IM COMING HOME!!!!

AND I STINK!!! ;-)
But I did buy some nail polish so I can give myself a manicure in the airport...
Oh, and I have now procured myself something that is a cross between a Jersey accent (donna) and a southern accent (LA)...get ready!
Experience was great...cant wait to hug you all!!
XOXOXO Ash

The Two Faces of Katrina

The Two Faces of Katrina

A summary of my experience written over an 8 day period on site with Disaster Relief in Baton Rouge, LA


My entire life I have been an American, I was born here, raised here, and love it here. I cry when I listen to country music, fireworks make me feel like a kid again, and I like nothing better than pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. But it was not until I signed up with the American Red Cross to volunteer for disaster relief during Hurricane Katrina that I truly understood what it meant to be an American. The fragmented sense of community I had lived in my whole life was suddenly made whole. As Americans, black, white, young, and old, we all are, and should behave as, one community in this together.


When I hit the ground in Baton Rouge Louisiana it was a hot and humid afternoon. There were people all over the airport, some there to help, many there needing help. However, that is not what struck me. What struck me was that people were talking to each other. It did not matter who you were, or why you were there, everyone was eager to hear your story, but more importantly, everyone was eager to help--even those who had nothing left to give but their prayers. It's a shame that it took a disaster hitting for this type of interaction to seem normal and welcomed. I was nearly brought to tears each time I saw two strangers hugging. The energy was intense. It was a buzz, you just wanted to jump right in the middle and see what you could do to be a part of it. I never want to lose that feeling.

I was seeing a side of Katrina that the media seemed to be ignoring. The hope, the selflessness of those there to help, and the progress. While I am fully aware that the people here have experienced a great tragedy, and I would never deny them that, there is a story here that has yet to be told, and I was lucky enough to be a part of it.

When I arrived at the Red Cross Head Quarters in Baton Rouge I was assigned to work in Material Support. We are the group that is responsible for ensuring that the shelters, and the units supporting them, have the supplies necessary to care for the people who needed our help. I was lucky enough to be seated next to many Red Cross veterans who had done this time and time again, and I was privileged enough to hear their stories, and watch and learn. These individuals were able to get the infrastructure of a Fortune 500 company up and running in under a week. Stop a moment and think about the magnitude of that. Warehouses are unloaded, accounts activated, networks built, resources tapped, and the end result is a corporate head quarters as efficient as the office I have worked in for the last 5 years--all in under a week. We literally had the resources of the world at our fingertips, and were taking advantage of them.

The Red Cross is a phenomenal organization. In the nine days that I was onsite I saw volunteers give and give of themselves until they were exhausted and barely able to complete a thought. Each of us was a piece of a life saving puzzle. It did not matter if you were scooping mashed potatoes in a shelter, providing mental health services, tracking down a fork lift, or working as a liaison for the Federal Government, you were invaluable, and made to feel just that way.

The magnitude of what was being accomplished by the people here is like nothing I could have imagined. I sat at a desk that had a view of the head quarters building that allowed me to watch the interactions of those involved day in and day out. Each person carried out their assignments with a sense of urgency, pride, and compassion. Everyone I worked with was kind, skilled, and welcoming. The people in Head Quarters have immense integrity, and they play by the rules. But what I realized while working here is that while there were rules in place, each of the rules was made, first and foremost, with the needs of those we are helping in mind.

My team is diverse and wonderful. Each one of us possesses skills that made our abilities as a group complete. That is what the Red Cross is all about. Everyone was supportive, providing hugs, humor, and an ear to listen whenever necessary. Leaving these people behind will be one of the hardest things about my experience here in Baton Rouge. The manager of our team had done this type of disaster relief time and time again, and while he said this disaster was bigger than anything the Red Cross had ever seen, he handled it as if it was any normal day. I am truly a stronger, more balanced person for having known each and every one of these people, and its rare in life you can make a statement as bold as that.

