if you like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain...

Jul 20, 2008 21:04

you know when something's coming up and you know it's gotta be big, you don't want to get your hopes up because what if it turns out to be a bore, but you just know it won't be boring, and that it will be something big. you can't stop giggling with your best friend about it and asking far too much questions, worrying about what could go wrong, and telling yourself (or at least trying to) not to make it a bigger thing than it really is. but then this big thing happens, and it's turns out to be even crazier, even bigger, and even better than you expected it to be. have you ever had that? new orleans was mine.



the first five days of new orleans was spent on a campground with fifty other deaf youths. mallory, jon, lindsay, and i were the very first campers in Deaf Youth USA history, and i'm prouder about that now than i first was. i thought DYUSA would be a weekend with a bunch of people my age and a bit older partying together, getting to know each other, and acting like we cared about improving the deaf community for the youth. DYUSA was everything i expected it to be, minus the acting part.



during the day, we'd lounge around the white tent, savoring the fans and air conditioning, have heated discussions that made me appreciate the insight of other people, meetings that made me vow to pay more attention to what's going on in the deaf community, and sips of beer every now and then. (and yes i was going to the bathroom)

and the nights brought us



wonderful people i can't believe i didn't know before,



new inside jokes (although the person you're sharing it with may not quite remember it),



new friendships with people you want to hug all the time,






giggly shared bonds,



and plenty shots in the laundry room! we know that room well, don't we, mal? ;)



july fourth came



where do you think we spent it?



where else?!






got my dancing fix that night ;)



tropical isle, or hand grenade heaven.



something mal and i realized that night:



we attract strangers.



big time.

one of the strangers we attracted kept buying us drinks all night... in front of her husband, which led to....



this. :)

when nad conference began, we were free to roam wherever we pleased twentyfour/seven, and although we fell into routine each night as in we went to bourbon street and started off with the same drinks, our nights were anything but ordinary.

i'd like to take this opportunity to let you readers know that from this point on, none of the pictures will be in order. that's just too much work for my brain. you understand why :)












my favorite spot



with my favorite girl!


































"from scandalous nights to getting rid of unneeded baggage, to new friendships, to making a difference, that was louisiana for you."
perfectly put by someone who only spent ten days of her life with me, yet knows me better than some of my oldest classmates.

i can honestly say that those ten days in louisiana was one of the best times in my life. here's to more scandalous nights and new friendships, less baggages, and definitely to making differences.




cheers.
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