Maria's Adventures in New Orleans

I had a very particular first week in New Orleans… Everything happened so fast… my grandmother is very sick so my uncle and my aunt had to travel to Venezuela for ten days, living me here alone by myself. The first two days were very difficult, not only because I missed my family a lot, but also because I was very upset about my grandmother, we are very close and it is difficult to accept that it is time for that person you love soon to be gone…. But on the other side, I had an entire city to know, I had some days before to start the program and as I was alone I had completely liberty to do anything that I want…. The idea was very excited but I was scared too.

Maria and her mother

New Orleans

I decided to start the adventure and the first thing I did was go to Audubon Park. My aunt told me that it was very big but I didn't realized until I was there…  Is very large and beautiful, it's amazing the amount of trees that you can find, all together forming a large roof of leaves  that protects you from the sun… (I learned later that those were the Oak Tress) I loved the park at first sight, I went every morning because it was not to hot yet, then I walked through the city and in the afternoons I returned to the park. 

I really enjoyed being there; it was a time to be with myself in touch with nature and at the same time to do some exercise. It was very encouraging to see people walking their dogs as they run, people riding his bicycle too fast… I even saw people riding their horses or giving a thousand laps around the park on skates… Everyone was different, everyone was into their own world but at the same time I felt an incredible connection. One day it started to rain and I was in the middle of the park, the car was so far so I couldn't do anything, just walked to the car down the thunderstorm (I learned that word in the Weather Channel here in NOLA)…  It was like bathing but more fun, but that was not so funny after having to dry the car because it had completely wet.

 

That week was very positive for me, I was fortunate having a car in those days, what made things much easier for me… But I know the warmth of New Orleans helped me to pass through this time in a better way.  Now, my grandmother is at home, she is getting well and thanks to Skype I can see her almost every day.