New Orleans - 2009

Well, I've been in New Orleans for about 5 days now. There is a group of students in from New York City who are working on various projects throughout the neighborhood of the Lower Ninth ward. Mostly they are working in the few blocks close to the School at Blair Grocery.

The School at Blair Grocery is a school that my friend Nat has started for kids who either have been kicked out of the regular school system or kids who simply would not be going to school if it were not for an alternative like this. The curriculum is everything from urban farming projects to regular school-like material.

Right now we are trying to turn the main room of the school into a more functional room. For the last few months the main room has been a bike shop, and workshop, a storage place for lumber, and a bedroom. The goal is to get it so the room can be finished off with drywall and electricity and can be a little better of an environment.

Nat's students painted the walls of the room and now my friend Jon and I are straightening the sagging joists on either side of the beam that runs down the middle.

If you want to see more pictures and learn some more about what's going on here with the school go to his blog.

Last night was pretty uneventful for a New Years night. We pretty much sat in the building all night. I had a few beers and listened to the gun shots going off around the neighborhood at midnight. There were fireworks and guns going off all over the place. I learned that there's a distinct difference between the sound of a gun and a firework. It was a fun game I was playing to pass the time.

More later.