leslie

LESLIE: POST #1 Holla!!!~
Leslie's First Post... ever!!!
Today is my 4th day in New Orleans. I wanted to blog earlier but I was unable to get to a computer. Today we went to an animal shelter in Slidell. It was a shelter of abandoned animals that were either left behind or their owners had died during Katrina. There were a few with three legs, and there were even two kittens with only one eye- it was very depressing. I was very moved that this woman took in all these animals and I called my mother back home to see about adopting one and she agreed! His name is Newt and he is between 8-10 lbs, half doxen and half... something else! Because he is so small I will be able to take him back home with me on the plane. (: She expects that I come visit him every week however until August, because she wants me to bond with him prior to taking him back up to Minneapolis so he won't be scared coming home.
I was very ashamed at myself about how little I was affected by the destruction of the city this time. Sure, it is still hideous but it didn't hit me like last time. I was here two months ago, how could I get used to this devestation that fast? I feel very cold. The water lines on the homes, the homes that say "dead bodies" or "no dogs found." Before it filled my eyes with tears and now it doesn't even hit me. After you see devestation for so long it starts to become "normal." I know it's not normal but a part of me just forgets it's destroyed even walking by it because that's all I see. Is that what the government is doing? Is it now normal to them too?!?!
I have been talking to residents as much as possible to hear how this effected them, being that this is what I want to achieve in my independent study (although getting the volunteer perspective may be easier). I've heard a lot of sad stories within 4 days. People are always willing to talk, they've been ignored, they want people to hear their story. A gentleman at the post office told me that he was seeking shelter in the convention center, and from there they all were put on busses to different areas in the United States. He was in Salt Lake City, Utah for a week before he even bothered to ask where he was! All that mattered was that he and his 3 1/2 year old daughter were safe. From there he was sheltered in PA, and now he finally is back home with his old job back, but starting from scratch because he's lost everything. Apparantly his daughter still asks what happened to her kitty... the father says "the kitty is in a new home [meaning heaven] now."
I have a job at Xavier University until August working with kids that were affected by Katrina. Lurelia got the job for me! It will also count as an internsahip for Hamline as long as I pay for the credits. I feel so immoral for getting credits for this... I am benefitting from someone else's loss? And why should Hamline capitalize off of a volunteer program when right now they're not even down here and Lurelia was the one who got me this job in the first place and now Hamline... my transcript will give credit to them! I might be overanalyzing this but the entire concept of Hamline's reaction frustrates me.
Okay, it's time to eat! I will be sure to be better about blogging!!! (-;
~*~Leslie~*~