DukeEngage | Duke Center for Civic Engagement

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wow, i really miss NOLA.

Many Sundays ago, I realized it was once again time to blog and as usual, I struggled to arrive upon a subject worthy of consideration. As I sat at Rue de la Course (a quaint, coffee shop located on Magazine Street) with others from the program, I asked out loud, “What should I write about?” “Me!” was the emphatic response from the three people closest to me. I figured those replies warranted an entry on the diverse individuals I have had the pleasure of getting to know these past several weeks. Ashley said it was odd that no one had written about the people on the program, so I guess I will be a pioneer and explore the many personalities encountered on the 6th floor. Of course what I write are merely basic character summaries, but hopefully, I have expanded on them since June 1 as my time in NOLA draws to an end.

My first interaction with everyone on DukeEngage NOLA was at our group’s workshop. Upon seeing them sitting around eating Dillo, I thought to myself, “This summer will suck.” I thought this because I did not personally know any of the people around me besides Shantel. They were strangers, just faces I had sometime seen walking to class, eating at the Loop, or studying in Perkins. However, as my close proximity to New Orleans has led me to embrace the city, my close proximity to those once-strangers has led me to embrace them as friends.

I would like to preface the following summaries by saying that I have the utmost respect for everyone on this program and that nothing I write below is meant to be sarcastic or offensive.

Suite 606: The DukeEngage Big Sisters + Sushi

Samantha – Despite knowing only one opera singer, she is my favorite. We have become close since Essence Fest when she gave me pin-curls, giving me a new look and a chance to get to know one another. We take cute pictures, which are many times cuter than pictures of two other NOLA folk. I love hearing her “whomp whomps” and “Not ____!” comments, and over many crazy nights/adventures, Sam has become someone whom I enjoy long, random-themed talks.

Shantel – I met Shantel sophomore year as we both worked as student trainers for the Duke Football team. If I could describe her in one word, it would be “fierce,” because she is such an independent and strong individual. Even though I know that she will always laugh at my “foolishness” or shake her head whenever I’m being “reckless,” she is a very caring person and I know that she will be there whenever I need a hug or someone to listen to me rant.

Candace – Candace is our group’s international traveler as she has been off this continent since starting this program. She always seems cheerful and bubbly, and very little (from what I’ve seen) phases her. She and I bonded over a game of I.O.T. (Inside, Outside, Tim), and despite a fierce competition concerning how photogenic we are, we’ve managed to stay civil and even disclose top secret information, most of which is extremely comical, to each other.

Sushma – I went on my first date in NOLA with Sushma. She and I are similar academically (BME/Pre-Med), and I appreciate having someone around who is an average enginerd like me. We have become friends the past three weeks through our love of making messes in the kitchen, and although we’re HAMs (our experiences can only be described as “sham-bolic”), we both still emphatically ask “Can we live?!” and wonder, “When’s the next rain?”

Suite 604: Home, Suite Home…

Margaret – Looking at Margaret, one would think she was just a typical southern belle, complete with a love of Southern fare and powerful Southern accent (Just ask the staff at NOMA). However, she did not earn the title of “Modern-day Scarlett” (O’Hara, obviously) without a reason. She can curse like a sailor when the occasion calls for it, and she is resilient as seen through her experiences of helping the students of LHA. Additionally, she is an immaculate dresser.

Felicia – This girl has tons of willpower. I know this because she has remained vegetarian in NOLA, not giving into local delicacies of po-boys and jambalaya. Major props must be given to her because she has escaped all DukeEngage shenanigans unscathed (sans the brownie-fire incident), making her the sanest person in the suite. She is also generous (Thank you for all the free pasta dinners/brownies and for helping out at Green Library), which is something to be admired.

Carla – She’s the program’s dancing queen and if I had her stamina, I would be dancing all night, too. Though we jokingly say that she has no filter, what I most admire about Carla is her blunt honesty. Sometimes all we want is an honest opinion, regardless what we want to hear. One of my unforgettable memories of this trip is of us dancing on stage with Big Sam’s Funky Nation, and looking back, she helped open up Chris Brown dance moves and New Orleans to me.

Suite 602: Instead of going to the circus, save yourself the money and venture into this suite if you’re looking for clowns. You can point and laugh at these fellows for free. Kidding. Maybe.

