantage of the free time we get. Me and my room mates visited the Garden District. The houses in that area were incredible, and huge. My aunt says shes likes to drive by sometimes when shes in town just to look at the beautiful houses. It reminded me that there's so much more to New Orleans, and so much more to see other than the French Quarter. What I was most excited about was seeing the house from American Horror Story! I absolutely love the show, and as soon as I knew the house was in New Orleans I had to see it. It was something I wanted to cross off my bucket list, so I'm extremely happy that I was able to do that. I plan to go sight seeing after our final museum tours tomorrow, so be prepared for plenty more pictures!!

My aunt Jackie and I

Music and History of New Orleans

Outer Journey- Today I went on a outdoor tour of the city. Milton, our tour guide, was awesome. He seemed to know everything there was to know about the city. He was very passionate about the city and all its history as well as the music. Through out the tour he played us popular types of Jazz music. I only knew one song he played and that was to the Saints come marching in. Along with this song he played Java by Al Hirt. I really enjoyed this song because it had a great beat and its something I could find myself listening to on my own and even dancing to. I posted the song just below so you can get a little taste of Jazz style music. Almost all the music he played was very upbeat, and full of rhythm so its hard to not like it. The tour proceeded to the cemetery where we got to see some of the graves of some famous people throughout history. All around me were above ground tombs, some falling apart while others remained in semi perfect condition. The tomb of the voodoo queen Marie Laveau was also in this cemetery. She had three tombs total that we got to see. We were told that people mark three X's on her tomb in hopes of getting a wish, and they come back to circle an x if their wish came true. We also got to see Nicholas Cages tomb. His tomb is a big white pyramid, and in my opinion didn't really fit in with the style of the rest of the tombs, but it was cool looking. Were also told that some families pay for people to take care of their tombs after they pass.

Later on in the day we did a ghost tour! I was super excited for this like I mentioned in my first blog. I learned so much history on some of the darker sides of New Orleans. Its cool to hear some of these stories because its not necessarily something you'd read in a book or hear about in a museum. We started off in the French Quarter and where we were told about the many public executions that took place. I had the chills the entire time the tour guide was telling us the stories and it started to feel just a little uneasy being there at that moment. We were told a story about the restaurant that leaves a table reserved as well as prepares meals for a ghost. Over all I had a jammed packed day, but I loved every minute of it, and have way more knowledge on the history of New Orleans.

Inner Journey- After the ghost tour tonight I felt myself wanting to know even more haunted history. I believe in spirits, so this was something I was definitely interested in. The part of the tour that interested me the most was the story behind Madame Lalaurie. I was interested in her for two reasons, the first being she had a dark past and I have heard many different stories pertaining to what she did to her slaves. The second reason being that American Horror Story, a television show, had featured her in the season the Coven. I am a big American Horror Story fan so of course I paid extra attention to her story. I found it so gruesome what she had done to her slaves, and I really do believe that the spirits of some of her victims may have never left that house. Standing outside of the house I felt a rush of excitement and fear. I was of course hoping that I would be able to see something out of the ordinary, but I had no luck.

When we visited the cemetery we were told that lots of vandalism happens and people steal from the tombs. I really felt upset over this just because this is a place where the dead came to rest, and they should be respected. If one of my family members tombs had been written on or vandalized I would be heart broken so I can imagine how the family members of these people would feel. What I did like was that they have tombs that are open for people that are poor and can't afford for a burial. It really warms my heart that that they don't turn away anyone from getting properly buried just because they can't afford it.

I thought It was really interesting that all the graves were above ground. This is because the graves wouldn't stay in the ground due to flooding. I really like the detail and the structure of these tombs better than how they are back home. They make the tombs as if they were houses with gates and different levels. I think this is a really neat concept considering it is a home for the dead. I did find it strange however that they bury the bodies all together in one tomb. At home we have people buried in the same plot but not a whole family of bodies in one tomb. What creeped me out a little is they open up these tombs when they need to add another body to it. I also found it odd that they separated the Catholics from the non-Catholics. However what I have learned from this trip is the people from New Orleans were very Catholic and only Catholic so for someone to not be Catholic it had to be a big disgrace. I just feel as if they were definitely shaming these non Catholics by having a wall put up when maybe they should of just had a separate cemetery. But that's all I have for today! I'll be visiting my Aunt who lives here in Louisiana, tomorrow so stay tuned to hear about that!