I learned many lessons on this trip. Some have been comical, (how to bathe in a Wal-Mart bathroom in the sink), others have been more serious, (how to learn to truly rely on others), but the thing that I think was most important for me to learn was how easy it is to help. You just get up, get out of bed, and do it. It's that simple. It would not have mattered if I had a totally different skill-set, the Red Cross would have found a way to let me help. It was a scary thing for me, heading into the biggest natural disaster this country had ever seen, alone. But as soon as I hit the ground I realized I was anything but alone. The Red Cross is out here rebuilding the lives of those hit hardest, and in the process, I was lucky enough to have had them rebuild mine. I left California one person, and will come back another altogether.

I know I have not written much about the people we are here to help, that story is being told time and time again by the media. However, for me, the face that I will always have to this tragedy is the face of Tyrell. He was a 4 year old little boy, with big chubby cheeks, huge brown eyes, in a cute little button down polo and shorts. He had a big plastic spider attached to an air tube that had a small ball at the end, and he was pressing the ball to make the spider jump. He went up and down the aisles of cots singing to himself with his sad little spider as happy as can be. He was adorable.

I squatted down to his level so I could talk to him and he approached. I asked him his name, and asked me mine. He took my hand with his tiny hand and I walked up the aisle with him and his spider. He asked me why I was there, I told I was there to help. He asked me what I was there to help with, I told him all sorts of things. Then he asked me if I could help him. I said I would try. He said he wanted 2 things. One was a basket ball, the second was for me to find his gramma, they lost her in the storm. When it was time for me to leave he let go of my hand and asked me if I would be back. I told him that I would not be, but anyone of us in the red vests were his friends and would always be there to help. Suddenly the red vest I had been wearing all week became much more to me than a means of identification, it made me a part of an amazing community of people.

Some people complain, and I am sure you hear them on the news, but all-in-all things are really moving along. Any organization, in any industry, would have hiccups along the way when responding to a disaster as big as this. However, the people responsible, from what I have witnessed, have handled the snags with a sense of ownership and dignity. If everything in life went as planned, we would never even need an organization like the Red Cross to begin with. I truly hope that the country understands that each and every one of us here is doing our best, with nothing but the well-being of those we are trying to help on our minds.

I am sure when I get home to the Bay Area, when my bed hits my feather pillow, and I am surrounded by all the comforts of my reality, I will cry. It will be a release a long time coming. But I won't be crying solely for the loss and tragedy that the survivors of Katrina are dealing with, I will also cry because I was a part of the hope, the healing, and the solutions. It's such a comfort for me to now know first-hand that an organization like the Red Cross exists, but more importantly, that there are the kind of people in the world to help it run, and now I am a part of it.

The Red Cross's motto is "Together We Can Save a Life," and we did. And together we will do it again and again and again.

Ashley Gottlieb
September 2005

Update on Tyrell

Donna just called me to let me know she stopped at Wal Mart on the way back to the shelter where Tyrell was staying. She had bought him a small basketball and was going to find him and give it to him from me. That made me so happy. I hope it provides him with a little bit of fun, because surely, he deserves it.

My Heart Broke Today

Today I felt like I wanted to get out in the field and work with the people I was working in HQ to help. I wanted to be able to put a face to the aid we were offering, and I got more than I imagined.

I went to one of our 400 RC shelters, it was FC Clark Activity center, it was a mini dome. I went over there with Donna as she had two friends that were working there full time for their assignment. We walked in and they had the National guard everywhere, metal detectors at the entrances, and people searching bags, so it was very secure.

This shelter housed about 300 people, so it was a small shelter. It looked exactly as you would imagine. 300 cots in the center of the dome. People were everywhere. I was heart broken for them. They were living out of plastic bags and boxes, just sort of waiting around. Until FEMA or some other organization begins to place them it will just be that way for them. I cant imagine not knowing what would happen to me. Suddenly the luxury of being self sufficient seemed like the greatest gift on earth, but more than that the gift of having family and friends with the means to support me if ever something like this were to knock me down.

