These past couple weeks have been full of hellos, but last week I said my first farewell to my housemate Jarred, who spent a few weeks trying to locate any friends or folks who knew him or his family in New Orleans before Katrina. As it is, the case remains pretty open. Jarred was a great addition to our house and we were sad to see him go, but wish him well here and back at his home in Utah.
My first week in New Orleans I bought a bike and have been traveling everywhere on it. In Seattle I felt pretty content getting here and there by bus or foot, but having this bike has made me realize just how special it is. I'm learning my way around the city a lot faster than I would if I were riding a car around and letting my mind wander. A few days ago I rode a good ways from my house to a community networking breakfast, to a food market across town, and then through downtown back to my house, tired and sweating from the city heat. But I love it (and wonder how long it will last!).
So far, I've been able to connect with specific places and people too. My housemates introduced me to The Rebuild Center, a day center that provides a safe setting for homeless and/or displaced folks to have meals, shower, rest, and receive mail and other resources. This place has connected us to residents in our CW community. I've begun to recognize some individuals around town, in the randomest of places, which shows just how small the city can feel.
On the job front, it seems like I may have a nannying opportunity available to me. I am looking for something part-time that I would enjoy, but would not take away from my focus on the Catholic Worker community, etc. Nannying appeals to me because it could allow me to build a sustainable relationship with a family here. I learn a lot from interacting with kids and it's (hopefully) an expected fun time.
On that note, I hope you're all doin' well in your separate places and partaking in activities that grant you a lot of light and love. You're in my thoughts!
Peace,
Steph
Monday, October 11, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
part one: seattle to atlanta to new orleans
Hello friends,
It's been over a week since I said my see-you-laters, and I've already delayed doing what I assured folks I would, which is to keep in touch through writing! My irregular absence online is both a result of a very active week and an effort to live in alliance with the simple lifestyle that the Catholic Worker encourages, which is to say, my new home does not pay for the internet.
I arrived in New Orleans last Saturday by way of car with friends Colleen and Katie. Prior to that, the three of us spent a lovely 4 days in Atlanta, Colleen's hometown, visiting her family and home and exploring the places she loves most, including Greendale Farm, a family-owned livestock farm where she has worked all summer. We drove from Atlanta through Alabama, where we took an unexpectedly long detour to deliver frozen chickens to a couple who make cheese on a small farm; through the bottom of Mississippi and into Louisiana to seek our beloved New Orleans. For the first few days we stayed with a friend of Colleen's who lives in the University District, where we wandered about through Audobon Park and other parts of the area.
Tuesday my friends moved me in the Catholic Worker house, which is located in the Lower Garden District. The house is two units which were converted to one; a good size to support a small community. I have a room upstairs to myself, which won't necessarily be the case all year as we welcome more residents into the house. Right now there are 8 of us sharing a home, some of us from New Orleans and from other parts of the country. So far I've had the opportunities to visit with each of my housemates a bit, who are in various places in their life journeys, and this house community is very much about supporting people wherever they're at. Decisions are consensus based, and we share in the house upkeep and cooking, and all are encouraged to join together for evening meals, weekly prayer/meditation, events at the house, and more.
This week the Catholic Worker house hosted a potluck and conversation with anti-war activist Kathy Kelly, whose work has an international focus on conflict resolution. I saw her speak the next day at a home for women and children seeking stable housing and living, and will go tonight to a peace liturgy at St. Joseph's church where she will speak again. I've found her message and spirit quite inspiring and suggest you research her.
In other events, our house is committed to growing our own vegetables, and yesterday a housemate and I spent a few hours working in our gardens, planting seedlings and "organizing" our plots. Over the next few months we shall watch our brocollis, lettuce, tomatoes, herbs and the like flourish (hopefully), and becoming a successful gardener is something I'd like to devote more learning toward.
For now, I'm really focusing on familiarizing myself with the city, meeting folks and developing those relationships with my housemates and neighbors. Soon I'd like to find a part-time job and get involved in some of the justice work that groups here are doing, but one thing at a time. I realize this was a very long post, and will likely cut these down in the future, but for now I thought I'd describe a lot of my initial transition.
Looking forward to hearing from y'all, and I'm always open to questions or comments about anything you see or don't see me write about on this blog!
Peace and thanks to your listening (reading),
Steph
It's been over a week since I said my see-you-laters, and I've already delayed doing what I assured folks I would, which is to keep in touch through writing! My irregular absence online is both a result of a very active week and an effort to live in alliance with the simple lifestyle that the Catholic Worker encourages, which is to say, my new home does not pay for the internet.
I arrived in New Orleans last Saturday by way of car with friends Colleen and Katie. Prior to that, the three of us spent a lovely 4 days in Atlanta, Colleen's hometown, visiting her family and home and exploring the places she loves most, including Greendale Farm, a family-owned livestock farm where she has worked all summer. We drove from Atlanta through Alabama, where we took an unexpectedly long detour to deliver frozen chickens to a couple who make cheese on a small farm; through the bottom of Mississippi and into Louisiana to seek our beloved New Orleans. For the first few days we stayed with a friend of Colleen's who lives in the University District, where we wandered about through Audobon Park and other parts of the area.
Tuesday my friends moved me in the Catholic Worker house, which is located in the Lower Garden District. The house is two units which were converted to one; a good size to support a small community. I have a room upstairs to myself, which won't necessarily be the case all year as we welcome more residents into the house. Right now there are 8 of us sharing a home, some of us from New Orleans and from other parts of the country. So far I've had the opportunities to visit with each of my housemates a bit, who are in various places in their life journeys, and this house community is very much about supporting people wherever they're at. Decisions are consensus based, and we share in the house upkeep and cooking, and all are encouraged to join together for evening meals, weekly prayer/meditation, events at the house, and more.
This week the Catholic Worker house hosted a potluck and conversation with anti-war activist Kathy Kelly, whose work has an international focus on conflict resolution. I saw her speak the next day at a home for women and children seeking stable housing and living, and will go tonight to a peace liturgy at St. Joseph's church where she will speak again. I've found her message and spirit quite inspiring and suggest you research her.
In other events, our house is committed to growing our own vegetables, and yesterday a housemate and I spent a few hours working in our gardens, planting seedlings and "organizing" our plots. Over the next few months we shall watch our brocollis, lettuce, tomatoes, herbs and the like flourish (hopefully), and becoming a successful gardener is something I'd like to devote more learning toward.
For now, I'm really focusing on familiarizing myself with the city, meeting folks and developing those relationships with my housemates and neighbors. Soon I'd like to find a part-time job and get involved in some of the justice work that groups here are doing, but one thing at a time. I realize this was a very long post, and will likely cut these down in the future, but for now I thought I'd describe a lot of my initial transition.
Looking forward to hearing from y'all, and I'm always open to questions or comments about anything you see or don't see me write about on this blog!
Peace and thanks to your listening (reading),
Steph
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