Madame Lalaurie's house

Experiencing Culture - First full day in New Orleans

Outer Journey- This morning I woke up ready as ever to start my day. I started my morning off learning about religion by visiting the St. Louis Cathedral. As I walked into the church I was at a lost for words. The St. Louis Cathedral was a tall white colored structure and inside were elegant paintings on the ceiling. I couldn't help but notice all the details surrounding me. From the rows of different colored flags hanging, to the detailed paintings on the ceiling, this place was simply gorgeous. I have to admit visiting here was one of my favorite things of the day just because it was such a pretty sight. After leaving the Cathedral we went on to the Old Ursuline Convent. I got to hear lots of the history behind the building and the nuns who once lived there. The church attached to the building was stunning. The alter was sparkling and shining with gold and diamonds all over it.

After the touring the history of New Orleans through architecture, we took a tour on the culture aspect by doing a cuisine tour! Food in this city is a big deal to all the locals, and all the dishes we got to taste came from different cultures. Our first stop we tasted beef brisket Po-boys. The smell was appetizing, and made my mouth water. When I took my first bite I was hit by a strong kick of the special sauce used to give the po-boys some flavor. The meat was delicious, but the sauce was just a little too much for me. We then went from there to a few other stops trying everything from sea food gumbo to even turtle soup! Every place we went I was hit by a delicious smell that would just make my mouth water. I recommend taking a food tour to anyone who is coming to the city for their first time!

Ceiling at The St. Louis Cathedral

Front of the St. Louis Cathedral

Inside the Cathedral

The row of flags down the aisle of the Cathedral

Inner Journey- I found it interesting that the city of New Orleans started off with everyone practicing Catholic religion, to eventually expanding to the many religions they practice now. I was surprised to learn that even the slaves were Catholic, and were also allowed to be baptized in the Cathedral. It just amazes me at how much the city has grown over time. Something I never really knew until today is that New Orleans back in the day was just a big mixing pot. So many cultures and back grounds have made this city what it is today. I personally love that there is a little bit of french architecture mixed in with some Spanish architecture through out the city.

When visiting the Old Ursuline Convent, we heard a story about the great fire that burned down a big part of the city. Long story short this building didn't burn down because the wind had shifted causing the fire to go the opposite way. It was said to have done this because the nuns who lived there had prayed that it wouldn't catch fire. I found this really fascinating just because I am religious, and do believe in the power of prayer. I pray anytime a friend or family member is going through a difficult time or situation and I pray when I am going through hard times, even if its just a test. Hearing miracles like this one is what strengthens my beliefs. I'm not sure if the story we were told is true or just an old wise tale, but either way I believe it.

The church attached to the the building was stunning, and I couldn't help but noticed all the gold and diamonds that made up the church. We were told that the gold and diamonds came from people who lived in the city that willing gave the church their valuable items to help make up the alter in the church. I thought this was really unique, and spoke very highly of the people of New Orleans. I couldn't help but think how cool it would be to say "My earrings are in this alter". It also showed how much the people valued their church and religion by giving up something valuable. I think in today's society not many people would do this because we do live in a world where people are very materialistic and don't want to give up things like gold and diamonds no matter who its going to.

I found the cuisine tour really interesting and I learned more than I thought I would just by trying foods. We were able to taste many dishes from many other cultures that made up New Orleans. I thought it was really neat that we got to try so many different things that I normally wouldn't eat. It really gave me an insight on cultures through a different way other than just hearing about it. I would have to say the beans and rice was my favorite dish on the tour. It was something I would normally eat back home, yet it was prepared differently. It reminded me of home which I cant help but miss. This trip has been amazing and I'm so grateful for this experience, but I really miss my family and boyfriend. I'm going to make the most of my time left though! I'm also really looking forward to the Hurricane Katrina museum, so stayed tuned to hear more!

