Kara's AmeriCorps Adventures

Ack!

2008-07-21T00:18:00.001-05:00

I can't believe it's almost been a month since I've been on here.

I'm truly sorry for the delay in posting, and I will get something new up here by Wednesday.

I'm downloading pictures to my computer as I type.

I'm doing extremely well and am excited for my future life in New Orleans.

(Yup, I'm permanently relocating. More on that later.)

Vignettes from Work

2008-06-30T09:37:00.006-05:00

"Miss Kara, I have to use it."

I look down at the pencil in my hand and at the piece of paper on the desk, dumbfounded. It? After a moment, I extend the pencil to the child, who looks at me, baffled.

"I have to use it."

"The pencil? Or the paper?"

"It."

It is at this point that I notice the cross-cultural potty dance and take him to the bathroom. Having to "use it" was a phrase I would hear many more times, and while I understood what each child meant, there were times when I'd be working on something else and absent-mindedly ask, "Use what?" This never failed to have the kids looking at me like I'd grown a third eye.

Miss Jackie and I take the kindergarteners outside for fun with jump ropes. We lay them out on the ground like snakes and walk the length of them. We also hop back and forth over them.

Then we get the kids to lay them out in different shapes.

Show us a circle. Most of the shapes are at least round and resemble a circle, so we decide to move up to triangles.

"Who can tell us the difference between a triangle and a circle?" asks Miss Jackie. After a little coaxing, it is established that a triangle has three points.

Show us a square.

"What's the difference between a triangle and a square?" asks Miss Jackie.

One child's face lights up, and he starts waving his arm around.

"Yes?"

He is so certain this is the correct answer that he beams.

"Yellow."

Shortly after explaining the other differences between triangles and squares, we moved onto making imaginary houses with jump ropes.

"Miss Kara, are you married?"

"Heh, no."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Nope."

"Then you and Mr. Chris should get married."

"Okay, Destini, you can plan our wedding."

A smile spreads across her face.

"Well, Mr. Chris is going to need to be wearing a suit, and you'll have to have heels. You should have the babies before the wedding, so they can carry your train, but if you are fat because you're pregnant, I know where you can get a dress for that, too."

One of the first days of camp, a little girl crawls into my lap.

"Can I come live with you?"

"Oh, dear, I've only got one bedroom and no kitchen."

"You got a husband?"

"Nope."

"What about a boyfriend?"

"Nope."

"Who do you sleep with then?"

"No one."

"Oh, well then we can share a bed, and I can come live with you."

During our chalk day, one little girl is making fun of a boy because he has some chalk on his face. I sit down next to them and put some chalk on my own face.

"Miss Kara, are you excited for your date tonight?" Miss Jill asks from across the sidewalk.

I smile.

"Of course."

"Oooh, Miss Kara, you've got a date?" The kids are intensely interested in the love lives of their teachers.

"Yes, I do. Would you like to do my makeup?" I hand the little girl a piece of chalk.

It takes less than a minute for eight hands to start scribbling on my face. I was even told to close my eyes, so they could put my eyeshadow on. At the end of what felt like ten minutes but was probably four, I was judged a work of art and fit for dinner.

Metairie Cemetery

2008-06-29T22:59:00.004-05:00

I was finally able to go to a cemetery with mausoleums. Kyle, Justin, Tempi, Weldon, and I piled into the car one hot day about a week ago. We drove past a few other cemeteries on the way to this one, but Metairie Cemetery is Tempi and Weldon's favorite.

After wandering around inside the cemetery for a couple of hours, I can't say that I could currently think of a better spot to be buried. The monuments built to loved ones, although a bit of a pissing contest, were amazing.

One of the first statues I saw upon entering was this one of the angel. It stands on top of a mausoleum about seven or eight feet tall.

This next statue is huge. Tempi laughed about the size of the angel's feet until Kyle explained that the base needs to be that large to support such a tall statue.
The scrollwork on some of the gates was as fascinating as the statues and surrounding architecture.