The face that I will always have to this tragedy is the face of Tyrell. He was a 4 year old little boy, with big chubby cheeks, huge brown eyes, in a cute little button down polo and shorts. He had a big plastic spider attached to an air tube that had a small ball at the end, and he was pressing the ball to make the spider jump. He went up and down the aisles of cots singing to himself with his sad little spider as happy as can be. He was adorable. I squatted down to his level so I could talk to him and he approached. I asked him his name, and asked me mine. Then he told me I could play with his spider. He took my hand with his tiny hand I walked up the aisle with him and his spider. He asked me why I was there, I told I was there to help. He asked me what I was there to help with, I told him all sorts of things. Then he asked me if I could help him. I said I would try. He said he wanted 2 things. One was a basket ball, the second was for me to find his gramma, they lost her in the storm. It took every ounce of strength in me for to not break down right then. He broke his spider and I fixed it for him, and then I had to leave. He let go of my hand and asked me if I would be back. I told him that i would not be, but anyone of us in the red vests were his friends and would always be there to help. Suddenly the red vest I had been wearing all week became much more to me than a means of identification, it made me a part of an incredible group of people. As soon as I walked out the door I lost it. I am bawling right now as I write this. The whole picture just came together for me. And I am so sad. I feel like this will never end for these people. What has struck me over the last 8 days is not how much these people lost, but how little they had to begin with. As long as I live I will never forget that little boy, and how his tiny hand felt in mine.

Once Donna and I left, we were on a mission for a woman named Linda. This woman had not had dialysis since the storm hit. The RC could not convince her to go. She had one leg, had lost everything, and I think that she was just ready to die. A woman named Mendy who was Donna's friend who worked at the shelter finally talked her into going. Donna and I managed to track down where she went before the storm hit, got her records, transferred them, and got her an appt tomorrow at 6 am at a center here in Baton Rouge. We did this while both of us were on our cell phones, her with the Dr, me with a medical supply company I placed an order with (somehow a 30,000.00 order I placed got lost on its way to our HQ.) We stopped at a light and did a Chinese fire drill so I could drive, Donna is the WORST driver. A few people saw our vests when they did this and rolled down there windows to thank us so much for being there to help. It moments like that that make this experience so amazing. We literally are saving lives every day. I am exhausted and floored.

I came home early today, I am just so worn out. My body aches, my heart aches. All at once I want to come home and stay on to help. I am probably not making any sense at this point so I am going to go.

Ashley

I got a BATH last night, yes thats right, a BATH. This nice lady from the church we are staying in dropped us off at her mothers house (bud and I) for showers. I walked into the house and almost started crying, but not for anything to do with the red cross. This ladies, (around 70) house smelled EXACTLY like my Grandma Woood's house. I cant explain the smell, but my family knows what it was. It was like this sweet musky smell (a good smell.) I walked in and it overwhelmed me. Her bathroom was eerily like my grandmothers bathroom as well. She had drawn a bubble bath for me, and it felt so goooooood. She had these clean fluffy towels out for me. It was just amazing ot be in a home, the TV was on, something was cooking in the kitchen, it just made me miss home. When I left I gave her the biggest hug and just did not want to let go. The people around here are just amazing.

Bud's daughter has been really sick, and they got a call last night from the Dr's saying that it might be leukemia. He started crying, and I was the only one there to comfort him. That was a tough moment. I think, and I am encouraging him, he should go home early. He was meant to be here another 14 days. Any how.

I think at this point, I will only have one more entry to add, which I will most likely publish tomorrow. I am just exhausted.

I have a facial, massage, manicure, and hair cut booked for Sat. I should have just stayed home and send the red cross the 600 bucks thats going to cost me! It probably would have been a lot easier! But thts okay....the experience alone was invaluable. I feel in my heart that all in all, I helped, and I made a difference.