Tim – Let’s be honest. He’s just so vain. When he plays ultimate, he often catches himself staring at his bicep because the sweat glistens and helps define that muscle. Tim has been my personal trainer for the summer, helping to kick my butt back into shape after my sedentary MCAT period. Tim also has ridiculous dance moves, which he adeptly showed during the first group icebreaker, and I think he has a career in pop music. “I’m Tim Burns. What’s your name?”

Luke – Though he ranks in the bottom 50% (#856) of my friend list, I have gotten to know this fellow marathoner pretty well, or at least well enough to know that he is denial (You are emo. Live it. Love it. Own it.). He likes sleeping, but also reigns as the caffeine king, downing coffee like a fish. He epitomizes carpe diem in his efforts to appreciate New Orleans to its fullest, and despite some quirks (e.g. bunnies), it is chill to hang out with him. Just don’t play him in Uno.

Ryan – In short, Ryan is a “big hunk of man.” I don’t know how he keeps the fawning ladies at bay because with one boyish-grin and blue/green-eyed glance, you’re thunderstruck. I appreciate his sharp wit, sarcastic, but engaging blog posts, and confidence because not many people can own a room quite like Big Bird (especially in DC Comics PJs). Though his basketball game needs some work (HORSE), I find comfort in knowing there is a man among the boys of 602.

Danny – Until a few days ago, my first thought concerning Danny was “Get this boy some milk!” From his mishaps, one would think he was a klutz. This statement is untrue in the context of life, because despite only being a rising sophomore, he has more life direction than many rising seniors. He is hardworking and dedicated to his internship; he has been spotted working on stuff for his internship after hours. Additionally, I am thankful for him introducing me to Dexter.

Suite 601: Potpourri + Baking Central

Lauren – As our group’s “Recovering RA,” it’s only fitting we made sure Lauren had her share of crazy moments, pushing her to jokingly say, “You’ve ruined me!” What is most unforgettable about Lauren is not her distinctive and ¬catching giggle or her big, blue eyes, but her caring nature as episodes from this summer have shown. Although we see wearing heels very differently (Her: Eh, heels / Me: The higher, the better), I’m glad we agree on two things: eyeliner and SATC.

Abby – This shirt describes Abby pretty well, hence why it is in her possession. Looking at her, one might think that she is prim and proper, but watch out! She is quite the deadly fighter as she attacks with her patented high-elbow offense from up high, which prevents even the most skilled combatant (e.g. Tim, a wrestler of thirteen-years) from retaliation. Additionally, she can strike some killer poses, and she can make men cower in fear with just one glance.

Britney – Britney is one of the most put-together people I have ever met. This characteristic covers everything from her daily dress (sans that pair of zipper-back Tommy Jeans) to her general way of carrying herself (e.g. her smooth handling of the recent transportation dilemma – Thanks for being a lifesaver!). I’ve never heard her say anything petty or unwarranted, which is a trait I strive to attain one day. She just epitomizes class.

Bonnie – Though people think Bonnie is a quiet individual, I have gotten to see the opposite. She and I have bonded over our mutual Asian culture shock experience upon getting to Duke during a meal at Café Maspero. We’ve learned that we also share other similarities (e.g. favorite Project Runway designers, Cheesecake Factory cheesecake) and despite her reserved demeanor, I have seen glimpses of Bonnie’s crazy side. Just ask her about rainy days and slip n’ slides.

Megan – I cannot believe I had not crossed paths with Meg before this trip because we share a fair number of close friends (The Brick?) In my opinion, Meg is the most outspoken, yet eloquent, person on this trip and she’s not afraid to tell you her educated views (Thanks to slate.com). I wouldn’t have survived this summer without our Gchat conversations, talks about “feelings,” and a three-letter word. NBD! Also, she makes wonderful chocolate birthday cakes shaped like hats.
 

 

This past Tuesday I turned 21, the last “good” birthday, and as my friend, Adam, sarcastically wrote on my Facebook wall, “Sucks that you had to celebrate your birthday in New Orleans. I don't even think there are bars there. Oh well, hope it was good anyway.” Though I had the opportunity to mark my big day on the likes of Bourbon Street and various bars and happy hours, my experience at Hookah Café on Frenchmen Street ranks as the best day of my birthday week. Whether it was the people there or the general ambience of the location, the night was fun beyond words. It was marked by many laughs (“Let me focus like a laser beam until the saxophone player starts playing”), good music (supplied by the one and only Troy Sawyer), and good people.