The group was walking to the psuedo-pyramid when I saw this woman. I wonder what she's thinking about.
Oh, the psuedo-pyramid. When my time comes, I need a promise from someone that I will not be buried in a psuedo-pyramid. Well, I suppose I could make an exception if I was mummified first.

Only one flower in bloom on the rose bush growing out of a grave. Earlier tonight, I watched Aronofsky's The Fountain, and I now enjoy this picture even more.

For some of the statues, I wonder who the unidentified artist is or if there is a statue production center somewhere, filling molds and popping out new statues each minute. I prefer to think that there's an artist out there, dedicated to the beautification of these sites, without a wish for recognition. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. I'm sure the commission for these pieces was not cheap.

Also within the cemetery's walls is a tomb for Confederate soldiers. Resting under a hill is a stone semi-circle with a skylight to let in light. On the way into the tomb is a list of all those buried inside.
Attached to the wall of this mausoleum is a chain with a padlock. I imagine it's used to chain bad kids to it. Well, that's what I would tell my kids if I had any. No, I wouldn't. Eh, we'll see.

This building had one of my favorite stained glass pieces in it.

I got Kyle, Tempi, and Weldon to stand behind the closed gate. Kyle and Tempi are in the foreground, wondering what I'm up to. Weldon is unaffected.

Friday was my last day with the Behrman kids. Depending on what I can get lined up for the fall, I wouldn't mind doing a ten-month AmeriCorps program with the school. There are so many pictures from work that I need to post. I'll try to squeeze it in tomorrow.

On Tuesday, I head over to Schaumburg Elementary, a part of the Recovery School District. The Recovery School District is a group of schools in New Orleans performing so badly that the state took control of them away from the district. I don't know what all to expect since most of my information is secondhand, but kids are kids. While there may be more behavioral issues at my next site, it doesn't change the fact that they are all kids, trying to get the same basic needs met as everyone else.

Tina comes in on Wednesday. Words can't express how excited I am to see her. I'm looking for a roommate for August, and I've got a little under a week to convince her to move here. Wednesday seems so far away.

2008-06-22T12:26:00.003-05:00

Last weekend was the Louisiana seafood festival. It's a great opportunity to try things from restaurants that we will not be able to afford to eat at while in AmeriCorps. I was able to try a crawfish and spinach bread bowl, crawfish alfredo pasta, and deep-fried crab balls. There was also live music all day.

To beat the heat a little bit, we went down to the costume shop on Decatur. Kelley, Amy, and I posed together, and I think it's a good look for us. I've been telling some of you that I'm tanner than I've ever been, and here's proof. I think Mom might want to go back and see just how many Native Americans are in the family tree.
This is Kyle Woods, man, myth, and legend. He decided to relocate to New Orleans and drove down from Minnesota on his moped. Its top speed is 45 miles per hour. Kyle brought three pairs of clothes, a blanket, a pillow, and his iPod. He's been here a week and already has a job and a house. (The house is gorgeous, and I'll be posting pictures later.)

I found feather pants. Kelley liked them, too.

I told Kelley to give me her best model face. I think Elvis would approve of her choice of jacket.

Here's Kyle goofing around again. He was dismayed to find that he couldn't actually see out of the mask.

While AmeriCorps is fun, this past week has been extremely difficult. Our first paychecks were half of what we expected them to be. I've got precisely two dollars in my checking account to get me through next week, and I'm saving those dollars to be a McDonalds Dollar Menu-aire one of the days. Of course, I'd prefer to have money, but this is also a good experience. It's the only time that I'll actually (hopefully) experience poverty and make the tough choices about whether to buy gas or food. There's a safety net in knowing that I'm not actually going to starve, but it's still an experience that I know I'll take with me.

I've got a ton of great pictures from work that I'll be posting later. I've got a date today to go to the art museum, so I should probably start getting ready.

Bourbon at Dawn

2008-06-21T07:23:00.002-05:00

Everyone down here told us that making until dawn on Bourbon was a necessary experience. Last weekend, we decided to do it. After playing a few games back at the dorm, we left for Bourbon. I think we ended up doing at least a couple of miles of walking that night, but we had nothing better to do. Someone suggested walking to one of the only Arbys in town, but oddly enough, it wasn't open at 5 AM.

