People think that NOLA is back to normal, but it’s not. Most of the houses are in ok shape. They have blue tarps on their roofs and water lines on some of the front doors. There are houses in worse condition though. We saw homes that had moved off their foundation and some that were just piles of plywood. There are some places that seem un-touched, but they are in the minority.

Trees have fallen down, or are bent in funny positions because of the wind. There was a city park that lost over a hundred oak trees after the storm, and the ones that were left didn’t look great.

We went out for dinner and heard from our hosts, the Greco’s, amazing stories about Katrina. Houses were left without power for months, streetlights only recently started working. Curfews are in place for drivers under 17 (they have to be off the roads by 11, but before it was 5). Schools were destroyed, and on some campuses classes are held in giant trailers.

Before trailers were put in, kids would take turn using a school. (The school that owns the building goes to classes during the day kids from another school go to classes from 4 to 9). Many of the people living here are staying in trailers on their front lawns.

My mom and I spent our first night in a FEMA trailer, and tomorrow we will start camping. Trailers have one tiny couch that pulls out into a bed (that’s were I slept last night). A queen sized bed (my mom’s bed) is in the back. There’s full kitchen with a microwave, a bath room with a tiny shower that only gets a few minuets of hot water. There is also a bunk bed in the corner. Plus, there is also a little table next to my couch bed.

We don’t have the trailer to ourselves though. We share the trailer with 2 cats who belong to the owner. They are really cute and soft. I made up names for them. Sophie and Charlotte are their names until we leave. My mom will put a picture of them in the blog… I hope.

I wanted to end my blog with something I heard while we were getting a tour of New Orleans yesterday.

“A lot of people think the storm is over, but it’s not. The winds have gone, but the storm is still here.” Mary Greco