Last funny tidbit...my eyebrows were SERIOUSLY out of control. I used the tweezers in the first Aid Kit to pluck and reshape my eyebrows...ha.

Much love,
Ash

I feel like I will never be clean again.

I really really really need to locate another shower, I feel just disgusting. But I guess that I am better off than many of the people here. The idea that I could ever be found attractive by a man again is slipping farther and farther away from me. ;-). I am sure I will feel better once my whole body has been bathed at the same time!

Today was a good day. We FINALLY have the logistics process in place, and its running smoothly, I feel pretty accomplished given that when I walked in, there was a stack of about 500 "greenies" those are orders that at one time were on green sheets. Now they are all filed, I have worked out a process with the help of our supply and warehouse guys.

There is a new woman, Susan, also from California who started today. I am training for her to take over for me when I leave. I really like her and feel like she is organized and all will be well. While I am SOOOO excited to leave, I feel like when Thursday comes, its going to be really hard.

My email has been hit and miss, I am not sure why but I am receiving some of it, but not all, so if you sent me something, and I normally have replied to you, send it again! I am getting really home sick. I just miss my family (friends are lumped into that heading.)

Hope to hear from you! If you post a comment here, I get it on my Black Berry.

Miss you all so much....

Ash

Starting to Get tired

So its Sunday, and its really slow, so I am using a RC computer to type this up. Yesterday and today were both hard days. Today is 9/11, and I have to say that being here, with these people, made the day different for me. We had a non denomination service this morning that was maybe 10 minutes long. It was very moving. We had a military man come in with a bell and we rang it and hand a few moments of silence. I promise you there was not a dry eye in the whole house, not male or female, young or old. Many of these people were on site then which made it particularly special to be there. Instead of being on the side of the tragedy where I felt helpless, I felt for the first time I was on the side where I could contribute. It was pretty special, and the first time since I have been here that I finally broke down and cried.

Yesterday was tough. Now that the initial shock of things has worn off, and the "whatever it takes" attitude is giving way to the need for organization, people are getting a bit frustrated at Corporate Head Quarters. Its understandable that this is happening, given that the 200 people in this office are responsible for the lives and well being of 100's of thousands of people. I feel bad when I see people breaking down, given that I know that they are doing all that they can. But I am not sure that its possible to operate in any other way.

To date the Red Cross has served over 6.5 million meals since the storm. We are sheltering over 100,000 people in the state of LA. and all of the supplies for these meals and shelter supplies are going through our group.

Yesterday I did a pretty cool thing. Because the vouchers are taking awhile to get into peoples hands, we are issuing 20 dollar gift certificates to the Good Will to the survivors. We needed to find a way to make sure they were not just copied and used, so I called dear old dad and he helped me out. Of course, dad can do anything. Any how...the guy comes up to me yesterday with the proofs of the comp I made and says, "how do you like them" I said they look great!, he said...good, we just printed 1 million dollars worth of certificates to be distributed. I was shocked, my little design now was on a million dollars worth of money to be spent. A small thing, but its kinda cool...and yes, I know I am geek.

The CEO of the Red Cross was in here yesterday and I met her. What a cool freakin job. She basically runs a Fortune 500 company, that does nothing but good work for people in need. I was talking to her, and the Red Cross is the only organization in the world that can put up and take down operations for a Fortune 500 company in 1 week. I think thats so amazing. Basically they warehouse everything, lap tops, discs with info they update, supplies, tables, chairs, etc. They do this all over the country, and the world, so if a disaster hits, they are always close to what they need. So cool.

There is a woman in my shelter who is working at a client shelter (thats for the survivors, they call them clients) who met woman who had been separated from her children since the storm hit, and no one could get them reunited. This woman took her 1 day off, rented a car with her own money, and drover 6 hours each way to another state, to pick up these kids. Its stories like that that I wish the media was covering.

I have not watch or read the news once since we got here. I dont want it to hinder my experience, given that the media sensationalizes everything. However, I am curious to see how off they are, given that I have a lot of first hand information on things.