Arrival in the "Big Easy"

Outer Journey- Today on January 4th, 2018, I’ve arrived in the city of New Orleans! As I got off the train station I realized I didn’t get a rush of cold air, and instead was greeted by a temperature of 30 degrees! Now that may not seem warm to some of you but back home we are currently in the negatives. As we walk into the train station I can’t help but notice the colors plastered on the wall. The beautiful art work plastered on the wall as you walked in was so vibrant and colorful. I took a picture to save my first memory of the city. From there, everyone hurriedly gathered their luggage from the lines of colorful suitcases and bags and headed for the exit.  Once we walked outside the train station I was so eager so see everything. The Uber driver we had named Joseph was a great way to be introduced to the city. He told us about some of his personal favorite places and restaurants to go to. One place he mentioned was the French quarter where we will be visiting. We arrived at the hotel and from there we had a limited time to get ready for our restaurant reservations. We all jumped out of the Uber, grabbed our luggage, and rushed inside the hotel. As my roommates and I get into our hotel suitcases are thrown open as we hurried to change clothes. We then left our hotel behind to try our first taste of New Orleans food. The walk to the restaurant was beautiful. So many colors and sights to see. Tall buildings, and neon lights surrounded us. You could see people bundled up and walking quickly through the streets. As we walked into Pierre Maspero's I was hit by the smell of seafood, and pasta. The smell made my mouth water. The food I ordered was the shrimp BBQ dish. The food came out quickly, and I wasted no time eating once it was set in front of me. After our delicious meal it was time for dessert! I had heard I needed to try a Beignets so that is exactly what I ordered. The beignets look like little pillows with powdered sugar sprinkled on top, and they tasted amazing. As the night came to an end we decided to take the street car back to our hotel. I'd have to say this was the best decision we could have made. The street car driver was a character! He had us all dying of laughter. He even told us some of his favorite places to go to in the city. I'd have to say for only being in the city just a few hours I was already having a pretty awesome time. Of course I even included some pictures below of my food just to make your mouth water.

Beignets

My shrimp dinner at Pierre's

Inner Journey- I can’t tell you the rush of emotions I felt as I stepped of the train and entered the city of New Orleans. I was so excited to be there, but so nervous at the same time. One thing for sure is I was happy to be off that train. Being in the city made me feel alive. This is my first time away from home with no family or friends from back home. I felt like I was finally getting to experience more of the world, or at least more of the U.S. I have always wanted to travel, but being in college it’s hard to do when you don’t have the funds. Coming on this trip made me feel readier than ever to travel even more after this. As we walked to the restaurant shortly after arrival I couldn't help but take in all the sights of the city. I had only seen a small amount of it but I was in love already. When we arrived at Pierre's I quickly decided I was going to branch out and try something I normally wouldn't get. Shrimp is a food I have ate very few times in my life and I've only ever had it frozen and cooked at home, so getting the shrimp BBQ dish was branching out for me in my opinion. Tasting the food at Pierre made me realize I should open up more often like I did. I couldn’t of been more happier with my choice. When we headed back from dinner to the hotel, I noticed some people camped out on the ground of the streets. I learned that these people were homeless and living on the streets. I am a very caring and compassionate person and to see people that are less fortunate really breaks my heart. It made me feel a rush of guilt because I never really appreciate all that I have when I have so much compared to these people who have nothing but the clothes on their backs. It made me start to wonder how these people came to be homeless, and if there’s any way I could help them. I’m not naive in the sense that I think I can help all the homeless people out there but just doing one good deed like giving someone your food can make a big difference in a persons life. My friend Peyton actually gave her left overs from dinner to one of the homeless men on the street. It was such a self less act, and it really warmed my heart to see. My biggest thing is you just never know who really needs help, and who is trying to get money out of you. I feel almost guilty when I don't hand out money to someone who may be in need, but in this world you just never really know. Just being in the city for a few hours made me realize so much am I am overly great full I am for my life and for this experience. Keep following my blog to hear more on my experiences!

Train station art

Next Stop.... New Orleans !

