Je me souviens
Well, I have avoided posting because I wasn't quite sure what to say. And I'm still not sure. But for those of you who may have wondered about me or my family I figured I'd post nonetheless. This is not going to be entertaining, but I need to get it out while I remember and for the future.
I went to New Orleans on August 20 for my dad's 50th birthday party. It was a surprise and it was wonderful. Friends and family came out to see him and wish him well. We ended the night on a high note and I proceeded to spend the rest of my week calmly lazing around the house and the city.
During the week I had heard about Katrina, and had even checked her out on the hurricane center's website. She was a Cat 1 and not forecasted to come anywhere near New Orleans. Nothing to worry about.
The morning of Saturday, August 27 was a different story. All of a sudden she was aimed straight at us and was ramped up to a Cat 3. We weren't exactly worried, New Orleans has certainly seen her fair share of hurricanes, but I tried to call the airlines nonetheless and get my flight back to Los Angeles moved up a day. No such luck, I guess everyone had the same idea.
Sunday morning brought more bad news. Katrina was now a category 5 and still aimed head on for New Orleans. Several airlines had already canceled flights. My parents told me to take a car and leave it at the airport. That way if I could not get out I would not be stranded. Shortly after I left for the airport they evacuated to Lafayette. A drive that took over 12 hours.
I was freaking out prior to leaving the house. Mad at my parents for not boarding windows and for leaving debris around the house. As I left I thought that they'd go home to smashed in windows. Little did I know what was in store for New Orleans. Later, driving to the airport the gravity of the situation really hit me. It was 10 am on a Sunday morning and except for the people packing up and leaving the city was quiet. Houses and business were boarded up. The boards on Target's windows read "Kat go home." I laughed, it was funny at the time.
I was able to leave New Orleans in the nick of time. My flight was scheduled to leave at 12:15. Southwest stopped flying at around 3:00 pm. The air was filled with a mixture of emotions all the way from New Orleans to Los Angeles. People on the plane were saying it was "the Big One." I had no idea what would happen.
Monday seemed as if it was going to pass uneventfully. I was starting a new job and had limited ability to use the internet. I was essentially clueless about what was going on until I someone brought me pictures of the Superdome and the Hyatt. I was in shock. As I was leaving for the day my grandparents called me. They broke the news that the levees broke and New Orleans East was under water. I was in shock. I sat in my car and cried. Here's a little pic of the house I found from aerial photography. It looks like a tree feel on the back of the house.
I guess the boards on the windows wouldn't have mattered much.
One week later I am realizing that I am definitely one of the lucky ones. Most of my family members are safe and accounted for. My mom has been temporarily relocated to Dallas with paid housing and hopefully my dad will be able to transfer there as well. My sister will be starting a new job at the end of October and will be living in Baton Rouge. My parents have insurance and they will be fine. But our lives have forever been changed. My heart will never be the same.
I still cry, but now it's for the misfortune of others. So many in New Orleans had little, and now have even less. They won't have jobs to take care of them or insurance to replace their belongings. They left sometimes with only the clothes on their backs.
I also cry for the generosity that has been shown by so many. My company has donated $3,000,000 to the effort. People are donating millions out of their own pockets. The government is giving billions. It's unfortunate that so much had to be spent now when so much of what happened in New Orleans was preventable, but that's another story.
To all that have been affected by this catastrophe, both in Mississippi and Alabama as well as Louisiana, my thoughts are with you. As for New Orleans, my heart will always be there. I love her so much and it hurts to see the pain and grief. But I remember. I will always remember.
I went to New Orleans on August 20 for my dad's 50th birthday party. It was a surprise and it was wonderful. Friends and family came out to see him and wish him well. We ended the night on a high note and I proceeded to spend the rest of my week calmly lazing around the house and the city.
During the week I had heard about Katrina, and had even checked her out on the hurricane center's website. She was a Cat 1 and not forecasted to come anywhere near New Orleans. Nothing to worry about.
The morning of Saturday, August 27 was a different story. All of a sudden she was aimed straight at us and was ramped up to a Cat 3. We weren't exactly worried, New Orleans has certainly seen her fair share of hurricanes, but I tried to call the airlines nonetheless and get my flight back to Los Angeles moved up a day. No such luck, I guess everyone had the same idea.
Sunday morning brought more bad news. Katrina was now a category 5 and still aimed head on for New Orleans. Several airlines had already canceled flights. My parents told me to take a car and leave it at the airport. That way if I could not get out I would not be stranded. Shortly after I left for the airport they evacuated to Lafayette. A drive that took over 12 hours.
I was freaking out prior to leaving the house. Mad at my parents for not boarding windows and for leaving debris around the house. As I left I thought that they'd go home to smashed in windows. Little did I know what was in store for New Orleans. Later, driving to the airport the gravity of the situation really hit me. It was 10 am on a Sunday morning and except for the people packing up and leaving the city was quiet. Houses and business were boarded up. The boards on Target's windows read "Kat go home." I laughed, it was funny at the time.
I was able to leave New Orleans in the nick of time. My flight was scheduled to leave at 12:15. Southwest stopped flying at around 3:00 pm. The air was filled with a mixture of emotions all the way from New Orleans to Los Angeles. People on the plane were saying it was "the Big One." I had no idea what would happen.
Monday seemed as if it was going to pass uneventfully. I was starting a new job and had limited ability to use the internet. I was essentially clueless about what was going on until I someone brought me pictures of the Superdome and the Hyatt. I was in shock. As I was leaving for the day my grandparents called me. They broke the news that the levees broke and New Orleans East was under water. I was in shock. I sat in my car and cried. Here's a little pic of the house I found from aerial photography. It looks like a tree feel on the back of the house.
I guess the boards on the windows wouldn't have mattered much.
One week later I am realizing that I am definitely one of the lucky ones. Most of my family members are safe and accounted for. My mom has been temporarily relocated to Dallas with paid housing and hopefully my dad will be able to transfer there as well. My sister will be starting a new job at the end of October and will be living in Baton Rouge. My parents have insurance and they will be fine. But our lives have forever been changed. My heart will never be the same.
I still cry, but now it's for the misfortune of others. So many in New Orleans had little, and now have even less. They won't have jobs to take care of them or insurance to replace their belongings. They left sometimes with only the clothes on their backs.
I also cry for the generosity that has been shown by so many. My company has donated $3,000,000 to the effort. People are donating millions out of their own pockets. The government is giving billions. It's unfortunate that so much had to be spent now when so much of what happened in New Orleans was preventable, but that's another story.
To all that have been affected by this catastrophe, both in Mississippi and Alabama as well as Louisiana, my thoughts are with you. As for New Orleans, my heart will always be there. I love her so much and it hurts to see the pain and grief. But I remember. I will always remember.