Being my first time in New Orleans I was unfulfilled with all the things to do. The nightlife seemed never ending. Everyday after work we seemed to have several choices of what to do, where to go, and what to eat. So by segmenting our big group we covered many spots while managing to avoid the touristy activities. I had an unexpected adventure when I accompanied my friend to the local hospital. As expected in the waiting room we saw a cross section of New Orleans that was opposite the usual party vibe. It was filled with a variety of simple to intense emergencies and personalities. My tendency was to try and guess each person’s life story and situation. Eight hours later as we migrated from our sterile asylum the town was on the edge of going to sleep. You could see people staggering to or from their next adventure. We were so pumped up that we added another two hours to our own adventure by going out to a 24 hr eatery. The craziness of the day was not ready to sleep yet. The inebriated waiter (what do you expect in a bar) forgot our order until my inquiry. That was funny because there were only two other people in the restaurant. Feeling guilty the manager gave our meals on the house. The positive finale made the whole experience seem worth it. Well at least for me; my friend was the one with the injury.

The last day was filled with goodbyes, marveling at the process thus far, and with hopes of reconnecting next year. Towards the end of week we started to get comfortable with our assignments and even though mundane and monotonous it was with the spirit of our cause. We made a lot of new friends and said a lot of goodbyes. The picture to the left is reminiscent of who we are, why we are here, and where we’ve come from. And why we'll be back. Thanks to Gracenotes for providing this wonderful opportunity of realization and growth.