Farewell to New Orleans 

Today is our last day in New Orleans and I am so sad. I wake up early to get showered and have some quiet time. I packed last night and set aside my outfit for the day and something comfy for the train. I cannot believe I am doing last minute checks and finishing packing as I feel like I just got here. I was not sure how cold it was supposed to be but read that it was supposed to warm up during the day today. I grab our last free meal of breakfast sausage and a banana. From the hotel, we met for the last time at Café Du Monde. It was a chilly morning as I still needed my jacket, scarf and gloves. I step out of the cab and immediately hear the song “You are my sunshine” being sang by an older African American and think how true about my new-found relationship with New Orleans. I run inside to get a final trio of beignets and hot chocolate. I just need one beignets as they are filling. I must wait to drink the hot chocolate as it is piping hot. I open the small white bag holding the three fried treats that are swimming in powdered sugar. I take a bite into the crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside delicatessen that rewards me with a pile of powdered sugar in my scarf. As we are meeting, I immediately think about how this will be the last time we meet as a group in the French Quarter. We are assigned to pick our favorite place in New Orleans and we have three hours left until we must be back to leave from the hotel. I immediately think of what place is my favorite and it must be the first magical place we saw when we took the street car here which is the Jackson Square. I had never been anywhere like the Jackson Square. Tall lush trees are what seems like prisoners in this black fenced in square. On the outside of the fence, the live music by various bands, local artists selling one of a kind pieces, hula-hoop performers, magicians, psychics, fortune tellers and palm readers all in one square is like no other place I have been. We take off to enjoy our last trip around the square and I sip my hot chocolate. The sun is peaking through the tall trees. 

There are artists setting up and shops opening. We can hear a lone trumpet player warming up and the crows or something similar cawing. We go to take some pictures of our favorite place. I got one saying good bye to one of my favorite places I have ever visited right in front of gates with Andrew Jackson in the background. We take a group picture in front of the cathedral and a single picture in front of the cathedral.  

We took the rest of the time walking aimlessly for the last time.

I plan on coming back even though the circumstances will be different and I more than likely will not be a student. I will probably come on vacation with my boyfriend or family. I will tell people all about my trip and tell them this is a city like no other. Time stops in New Orleans. People are nicer and while its busy, it isn’t intolerably busy like some cities. My favorite part of the class was obviously the free day but, two of the tours were just outstanding. The pharmacy museum and the three-hour tour were wonderful. The tour guides were insightful and witty. We learned an enormous amount of information in a very small time. Some of the things that stick out to me from the pharmacy museum were the razors or blades that were used to make people “bleed out bad toxins until the post of passing out” or that opium and alcohol were in like everything back then even medications for babies. I know that there weren't regulated and things were not known as far as dependency, withdrawal and side affects and that is scary. He made a good point that we do not even know what some of the medicines we use today can cause in the long run. I sincerely enjoyed the tour guides humor at the pharmacy museum and it made me remember a lot more of the information he shared. In regards to the three-hour tour “Hey Baaaaby” is something that will stick with me forever. I thought it was so sweet when I heard him say it in the cemetery to his family member who was also a tour guide. He had so much history running through him and was more than willing to share. Another fun fact was when he told us about the canal and how the building behind him that was over 200 feet could fit there. My favorite part of the trip was going somewhere I have always wanted to go. I have always heard how magical New Orleans was and am so glad I was able to visit at this time in my life. Right now, I do not have nearly the amount of responsibility I will have later. I am not married, do not have any kids and my career is in the works so this was the most perfect time to come. This truly was an adventure of a lifetime. I learned how pleasant, helpful and resilient the people of New Orleans can be. I felt like I never met a stranger on my trip. Everyone was very nice and welcoming. If I had a question people were very accommodating and willing to help me. I thought it was amazing to hear how much the New Orleans community has been through and how they still are such a strong and powerful place. I learned that I can survive this trip with basically strangers. I met a great person who ended up being my partner in crime the entire trip and I am very thankful for her. I look back wondering why I was even worried and why I ever thought I would not have a good time. I am so glad that Val and I were talking about this trip in populations clinical and she told me there was one more spot left. I would not have wanted to do anything else on break before internship since I have made memories that will stay with me forever and guide my future travels.