We stopped at another food place next door, and started to see one of the first signs of dawn: street cleaners. After the masses leave, city workers with giant hoses drench the streets.

As you can see, there are still a surprising number of people out on the street at 6 AM. (This is also another one of my favorite pictures.)
I really wanted to see the sun rise over the Mississippi River, so we walked a few blocks down to the riverfront.

I think I took about 60 pictures in an hour. The colors were incredible and continuously changing.

We watched as the light filled this cloud, which was originally gray and flat.

Bourbon until dawn. We made it.

Baton Rouge

2008-06-20T16:26:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the posting delay, but life has been hectic down here. Right now, I'm taking the time between work and running a roommate to the doctor to talk about Baton Rouge.

Ken had a friend from Rhode Island staying in Baton Rouge, so we took a day trip to check out the town. After New Orleans, it isn't that exciting, but it had its charm. The best part was the dancing fountains.

The little girl below enjoyed running and screaming next to the water, but she showed little desire to run in the water like her sister.

Still considering the wall of water before her:

This is her sister. As you can see, she didn't have the same issue. I don't blame her. Shortly after I shot this, Bekah and I also ran through the water. Totally worth it.

I thought the reflection of the crane on the building was cool. I'm telling you-- this was a highlight of the city.

We also went down by the river, and I spent some time sitting on the concrete embankment, feeling like Sandy from Grease.

One of these days I'll get a picture with everyone in it, but we're getting closer with this one. Cristina has a fantastic camera, and it's fun to see where she chooses to take pictures.

There are many more pictures and stories to come, but I need to get Kelley to the doctor. I think it's food poisoning, and there's not much that they can do, but she's been sick for awhile now.

Earlier today I saw The Hulk with 100 kids in kindergarten through eighth grade. If I was able to still enjoy it, I think that must mean it's pretty good. Check it out.

More when we get back.

Apologies

2008-06-16T16:08:00.001-05:00

Sorry that it's taken me so long to update.

I've got a lot to write about and tons of pictures to post, so expect that later tonight.

Thanks for your patience!

Days at the Beach, and a Summary of Life Here

2008-06-07T13:13:00.003-05:00

AmeriCorps training went pretty well. I was as pleased with it as I could be about something I was being forced to do. Plus, we got free food.

We also experienced Bourbon Street at night which has been a blast. The first night down there, I posed with a vampire for other tourists. He actually got paid for it. We also went to the Funky Pirate where I saw Big Al perform. After the show I went up to him and thanked him, and he told me I had star quality.

I also paid a woman two dollars to give me a tarot reading on the street. It was pretty neat and for only two dollars, cheap entertainment.

Work has been going well, and the children are a blast. I've had at least one ask if she could come live with me and another child gave me her Honey Grahams yesterday. This isn't to say that the kids aren't also challenging. There are usually quite a few cases during the day where I feel like pulling out my hair.

New Orleans is in desperate need of teachers, so I may stay down here and teach for the upcoming school year. I'd love to teach at a high school level, but I'm also enjoying my time with the little ones.

Lake Ponchartrain is near the school, so we go swimming a few times a week. Here you can see us navigating our way over the busted dock, Bekah leading the way. Um, I'd like to take a moment to give a shout-out to my parents and let them know that this really isn't as dangerous as it looks.
This debris washed up on the beach, and there's something about the intertwined Mardi Gras beads that really symbolizes New Orleans for me.

We went to the beach at sunset the other day, and I'm sad that I didn't bring my camera because it was absolutely glorious. This also works.

Smoking kills.

Another shot of the sky.

Some of the days down here have been difficult, but I keep cataloging all the reasons I love being here. I don't really like talking about home much because those are the times I miss it most. I miss the relationships I have with the people I left behind. How am I supposed to condense 22 years of life experience into a narrative that will allow the new people I meet an accurate idea of who I am? Of course, I'll tell the funny stories from back home, but I find myself a bit more guarded about the serious stuff.

