Oh Louisiana!

Well I really like it here in St. Bernards Parish, southern Louisiana. I find it a mix of undeveloped Mexico and rural Hawaii in parts. It's warm during the days but not too humid yet (we are getting sunburns already though).
This week had a little orientation, tool safety and construction site viewing. There are about 10 houses that Habitat has underway in St. Bernards Parish. And my team is not working in Musicians Village...at all...I'm not sure what that was about, but we are definitely not there. That area is in a whole different parish...weird.
Anyway we like being in St. Bernard. The house floor plans are either 2 or 3 bedrooms with 2 baths. They are simple and consistent. This week, our team was split up and put on different stages of the building process because each house is at a different stage. So on Thursday I tried some flooring (way too mathmatical and 'measured' for me) and then on Friday I tried some siding, trim and exterior work (I liked this a little more). So I went from seeing a newly started foundation to an almost complete home. I still do not know what my 'emphasis' will be for the next 6 weeks but I'm sure to find that out this week. I still have framing, roofing and interiors to try. So once I nail:) down my emphasis, I will be helping lead a group of college students on that particular area of the house for the week they are down here volunteering.

The days seem long but they go quickly. I feel like we've been down here for awhile but it has only been a week at the same time. The Habitat crew= great people. They like to have fun while working hard too. It's a nice mix. They threw a little crawfish cookout for us earlier this week. Some good cajun cookin'!! We steamed the crawfish along with 'parade vegetables' in an outdoor boiling pot. It was yummy.
Today, saturday, all of the NCCC teams that are in the gulf region attended a Spring Symposium in Baton Rouge, about 2 hours from St. Bernard. There were teams from Sacramento and Denver also. They served a delicious catered meal and the facilities were beautiful. Media was present along with guest speakers and CEO's and what not so it was a great morale booster.

We're headed down to the French Quarter tomorrow for their St. Patricks Day parade and some Zydeco music and dancing. It should be a fun time.

Love and hugs to all. I can't wait for my sister to get here on Friday!!! YAYAYAYAA.

love, bex