We got the relief cards in today for LA. These are the cards that the Clients will use to get back on their feet. They are being taken by police escort to the shelters for distribution.

There as been a lot of crime around here. I am sure you know more about it than I do but what I am hearing is first hand, and not fun. We have had to have the National gaurd lock down 2 of our shelters because people were rioting to get their relief cards for money. Another story I heard was that 2 women were raped in a shelter a few days ago. People are showing up infected to some shelters and spreading diseases. We still not have been ABA ble to get showers to many people and shelters, there is one shelter with 4,000 people who has not had showers since the storm hit. We are doing our best, but we can only move so fast. We are building cities, and you cant do that in less than a week. The saddest thing that I have heard to date, is that as they are relocating people, they are just putting them on planes, and not telling them where they are going until they take off That breaks my heart, but I cant figure a way around it, as people were trying to change the locations they were going to.

Any how, this is all I have time for now. I now fully have lost my voice and I am exhausted. Wednesday cant come to soon.

I miss everyone.

Ashley

I have a Stalker

So first things first. I found a computer in the church library and hacked my way into it. There security was not that great...the password was password. I am probably going to hell, but I did clean up bunch of spyware for them, so that has to be something.

I am getting settled in my role in procurement. This sounds odd, but I like my job. I mean I could do it like as a profession if I had to. My boss, Larry, is the kindest old soul you have ever met. In many ways he reminds me of my dad, and in others, I would imagine how my Papa was, but as I did not know him as an adult, I cant say for sure. He can find anything, anywhere. Today I ordered everything from fork lists, to tampons. I had a building built, literally. I ordered all the supplies, got all the equiptment, and lined up the workers. It feels awesome. There are a few people on my team, who shall remain nameless, who are idiots. I just give them orders that they cant mess up, and will take them all day, and then they dont bug me.

I got lost driving in a residential area of LA yesterday picking up 10 cars. I swear I know the area so well I could sell Real Estate here now. I pulled over and asked a nice man named Herbert for directions. I was laughing the whole time. We eventually made our way back. The residents here are so kind. Its not like california, (not that CA is bad) but these people are amazing. Ihad one man let me follow up all the way back to the highway and he was not even going that direction, but I could not find it.

I have been out in the community more today. Baton Rouge's population has increased 110 \% in one week. The traffic is horrendous, it takes you like an hour to go 10 miles, and I am not exaggerating. I have my RC vest on at all times, and have been stopped everywhere by people asking how to get help. People arent exactly sure what to do, I think many of them dont have radio or TV. I give them all the information I can, and in one case, bought a family some food on my Red Cross Credit Card. I just had to.

As I am getting settled into things, and sort of feel like an old timers (yes I know its been 4 days, but remember this thing only happened 11 days ago, so I was one of the first to arrive) I am really starting to gain an appreciation of how TRULY POWERFUL the Red Cross is. They rebuild lives, one person at a time. This organization will be a part of my heart forever, I am a junkie, I will be back to do this time and time again. You feel so apart of something. something so much bigger than my day to day life. I have experience now in Head Quarter operations in a role I enjoy, so I can do that anywhere. I encourage each and everyone of you to be a part of this. You would be shocked. Its possible that working for a large company is like this, in terms of the assets available, but I doubt it. As disorganized and chaotic as we are, the Red Cross knows how to do things. I know I keep saying the same thing over and over again, but its ineffable.

You see thousands of people coming through to help. All sorts, truck drivers, shrinks, contractors, nurses, students, retired people, all working together, all with smiles. I have met more people in the last 4 days than in the past year. People stop to talk, "Hello, where are you from, what do you do, can I help you out any how" If the rest of the world worked half as well it would be such a different place.

