Garden on Mars Today was my first day of service of my last Bear Breaks trip, and it was certainly a day to remember. I am on the trip to New Orleans, Louisianna focusing on community revitalization. Today, our team spent the day in the Lower Ninth Ward, serving at a small urban gardening project called Garden on Mars. The Garden is run by an energetic, spunky woman named … [Read more...] about Average People with Above Average Dreams
Trip Leading I could probably write a short book about this experience, but I'll spare you all in this post. This was a challenging but fantastic week for me. As trip leader this year, I viewed this week much differently than last year as a participant. There is so much behind the scenes preparation, planning, and scheduling; even executing those plans was challenging. Shout … [Read more...] about Learning to Lead: Community Revitalization in New Orleans
Getting Dirty I must admit, I am not exactly the type who enjoys “roughing it.” My idea of “roughing it” usually includes a place with a clean shower, restroom, and just slightly out of my comfort zone. I must admit, this past week in New Orleans has pushed my boundaries; however, I think this is for the best. I have learned to share a one toilet and two showers with 50+ … [Read more...] about Last day, different organization
“Hello this is Kate with Green Light New Orleans...” Hey, my name is Kate Weiser. I am a freshman at Missouri State and I chose to spend my Spring Break with Bear Breaks. My first Wednesday in New Orleans felt like I was already living like a local. Waking up, taking the early morning commute to Uptown, catching some coffee at Café Rue de la Course and heading to the … [Read more...] about Growing a Future of Sustainable Service
Tourists or Servers My name is Ashley Herrera and I decided to go to the New Orleans trip because I am interested in the culture and I also wanted to learn about the impact that hurricane Katrina left on the city. It is day 4 of our trip and today started off a little different. We woke up earlier than usual and got ready to start our day. Since today was our free day … [Read more...] about Thursday, Day 4: Experiencing New Orleans in a Different Light