We went up to Baton Rouge last weekend, and if I can find some batteries for my camera today, I'll get those posted as soon as possible.

For those of you following along on Facebook, I don't know why the pictures stopped showing up, but you can visit the actual website http://americorpskara.blogspot.com or my next project is to get my pictures from down here over there.

French Market Deux

2008-05-30T14:22:00.004-05:00

After the cemetery, we took a drive to the French Market to check out the shops and find food. Along Decatur, there are a number of shops devoted to uber fashion. Uber fashion is so fashionable, it's actually really ugly, as Rebekah demonstrates below. The picture doesn't even do this dress justice, and there was a whole shop full of similar designs. The store is still open, apparently, so someone must be shopping there.

Apparently Memphis does not corner the market on interesting graffiti, but this is a little less moving.
I want to ask the author if it worked, but the frown face implies it didn't and that it was not a pleasurable experience. That mystery is solved.

After browsing the Decatur Street fashions, we found a Mardi Gras costume supplier. As you can imagine, they don't do too much business in the summer, but the store was amazing. The picture below is actually stained glass in the dressing room.

The store had a number of headdresses, uniforms, clown outfits, and dresses that were at least 15 feet long. Everything was available to try on.

I decided to try on one of the capes. I'll be back later for more. You can see Christina in the background, probably wondering what kind of crazy person is sharing her housing this summer.

After the costume shop, Rebekah was starving, and Ken wanted to try crayfish, so we headed down to a restaurant near Cafe Du Monde. Below is the giant platter originally brought to us before we clarified that we only wanted a pound.If you've never had crayfish before, let me describe the process of eating it. You rip its head off, peel back a few of the sections of its tail, then take out the meat inside and devein it. For added fun, you can squeeze the head and suck out the juice that comes out. It took awhile to get over the original ick factor, but I enjoyed eating crayfish and will do it again, especially because they're coming into season now. (They also seem to bring out the kid in everyone. My tailless crayfish became puppets quickly.) We also sampled gumbo, etouffe, jambalaya, and red beans and rice. All were pretty good, but jambalaya is still my favorite.

After dinner, we went over to Cafe Du Monde, where a hilarious argument broke out between two waiters over who was going to serve us. The little guy in the foreground won but was extremely flustered as he took our order. Hey, that woman even intimidated me!

Below is yet another example of what people around here do for money. It's free to take pictures of them but to take pictures with them costs money. It actually gave me the idea to learn the Thriller dance and dress up with some of the other people here as zombies. I bet we could make quite a bit of money off of tips. Not everyone else was as excited by the idea, probably not understanding I was serious.
Later I'll talk about the Funky Pirate, the vampire on Bourbon Street, AmeriCorps training, and the not-so-funny irony of a missing GPS.

The Cemetery

2008-05-30T13:21:00.007-05:00

After the first people arrived, we decided to go on a field trip. Obviously the best location to welcome everyone to New Orleans is the cemetery. As you can see from the picture below, everyone looks thrilled to be there-- or maybe a little concerned about why I would want a picture of all of them in a cemetery.

(From left: Christina, Ken, Cristina, Kelley, and Rebekah)

There was a lot to see in the cemetery, and Cristina and I took quite a few pictures. This was one of the only areas of the cemetery that had shade.

And is that a ghostly spirit below? Nope, it's just the sun, but pretending is fun.
This was one of the more interesting statues of the day. Most of the people were buried in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and the gravesites are in remarkably good condition.

This is by far the biggest piece in the cemetery. A widower had it built to memorialize his wife.

From a different angle, I feel like a voyeur.

There were also quite a few interesting names. Imagine going through school with the below name, wrong for so many reasons.

If I married a Dinkelspiel, I would keep my last name and probably encourage my husband to take mine as well.
We noticed quite a few Hebrew characters as we were wandering. We also noticed many traditional Jewish surnames as well as first names from the Old Testament. It seemed to be coincidence, but as we left, we finally noticed the name of the cemetery.
Oh, that makes much more sense.

New Orleans Day 2

2008-05-27T22:15:00.007-05:00

Our first stop this morning was the French Market. Destination: Cafe Du Monde.

