Community - Jake Gebhart ('16)

After returning from New Orleans, I am of course I little upset because I didn't really want to leave. On the other hand, I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to go on this trip. I learned so much about the New Orleans culture. I went in knowing that it was the "Birthplace of Jazz", but I left understanding the culture of the Mardi Gras Indians and just the ways of the people of New Orleans. Working on the house with my team was a rewarding experience. I gained an appreciation for all construction workers and volunteers. The work can be hard and frustrating, but when you put it in perspective, it gives you a new sense of drive to work. I felt great every day after leaving the work site knowing that I made a difference in a house that would soon become someones home. My team was also fantastic. Mason always kept us going with his words of wisdom and comedy. Drew always had me laughing, but he also drove me to work hard. Kristen and Gabby just had so much fun while they were working and it made me have fun. No matter what they were doing, they were smiling and having a good time. Khang might be the hardest worker out there. He, like Drew, never got off task and non stopped worked. Mr. B brought so much knowledge and inspiration to the group. He would keep us focused on why we were doing the things we were doing. Finally, Joe and Anna, our site leaders, taught us how to do everything. They also spoke words of encouragement and always stayed patient with us no matter how much we messed up. Aside from the work site, I learned so much from people like David Montana, the Mardi Gras Indian. He had some great stories, amazing suits that he made, and the poem he wrote and recited for us was amazing. 

Although we had fun all the time, when we weren't working, touring or sleeping, we were all having a blast just being around each other. Whether it was screaming out the window, "DAD?", or walking in the French Quarter, or dining together at a local restaurant, this group was the most amazing group. Everyone has their own unique characteristics that made the trip a constant surprise. Joe and Brian brought comedy to the group, Alex brought some musical talent, Ronnie was always there to capture the best moments of the trip, Drew could always make us laugh with his newfound love of the South, Kristen and Sarah always had smiles on their faces and could always brighten my day, Sam and Gabby would pass out hugs left and right, Khang worked so hard and he was an inspiration to us all with his stories and finally Mason kept us all focused and energized! As you can see, our group has some great chemistry, but it the best part was, it took maybe about 3 hours into the trip to realize that. 

I learned a lot on this trip. The main thing I learned about was community. The community that we formed together as a group, the community we became apart of that is called New Orleans and the community that we need to form back at home that resembles what we made this week. I hope this all makes sense because it is hard for me to express all of my feelings on this blog. This trip was so amazing and I will miss it dearly, but the memories and the friendships that were formed will last forever.

Jake Gebhart