Day Three

Day Two

First FULL day

Arrival:

Arrival:

Finally, after 17 hours of being on the train we make it to the city of New Orleans. I think I was so ready to get off the train that I didn’t remember to look around. Once I realized I was close, I looked outside to see tons of water. One of the locals said it had been raining for the days before we came. When getting closer to the station, there was many tents and forts built under the bridge and over passes. Some homeless people also found higher up cement blocks to lay on with their suit case or bag as a pillow and blanket. I have noticed that most people have dogs as companions as well. Once we got our bags at the station, my roommates, Hannah and Karissa, caught an Uber to the hotel. I asked the uber driver if he was a local to tell us where some of the best, grandmother cooking places to eat are. He suggested Mothers and Park Way bakery for the best jumbo and roast beef po boys in town. We arrived at Spring Hill Marriot on St Joseph St where it caught my eye there was local Cub fans across the street, who hung the Cubs flags and champion fan over their balcony. 

Arriving to room 230, we opened the door to our two bed and couch living area. We didn’t have much time to shower and get ready to be out the door for our first adventure in the city. At 5pm, we all met down stairs in the lobby to take the journey to the local transportation of what locals call a street car, I would call a trolley.

The trolley ride was like taking the city link bus at home, where you would pull the string down on the stop you where wanting to get off on. We got off on Toulouse and began our journey as a class to see the city. After a about a block we came across the French quarters and could see the Cathodal across the Jackson Square.

We continued our journey to head to dinner to the Original Pierre Maspero’s. This was a cute little bar and dining place. The first thing I noticed was the high mirrors and at the bar, they soaked olive mix in a jar of vodka for their original bloody Mary’s. We sat down as a class to enjoy our dinner after the overly long train ride. I enjoyed a plate of shrimp Alfredo and cup of jumbayla soup. I liked that how our table wanted to taste each other’s so I also got to taste: crab cakes and a veggie po boy as well. For dessert we had bread pudding that was melt in your mouth amazing. It was covered in caramel and topped with ice cream and powdered sugar. Every bite you could see the steam coming off. 

We all left over full but needed to get to our Ghost tour. We had a very nice young named Brittney who gave us many tales of New Orleans admiral people. One of the stories I enjoyed was about Jean Lafitte that was pirate in New Orleans.

So far this on this journey I continue to learn with every step. All the locals I have come into contact with have been the nicest people, almost overly nice. When we got into our Uber, he was very friendly to help us. We also ran into a lady on one of our train stops who had noticed we were taking a break. As she proceed to talk about how cold it was and Donielle and I looked at her like she didn’t even know the half of what cold was- we told her back home it was snowing and in single digits, I knew she could image how we could live in such a cold place with her thinking 50 degrees was freezing. Coming to the hotel the front desk was so nice, asked how our trip was and welcomed us and then when we left for the night the made sure they said good bye. Every time we come in or how they will say, “Welcome back, how was your day.” It’s just amazing me the difference from going to other places. I guess that is where the southern hospitally has come from. It was a little cold on our ghost tour and she wasn’t the scariest teller but it was still education non the least. I was worried about not making friends or getting along with people. Everyone has different personalities and some are very clicky, but I’m glad I found a group who didn’t care about clicks and was open to making new friends. I have also realized I dislike very much taking the street car. Not so much anything about the street car, but the pickup and drop off locals are out of the way of a lot of areas we want to go, so it is easier for me to just uber. I don’t have much patience when it comes to looking for something and getting lost. I was very tired coming off the train and the walk of the ghost tour and I came back to the hotel and changed my clothes and was out like a light. Didn’t hear my room mates come back or anything. They also said I asked them to shut the window when I was sleeping, which I thought was funny because I forgot to warn them I talk in my sleep. I hope they got amusement from it as well. Tomorrow is another day...

