It's a bittersweet symphony, this life.

As the most recent chapter in my life comes to an end, I couldn't be more excited about where the next one begins. Like I said in the last post, living in New Orleans and working for an organization like Habitat has been a dream of mine for some time now. How lucky am I that at only 21 years of age, one of my dreams is coming true.

Leaving Raleigh is definitely bittersweet. The people I have met in the last four or so years have truly shaped the person I am now. My co-workers, friends, teachers and everyone in between have impacted my life in ways that they probably aren't even aware of. I couldn't imagine my life without them. Which is making this whole "big move" thing a little sad.

The beginning of my junior year at State felt like my slate was wiped clean. I had moved on from a relationship and some friends that I had grown a part from. I was no longer living in the dorm and got my first job outside of working for my parents. My job was a courier/office assistant at a law firm and boy did I luck out. My co-workers were fun, witty, and all around wonderful people. I knew within the first week that I would love working there. And I did for two years. Saying goodbye to them is probably one of the harder things about leaving Raleigh. Work felt like being a part of a big, goofy family.

Now my friends, they are my saving grace. Each one of the them means the world to me and I would be there in heartbeat if they ever needed me. They all are so vibrant and fun and a joy to be around. While saying goodbye to them is hard as well, I leave knowing that many of them are moving on to new things in their lives as well. They're following their own dreams and I can't wait to see where they all end up. Many of them have promised numerous visits to New Orleans and I'll be holding them to that, even though I have a feeling they'll all end up coming at Mardi Gras. :)

Although my heart feels like it is breaking a bit here and there having to leave, it also feels warm and fuzzy at the same time. People do come into your life for a reason and they teach you things and whether they left a fingerprint or a footprint, they've made an impact. So now it's time to head home to the OBX for a few weeks for some R & R before I head off to the Big Easy.

I guess I could have just simplified this post by saying, my cup runneth over. :)

For the next ten and a half months...

I will be working as an AmeriCorps Direct member with the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity. My term begins September 1st but I will be moving there at the end of August. I will also be volunteering for the organization's five day Build-a-thon. In commemoration of Hurricane Katrina's five year anniversary, we will be building five homes in five days. I can't wait to be thrown into the mix of things as soon as I get there!

My living accommodations will very minimal but exciting nonetheless. I will be living in Habitat type homes with 8 other people. There are two homes for the group of us, so one person will end up having a roommate. Probably one my favorite things about where we are living is that it is right in the heart of New Orleans and only a short walk to Canal Street (one of the main drags in NOLA).

I think I should clarify how all of this happened since many of you have asked, prior to this news, what was I going to do now that I graduated? What AmeriCorps program was I applying to? Where would I be? I'm pretty sure everyone got varied answers from me because I had no idea, until last Friday, what my future for at least the next year was going to look like. I happened upon this opportunity with extreme luck. I looked up the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH) website just to see if they had any kind of job openings and it just so happened they were looking for new AmeriCorps members. I immediately sent an e-mail that I was interested in this and got a quick reply with an attached application. I got the application packet out in the mail the next day, had interviews a week later and found out Friday that I had gotten the position. I blame it all on luck!

I'm so excited to get down there and get to work and explore the city some more. I fell in love with New Orleans when I went down there with my first Alternative Service Break trip back in March of 2009. The culture and lifestyle drew me in and when I came back I swore that one day I would live there. Mom would tell me almost every time I brought up living in New Orleans that I would have frizzy, curly hair all the time because of the humidity (as if it was a threat). Haha. To me, having frizzy, wild, lion-like hair is a small price to pay to live in a place as enchanting as New Orleans.

Another reason of why I feel so tied to New Orleans is Hurricane Katrina. Looking back, five years ago, I was so wrapped up in starting my senior year of high school and still boy crazy that I barely remember the news coverage of what happened. I knew it was bad and, ignorantly, I thought it was all the storm's fault for what happened to the city. It just never really phased me what had really gone on and how people's lives were completely changed.

When I went to New Orleans last year we took a tour around the city and St. Bernard Parish (where a lot of the damage was) and saw the effects of Hurricane Katrina. It was on that tour that I learned that the flooding of New Orleans was a man-made disaster. Something that had been years in the making and it took just the right kind of hurricane to make the faulty levees break. (I compare the levee system in New Orleans pre-Katrina to the Oregon Inlet Bridge and its safety rating.) While on the tour we saw where the levees broke and the remnants of the houses that were directly behind them. There were houses that we passed that still had markings on them indicating if anyone had been found there and some had water lines up to the roof indicating the water level. I was taking it all in and became so frustrated that this had even happened.

Coming from an area that has had its fair share of hurricanes and seeing plenty of destruction, what happened in New Orleans hit home. All I could think was "Why hasn't more been done?" and "What can I do to help rebuild this city?".

I now know what I can do to serve the city of New Orleans and I recognize that a lot has been done and the city as whole has come along way in the past five years. NOAHH alone has built homes for over 300 families. I hear that Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest, along with the Saints winning the Superbowl have helped New Orleans stay alive.

So to keep in touch with me, just follow my blog and I promise to keep it updated as frequently as possible.

39 days until I arrive in New Orleans!

Laissez les bon temps roules!!!

Don't listen to them when they say you're just a fool to believe you can change the world...

I'm moving to New Orleans at the end of September to begin a year of service with Habitat for Humanity!!!!!

Thanks everyone for all the good wishes, prayers, vibes, etc. I couldn't do it without all of your support!