Outer Journey-
As I traveled to the train station excitement and anticipation over came me. I see cars coming and going from the train station and I wonder where they are going or where they just came from. As we park at the train station I jump out to grab my suit case and belongings. I could feel the cold air against my face as soon as I stepped out of the car. Rushing into the train station I could feel the slushy snow beneath my feet and I started to become slightly nervous. I have never been on a train for a long amount of time. But the nervousness soon faded as it was replaced by excitement for the trip ahead of me. At the train station me and a few girls decided to make the most of it by passing time playing cards, and snacking. You could hear laughter through out the train station. As our boarding time got closer I became more ready to leave. Then a voice starts to speak on the over head speakers. The voice says our train is delayed by about 40 mins. At the time 40 minutes didn’t seem to be too bad, and the girls and I had just started getting into a card game. We played the game "Bullshit", and laughed every time one of us had to pick up the stack of card from the pile. As time passed by it became closer to our new boarding time. As I wait to for our train to arrive I hear a women's voice say that our train is going to be another 40-45 minutes! I couldn’t believe the bad luck. My first thoughts were something is wrong with the train, or we aren’t going to get on the train till hours later. What I didn't know at the time was that we wouldn’t be boarding the train till about 1:30! At this point I became overly tired. I could feel my eyes droopy, and my excitement was starting to fade. All I could think about was sleep. When the train arrived everyone boarding the train walked fast as if there were a chance the train might leave us before we could get on, and the cold air felt good as it hit my face stepping outside the train station. Finally I was on the train!! Now I was very weary about sleeping on the train, but I was just so tired I thought I could sleep anywhere, but I was wrong. I tossed and turned and just couldn’t get completely comfortable. As I looked around at the other passengers I see everyone also trying to get comfortable sleeping in the dark blue train seats. I guess I know why people pay the price they do for those sleeping carts. As I sit on the train now, I look out the window at the current scenery. The sun is shining and I see trees for miles. The best part of the scenery was that there was no snow to be seen. Our arrival time is now around 5pm and I couldn’t be more ready to get off this train. New Orleans here I come!

Peyton on the train! (Passing through Sledge Mississippi)

Inner Journey-
Like I said earlier, my roommates and a couple girls decided to play cards to pass the time at the station. We were bonding over snacks and stories we were sharing. I knew at this moment this trip was going to be even better because the people I was about to share this journey with were no longer strangers. I’m so excited to make some new friends that I have something in common with. The something in common being us all in nursing school. I think the trip over all is going to be better then I had hoped for. Our group is full of fun people and that makes it so much more exciting. As it got later I started to grow even more Eager to get on the train. The thoughts running through my head were driving me crazy. I kept thinking “what if the train breaks down when we’re on it?” Or “what if it doesn’t come till morning?” And I even started to think maybe this trip wasn’t going to happen and I built all this excitement up for nothing. I tried to push those negative thoughts away though. When the train finally arrived and we started to step on, I can’t tell you the rush of happiness I felt. Not because we were heading to New Orleans, but because we were finally getting on the train after our three hour delay🙄 I was so exhausted I fell right asleep. Waking up numerous times in the night prevented me from obtaining any quality sleep, but I’m growing more and more excited as we get closer to our destination. Freshening up in the tiny restrooms they have on the train really made me appreciate my big bathroom at home. I decided putting any makeup on this train while in motion would just be way too difficult. Not being able to shower this morning was hard for me because I’m so use to have a shower at my convenience. It’s hard for me to feel clean without showering and a clean change of clothes. Hopefully I will have a few minutes to change at the hotel before we continue with today's itinerary.
As I was sitting at a table on the train some little boys came and sat down by me. They all looked close in age and are just running around being crazy kids. In this moment I miss my little brothers like crazy. My youngest brothers are ages 4,3 and 2, and these boys on the train are remaining me so much of them. It reminds me I’ll have to Face Time them later on to keep me from becoming too home sick. Family is very important to me, and I rarely go a day without seeing them so a whole week is going to be rough for me. I can’t wait to take many pictures so that they can see everything that I get to experience. In just a few more hours we will arrive in the city of New Orleans but until then I have no more to share. Stay tuned, my adventure has only just begun!

Checking out the scenery on the train ride