NEW ORLEANS

My first impressions of New Orleans have met all of the stereotypes that I had been anticipating. From jazz music playing throughout the entire city and the rice and beans and beingees, to the most wonderful (and only) voodoo shop I have ever been in. I do not care that others have already discussed the voodoo shop. It made such an impact that Claire and I now plan on becoming voodoo queens. (Totally kidding, we promise this mission trip is not hindering our spirituality). There was palm reading in the back, devilish masks covered the walls, and they were selling voodoo doll kits for a low price of 25 dollars. Did anyone notice how ironic it was that a church youth mission group went into a voodoo shop? I am in love with how all the plants here seem as if they are on the verge of taking over the entire city; there are roots crawling up the sides of many buildings and there are tree roots bursting through the sidewalks. Tropical plants are also so much lovelier than plants from the north, they're so colorful and wispy, and the ferns and thick-trunked trees remind me of ones I would see in a dinosaur picture book.

We just got back from our first day of work today. I was so happy to hear that we would be doing most of our work painting, flooring, and laminating, because I will be able to avoid a ridiculous farmers tan this week. I helped out with flooring today, which includes cutting the floor pieces with an electric saw and fitting them in like puzzle pieces. It was actually really fun, other than the fact that the house was like a sauna, and it's so satisfying when the floor pieces fit together just so. We've yet to meet the homeowner, but I really hope we meet the person that we get to help out.

-Hannah