Just as Ken swore off KFC, I now swear off Krispy Kremes. Below is the fabulous breakfast I ate at Cafe Du Monde. You can get three beignets for just under two dollars. A beignet is a deep-fried square piece of dough, topped with powdered sugar. But that description doesn't do justice to the beautiful (and filling!) food stuff that is a beignet. With the order of beignets, we also purchased cafe au lait, a mixture of coffee, milk, and chicory.

After eating, we headed over to the water to check out the view of downtown and the cathedral.
This was across the street from the cathedral, near the water.

Ken was looking out at the water in this one. I don't think he's aware that I took it, but I do think he was thinking about home.

Below are two clowns who couldn't stop to chat because they were about to grab some food but were more than happy to pose for a picture. This is my favorite picture from New Orleans so far.

Putting one's arm around a metal statue in the New Orleans heat can result in slightly burnt skin. I wouldn't recommend it.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but I can't buy your wares. As you can plainly see, I have no money."

The flea market is home to dozens of purses, cell phone chargers, porcelain masks, and t-shirts. I was a little beat from the heat today, but I can't wait to go back later and price haggle.

These statues and carvings were all in an interesting kiosk that contained a number of voodoo dolls and other interesting items.

Of course, a tourist destination is not complete without a Margaritaville. We didn't get a chance to eat there today, but the inside looked awesome, and there are gator bites on the menu. (Yes, as in fried pieces of alligator.) I've heard they taste like chicken!
After finishing up at the French Market, Ken and I went to Walmart. Although we enjoyed the good deals and the opportunity to buy food for ourselves, I didn't think you'd be particularly interested in pictures from that excursion.

I just got a text from Ken asking if I want to go check out a DJ who lives in our dormitory hall. Apparently he plays at a club near here. I keep wavering back and forth since I'm picking up everyone from the airport tomorrow and still adjusting to this heat.

During my stay here, I also want to explore the above-ground cemeteries and take one or two of the tours of the city. On Thursday and Friday, I have my AmeriCorps training, and I believe I start work on Monday.

New Orleans Day 1

2008-05-27T21:41:00.003-05:00

Ken and I were looking for food and stumbled onto Bourbon Street. It was amazing luck and one of the best places on Earth. The whole street is lined with bars, restaurants, and shops. Also, everyone is extremely friendly.

I caught a candid shot of this guy while we were walking past. I think he's a street performer, but I'm not exactly sure what his talent is.
All the bars look like the picture below: neon lights, loud music, kitsch covering the walls-- absolutely garish and absolutely wonderful. I think this bar is called the Tropical Isle and is just down the street from the Funky Pirate.

Ken and I decided it was a good photo opportunity.

Below is a picture of us with a lovely couple from Philadelphia. The man is a respiratory therapist and the woman is a nurse. I asked them about whether or not they feel that a Philly cheesesteak should have Cheez Whiz on it, and they are against it. Provolone or American cheese is the way to go. So it's official, an authentic Philly cheesesteak does not need to include Cheez Whiz. It may seem a small matter to some of you, but I was extremely disturbed by the very idea. Anyway, we got group shots for both of our cameras and wished each other a happy and safe trip.

New Orleans is great so far. I tried my first muffuletta, a sandwich with salami, ham, provolone and olive salad on it. They are huge! A half of a sandwich was enough for lunch and dinner. The food down here is delicious but also very rich, so it's important not to go overboard when eating.

The Lorraine Motel

2008-05-26T20:15:00.000-05:00

On April 4th, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated while standing on the balcony outside of his motel room. The hotel has been transformed into the National Civil Rights Museum. In the parking lot outside, everyone talked in hush tones, and it was eerily quiet. It's a powerful place, and it made the assassination something real instead of something I'd read about in a book.
This is a stone tablet outside the motel. The quotation is from Genesis 37: 19-20 and reads "They said one to another. Behold, here cometh the dreamer... Let us slay him... And we shall see what will become of his dreams."

This metal door is outside one of the parts of the museum across the street and bears a quote by Dr. King: "I may not get there with you, but I want you to know that we as a people will get to the promised land."