Everyone here says you end up with a Red Cross spouse. THis is the person you end up doing things with all day, you look out for each other, one may have a car, the other a shower hook up. For me, my guy is Bud, formal name, Darwin. He is 40 years old, a contractor, and has 4 kids at home, and he has 1 eye. But hes cool. I never thought I could just hang out all day with a guy named Bud with one eye and not run out of things to talk about, but I can. He is a great guy, and I am proud to have met him.

BIG NEWS, I got a shower tonight. I met a woman who knew a lady who knew a guy, who talked to a priest who said we could use the highschool showers. And boy did I. I stood under that water for like 20 minutes, I felt amazing. Although I will miss my sink bathing in random public bathrooms. This is a skill I hope not to have to use too much in life. But I got the hook up on the shower, I commandeered a van, and now I have a computer. I could live in this place. (okay maybe not) but I am always shocked at how far a cute smile and and innocent look can get a gal, and I did well in CA, I do like 20 times better in LA, I think all the women out here are just...um...large, so to these guys I am Cindy Freakin Crawford.

My back is killng me from doing lifting yesterday, so I bought an eggcrate for my 2 foot wide cot. Hurray! I am sooooo living in style now, Ihave a 5 star cot. A real pillow, a blanket that does not also double as an exfoliator (read heavy itchy wool) and an egg crate. When I leave here I am goin to give it all to Bud as he is staying a full month.

Things feel normal now. I have a routine, and we all know I am a girl who likes a routine. I will be sad to leave here. I will cry for sure (ya ya I know I cry at everything) I have 5 full days left and I plan to make the most of them. I want to maybe try something new in a few days, but I doubt Larry will let me go. I am the only woman in our group, therefore the only organized one, so I cant leave until I train someone as a back up.

God, the keys on this computer are really really sticky, gross.

I will leave you with this. TOday a man named skip, with no front teeth, brought in a puppy, a black lab. He rescued him from New Orleans and had just taken him for his shots. This puppy is like 6 weeks old....and sooo tiny and cute. And guess whos cute smile one Skip over and got to bet he babysitter? Yep...me. Wait until you see the pictures. This TINY black lap asleep on my lap, and me in my Red Cross vest...I mean if that wont pull some donations in I dont know what will. Hot chicks and cute puppies....I think I am on to something ;-).

I miss everyone at work very much. I have read some email but nothing looked urgent. I appreciate all of you soooooo much for covering for me. You truly are all awesome (and honestly VERY VERY BRIGHT) and I cant wait to be back with you.

Sorry for the typos, while this is better than the BB I have been using, the keys are NASTY and I dont want to be caught stealing in a church.

My Stalker just walked into the room, I have not mentioned him before, he is harmless. He follows me EVERYWHERE at the shelter, thinks he is funny, punches me in the arm like a 5 year old. He has hair longer than mine, and more piercings that a chick. I think I might punch him. But then they would send me to mental health, and I may be 3 shades for crazy, but I am not that nuts.

much Love, Ashley

PS, Adam I have blisters everywhere, your First Aid kit ROCKS! Miss you :-)

I am not going to write much tonight. I started getting sick at about 4 today. Nothing major, just a fever.

I feel like I made good progress today organizing things in logistics and speeding things up. I got lost in baton rouge today for like 2 hours....honestly driving around was the best thing all day.

There are people living in tents tin parking lots its nuts.

I am working full time in logistics with larry and jim. They are big time red crossers so I am learning a ton from them both. Logistics is the hub of everything, cars (I have one now I am sharing with a guy named bud with one good eye), food for the shelters, showers, medicine baby food, tampons, everything. The sheer volume is MIND BLOWING. Ten thousand baby sippy cups, golf carts, showers, 40000 bottles of water, laterns, insulin. Their are alredy almost two hundred thousand people in RC shelters. I spent an hour today buying supplies in walmart for a man that need XXXXXL, and no that was not a typo.

I continue to be so impressed with the people here, they just rock, well most of them, one lady freaked cause I borrowed her highlighter... She needs a nap.

