NCC Students (FINALLY!) Arrive in New Orleans

By Elizabeth Saville
March 15, 2010

A group of students, faculty and staff have decided to spend their spring break in New Orleans, helping out in the Lower Ninth Ward. They'll be painting, cleaning, and doing mold remediation to benefit those hit hardest from Hurricane Katrina.

Here are some reflections from Elizabeth Saville, a social work major who also works at Country Meadows, a continuing care community for seniors, who went on last year's trip. She decided to return this spring break because she felt "as though my work wasn't finished."

What an adventure we have had getting to New Orleans!

When leaving from NCC's main campus in Bethlehem Township on Friday, March 12, we had no idea what the road ahead had in store for us.  After our flight was delayed numerous times at the Philadelphia airport, we finally made it to Atlanta, Georgia.  Unfortunately, we missed our connection flight by only a few minutes.

We were then given two choices.  We could either stay in Georgia, or we could rent cars and drive seven hours to New Orleans.  We opted for the car ride.  With our three fearless leaders at the wheels, we piled into the cars with no luggage and only one goal in mind: making it to New Orleans.

When we reached Alabama we found a hotel to stay at for the night.  We woke up at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday with only a few hours of sleep and got back on the road.  We continued on our journey while only stopping for gas and a quick breakfast.  We made it to New Orleans just in time for the St. Patrick's Day parade in front of the St. Vincent guest house.

After the parade, we made the trek back to the airport to get our luggage.  Thankfully, everything arrived safely and in perfect shape!  We then made the short trip to the French Quarter where our beds were calling our names.

On Sunday, we went on a walking tour around St. Louis Cemetery Number One, the oldest cemetery in New Orleans.  This is where we finally understood what the "Land of the Dead" means to the people of New Orleans.

We were given the rest of the day to see the sights in the French Quarter.  Some of us went to the river walk while others headed off to the flea markets.

We had a rocky start to the trip, and Monday is when the real work begins.  We will be working in the Lower Ninth Ward to help rebuild homes and assist in any way possible.

Check back throughout the week to learn more about the NCC students' time in New Orleans.