The below graffiti is scrawled on a building wall about a block-and-a-half from the motel.
While some things are in our blood, it doesn't mean we're doomed to make the mistakes of our fathers.

Walking in Memphis

2008-05-26T19:56:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, but Ken doesn't recall ever hearing the Marc Cohn's classic song, so he was much less geeked out over visiting Beale Street than I was. Beale Street is absolutely fantastic. The heat was extraordinary, especially since I was used to having highs around 50 degrees, but there was so much to see.

Live music floods the streets, and we saw at least four bands performing outside and also heard music wafting out of the many bars and restaurants. Below are a couple of talented guys. I can't imagine playing an instrument in the heat, let alone playing it well, but they pulled it off:
Here is an advertisement painted on the side of a building, and although the ad is for a beer company, the use of the color and blending is interesting.

On our way to find something to eat, we passed a park dedicated to the memory of W.C. Handy. In the park, there was more live music, as well as tables selling fried food, airbrush tattoos, and perfumes. At the center of the park is a statue of W.C. Handy:

This last picture is of a bar we walked by. I like the sign.

Ken and I ate at Miss Polly's on Beale Street. We had fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. Ken declared that he is never going to KFC again, at least while he's down south. This is interesting, especially after he tried convincing me that KFC has the best fried chicken earlier in the car. I respectfully disagree.

I would love to go back to Memphis when I have more time to explore it. The streets were remarkably clean and everyone was very friendly. It's definitely a tourist area, and the prices can reflect it, but I feel that if I spent another week there, I'd still discover new places and things.

Graceland

2008-05-26T19:44:00.000-05:00

Did you know that Memphis is home to Graceland? Well, I didn't, but once I heard that we' d be passing through the area, I knew I had to stop. I now present, for your viewing pleasure, the sign in front of the parking lot:Yup, that's the famous Heartbreak Hotel. I don't know how Elvis would feel about the China Buffet in such close proximity, but my guess is that he would approve.
Yes, Elvis is alive and well in Graceland, but it's the young and strapping Elvis. (The older, saggy Elvis casually makes appearances on some memorabilia but is otherwise shuffled off as a footnote to his life story.)
Here Ken is trying to emulate Elvis:
Here I'm giving Elvis the eye, but sadly, I don't think things would work out as he's about seven feet tall. We would look pretty awkward on the dance floor.
Where are the pictures from inside Graceland? Inquiring minds want to know.

Touring Graceland cost $27. I looked at it through the gates, I saw the tops of his private planes, and I can tell you that it was probably worth every penny. I'm sure the dozens of older women with license plates bearing "Elvis Fan," "1 Elvis," or some derivative of those two would heartily agree.

Arkansas

2008-05-26T19:31:00.000-05:00

On my way through St. Louis, I picked up another AmeriCorps member, Ken. Ken is from Rhode Island, speaks with an East Coast accent, and had never really seen fields before the trip.

When we were traveling through Arkansas, we saw signs for a state park and having nothing better to do that day, we decided to stop.

What we found was one of the world's smallest state parks. The sign is pictured above. Yes, you read it right, there was an archaeological museum thrown in. However, the fee of $7 to tour it was enough to discourage us.

Anyway, the park was square and the area was *maybe* one square mile. The trees were bigger than any that I've ever seen. In the picture below, you can see two people sitting at the base of one of the trees. (Click the picture for a closer look.)

Later we stopped at the fabulous Marie Grocery. There was a woman smoking a cigarette behind the counter when Ken went in, and she was just as friendly as could be. We never did find out if she was *the* Marie though.That was about all Arkansas had to offer us. Then it was on to Memphis.

Whew!

2008-05-26T11:15:00.000-05:00

I made it safely to New Orleans and am all checked in to my room.

In this blog, I'll share my experiences and thoughts while volunteering for AmeriCorps down here and later in Texas.

Later today, I'll be posting pictures from the trip down. Be ready for shots of Beale Street, the smallest state park I've ever seen, and a few other interesting spots.

Thanks for stopping by!