Things I learned today...if u see an empty sink in a private place...bathe in it. I took a shower in the walmart batroom. I swear to god. I bought the shampoo there.

I am a bit home sick tonight, but I feel I am making a tremendous contribution, so its worth it.

Closing thought... If I have to eat jambalya one more time ill barf.

So I have spent the last hour and a half locating a 24 foot truck (thats bigger than u think) then driving it to office depot to find file cabinets for rc headquarters. I did this with an IT guy from jersey. Those of u who know, it guys r a unique breed, so that was interesting.

I woke up this morning at six am. I got my assignment today. I am working in logistics at headquarters. Its a mess. No one knows who has what or where anything is. I am helping to sort it out by visiting the shelters and digging. Its a good job for me all in all.

My boss is larry, nicest guy. His boss is this old guy who is a crank. But its cute. On a break now. Will write more later. Thanks to ray for posting all these.

Last night I learned two things...

Last night I learned two things. One: don't EVER. Volunteer to sleep in the mens area because the womens is full. OLD MEN SNORE. LOUD. I slept maybe an hour last night. I mean they snore loud. My friend heather and I finally just started cracking up. The other thing I learned is that tylenol pm can't fix it all as prevoiusly thought. This

This am I showered in the siink with 4 women to a sink. As paris hilton would say.... That's hot.

I am all dressed and ready to go now. These vests don't look good on anyone...who do u think I could talk to about that??

Ash

Reality is an odd thing...

Reality is an odd thing. Most people use it as a base line, saying things like get real etc. All our realities are different. But for these people here, their reality is gone. No routine, no habits, lost jobs, lost friends. Just chaos.

I arrived at the rc head quarters, an old walmart, and it was the end of the day. The volunteers were soooo tired. Everyone was just spaced out. I gave a fifty year old truck driver named larry a neck rub... He was just worked. Granted I wanted to work on his team the next day, logistics, and womanly charms work even in a disaster I have found. (Don't roll your eyes mom).
Once I figured out where I was going I found jean (hot french girl). She was working in transport, which means she had a car, so I had a hook up. I became quit popular, not that I would not have any how :-).

I am at a shelter now, a church. We have cots, and no showers but its far nicer than I expected. I can get email on my bb so email me!

I have met a ton of people so far, from all over the world. Nasa people, think tank people, truck drivers, and one guy with no job.

I have only been here 1 night, but in this one day I have felt more like an american than in my whole life. All these strangers coming together as a community, with nothing more in common than the fact we are americans wanting to help others in our country. Its grounding.

The arch bishop of NO came in tonight to the shelter. A little old man. He lost his church his house, everything, but his faith was unwavering. It was amazing. I was in awe he came here to bless us for helping his people, when he himself had lost so much.

Words like compassion and selflessness are usually victims of verbal inflation, but in this case these people deserve the description, I hope I can follow their example.

Much more to write but I am exhausted. But I will leave u with this. Picture the sappiest country music video u can about America, and that's what this is like, I am so happy to be here. And yes, my manicure still looks great! Love u all.

I got here to Baton Rouge about an hour ago...

I got here to Baton Rouge about an hour ago. It’s hot here. Very hot. When I landed in Texas I met a woman who lived in NO and worked at an assisted living home. She had lost a few residents as it was all too much for them. She was headed back to see if her apartment was still there. She had a resident with her, an elderly man who could not afford to stay in the facility. He had no where to go and no family so she just brought him home with her... that is if she has a home left. She asked for my cell number when she found out I was with the Red Cross so I could tell her where to go if her home was gone. I can't even imagine having to ask a stranger for that kind of help. We are waiting at the airport now to head to the Red Cross Headquarter. I am amazed at how many Americans from all over just got on planes without knowing where they were going to help. I really feel a part of something.

I have many more refined and eloquent thoughts. I am keeping them in a journal, but its hard to type on my Blackberry...these damn nails :-).

I got on this flight that the Red Cross booked for me and I was in first class...now that's good karma.