Amanda - Day 11

New Orleans- We got lost today on the way to our story and ended up in New Orleans. Access to the city is supposed to be blocked, but clearly there are ways to get in, even by mistake. It’s a ghost town. Abandoned cars and trash are everywhere. The military and police line the streets. The water is gone, but what’s left is a lot of destruction. On every block you see smashed storefronts and debris. It’s eerie to be in such an urban environment and see so few people. As you drive in and out of the city the Superdome looms with its damaged roof, an ominous reminder of mistakes made. On Highway 10 just below the Superdome there are chairs, tables, bottles of water, places where people were living after the flooding.

Orleans Parish/Ninth Ward: This community just southwest of the city limits was completely under water. The streets are filled with mud and sewage several feet deep It’s the worst damage I’ve seen anywhere in the Gulf states- it’s actually the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Today we were with Marines from North Carolina who were removing a house and church that had floated into the street. They were bulldozing what was left of the buildings and loading the remains into a truck. One of the marines we spoke to said this reminded him of Iraq- everything gone, dirty and lifeless. This community along with St. Bernard’s Parish has been largely ignored until recently. But the damage is so overwhelming, it’s hard to imagine anyone could ever live here again. Many people died in this area. The emergency workers and military who went house to house put a date and X on each house in spray paint to show that it’s been searched for people. They do this in every community. If they find bodies that number is also written on the building.

With all the negative said, I think it’s important to point out how much I’ve been touched by the people in Louisiana and Mississippi. In the eleven days we’ve been here we’ve been met with nothing but kindness and compassion. Not a day goes by that someone doesn’t ask us if we need anything, if we’re okay. I have not come across one person who is rude or impatient despite what they’re going through. It’s really a testament to the people here that they are optimistic in the face of such a tremendous disaster. I hope to come back here someday under better circumstances so that I can truly appreciate their genuine hospitality.
Amanda