Departure

Departure:

It was frost burn on your lips cold leaving from Champaign train station. I have met some new friends that are ready to experience New Orleans that I think I can have fun with while I’m here. Getting on the train from any step, they had a step stool out for us and help us in if needed. For the first couple of hours of the train ride was ok. Trying to go to sleep was a whole new story. The seats do lean back, but for someone who is used to sleeping in a bed, it was back aching uncomfortable. It was nice that there wasn’t any loud talkers during the night. Donielle was who I sat with and we have leaned on each other to try and get some what comfortable. The train attendants have been very nice as well. Sarah, was the agent at Champaign, you could tell her really enjoys her jobs. She would come and update us on what was going on, but when she would- she would skip to us with her box red hair and bright red lip stick. There is a lovely train attendant from Jamaica on the train, who addresses everyone as love. She says we brought the cold down with us. Donielle and I had a south western chicken wrap for breakfast, the inside of the wrap was good with chicken, eggs, corn and ketchup on top. The attendants put everything in a box for you, which I think is nice, doesn’t fly all over the place like if you were getting something on a plane.  There is a wide range of people on the train: from infants to blind. There is an Amish couple on the plane and I could have sworn he had a flask in his pocket last night when we sat at the tables in the observation car. There is also an elderly person who doesn’t seem to walk very well and smells of urine. Some kids on the train, don’t know if they have parents or not, but seem to be by themselves: a lot of the kids have seen are playing on their phones or listening to music. There is a girl sitting next to us on the food chart, looks to be able 16, but she has a portfolio of drawings: I asked her what she was wanted to do when she grew up- she says she likes to just look at the world and draw. I do know I would hate to live next to the railroad tracks as much as this train blows its horn.

So far what I have learned from this experience is if I ever have to take a train, look into the sleeping bed. Even with a pillow and blanket it still didn’t help with the discomforted and I’m tall so if my feet hung out in the aisle, the people walking by would wake me up by brushing against them. Now that is light outside and getting to see the country side (which being able to see the sun come up was very nice, don’t get to see that too much in the city) I have really taken for granted how I live. I work part time and go to school full time and I feel like I barely get by. But as we get farther south and seeing some of these houses with rust on them, flooded fields, broken down trees, houses up on cement blocks: really makes me appreciate the little apartment I have with the loud kid down stairs who yells at his video games until 2 am. I would also pack differently as well. I would have packed as if I was showering at home because the feeling of greasy hair and unbrushed teeth is gross. I have been worried that I wouldn’t make friends, I am very outgoing a livey person, but that doesn’t mean everyone else is. Hopefully we can all go out together the night we do go out. I do have a friend who lives in New Orleans and he is taking me and my people out, so I am excited to do that. 

Getting ready...

Considering I am a last minute person, for almost anything, I did all my laundry and packed the night before. I have been watching the weather and everyday brings something new. From hot to cold and rain. So I am preparing for anything, such as long sleeve and short sleeve shirts, jeans and leggings. The only purchases I did was for travel shampoos and hygiene items so I didn't have to carry my space using items in my suitcase. I have done some research as far as some things I want to do on my free day. I figured, my roommates would want to do things as well and we can just blend our day and what we do. The only arrangement that was important to me is making sure my child had plenty to do at her mawmaws for the week. I told my job in August I was leaving for this trip, even though we are in open enrollment for MarketPlace insurance, they will be ok with out me. I have rode on a train in New York, but I'm assuming it is not the same for long distance.

I think this trip will be amazing. I love traveling and learning new ways of live. Granite, every time I go some where, it makes me want to move, but this just give me motivation to do more with my life. I took this class for something new for my life. I always will jump to travel anything and the experience from it benefits me in ways I would never expect. As far as what experience that would be right now, will have to be told at a later date. I am excited for this class, new friends, new cultures and learning a new life. Something you take for something like this is appreciation for what you have and being able to learn from it to better yourself.

Coming to New Orleans

When I think of New Orleans, I think of bright colors (blues, greens, yellows), loud music from jazz to hip hop- but I hear New Orleans is home to Jazz music, many cultures and religions, lots of food and lots of busy-ness from tourist to natives. The picture in my mind when looking down the streets of New Orleans: is lots of people, huge smiles and contagious laughs. I image the food will be full of flavor, unique and full of culture. Being from what I call, a big city, of New York, I still think coming to New Orleans might be over whelming due to what I am used to now from living in Peoria. I imaging a city that never sleeps, always something coming such as on- street performers, loud music, and drunken fools living life to the fullest and 24 hour lively-ness.

I think of New Orleans this way because they are the home of Marti Gras, something I think New Oleanders would call a National Holiday. Not only is it a time where people drink until they fall asleep in the middle of the street, but it is a celebration of culture for New Orleans people. I don't have any personal experience with this type of culture, but none the less, I will adopt well due to knowing how to pay attention to my surroundings in crazy situations. I love to people watch and learn about different ways people live. The only experiences I have from what I see on TV or read in magazines.