Until that night, my perception of college social life was limited to the typical bar scene or club. I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy my time spent dancing to such sweet tunes as “Wannabe” by Spice Girls with my friends, but it was a narrow-focused idea of fun. Since starting college, I have viewed socializing under the context of drinking as the norm, and I will unabashedly say that my college experience would seem incomplete without it because I would not have the friends or memories I do now. Though I always knew that there was more to college social life than late night cheese fries/Cosmic Cantina, PhotoHunt, and Shoots, July 19, 2008 marks the day I fully realized the classic simplicity behind good times.

Good Times Martini

Ingredients:
1 part Good people
1 part Good music
.5 part Legalized fun (e.g. hookah) - Optional

Directions:
Prepare a shaker full of ice, then add Good people, next add the Good music, next add the Legalized fun. Shake for half a minute or so. You should get a mild meringue on top when you pour.

As Sunday approached and arrived, I realized it was once again time to blog and as usual, I struggled to arrive upon a subject worthy of consideration. As I sat at Rue de la Course (a quaint, coffee shop located on Magazine Street) with others from the program, I asked out loud, “What should I write about?” “Me!” was the emphatic response from the three people closest to me. I figured those replies warranted an entry on the diverse individuals I have had the pleasure of getting to know these past six weeks. Ashley said it was odd that no one had written about the people on the program, so I guess I will be a pioneer and explore the many personalities encountered on the 6th floor. Of course what I write will merely be basic character summaries, but hopefully, I can expand on them as my time in NOLA comes to an end.

My first interaction with everyone on DukeEngage NOLA was at our group’s workshop. Upon seeing them sitting around eating Dillo, I thought to myself, “This summer will suck.” I thought this because I did not personally know any of the people around me besides Shantel. They were strangers, just faces I had sometime seen walking to class, eating at the Loop, or studying in Perkins. However, as my close proximity to New Orleans these past few weeks has led me to embrace the city, my close proximity to those once-strangers has led me to embrace them as friends.

I would like to preface the following summaries by saying that I have the utmost respect for everyone on this program and that nothing I write below is meant to be sarcastic or offensive.

To be continued...

Every week I struggle to choose a topic or theme on which I should focus my blog entry because there is the need to not only give my NOLA experience justice, but also the desire to entertain those who may happen upon my thoughts. Therefore, the more exciting the week, the more choices I have and thus, the more time is required to decide which subject provides the “right” fit (aka "What is the flavor of the week?"). This past week, I had the following options:

1) Health-care policy discussion (Pre-K & Post-K) over Thursday night dinner at Dr. Bronfin’s
2) Education policy in New Orleans over an alligator sausage po-boy and sweet potato fries
3) Friday night at the Superdome for Essence Fest ‘08
4) My thoughts on DukeEngage at the halfway mark of the program

During my free time, I often start blog entries, but whether it is due to time restraints or my general ADD behavior, the entries rarely see their endings. Therefore, I am left with fragments of sentences, thoughts, and experiences, making my time in New Orleans seem disjointed and incomplete.

In a way, I do believe my NOLA experience is incomplete. It’s shocking to me that I have finished my fifth week of DukeEngage. Where have the past five weeks gone? What work do I have to show for my time here? Who have I helped? I find this particular question alarming. I have seen little physical evidence of the work I meant to accomplish, and I fear my goals for why I came to New Orleans will be unfilled by summer’s end. As fun as it has been to see the historic sites and experience the rich culture, I feel there has been an unfair exchange between the Crescent City and me. Whereas I’ve gained a wide range of knowledge about the history, food, and people, I feel my contribution has been close-handed and insignificant in comparison. Since my visit post-Katrina my freshmen year, I have yearned to come back to see how much or little the city and its neighboring areas have changed. Upon learning of DukeEngage, I immediately applied to satisfy not only my curiosity, but also my interest in helping a beleaguered city get back on its feet.

During the dinner discussion at Dr. Bronfin’s house this past Thursday, the talk turned to how the role of local doctors has changed due to Katrina, the lack of primary care physicians and specialists, and the ineffectual method of reimbursing healthcare providers. The only factor I can impact is the second; it is well-known fact throughout the medical community that almost every health-related profession will show a shortage within the next ten years. Due to this statistic, Ochsner’s Knowledge Management (KM) and Academic Outreach (AO) programs has entrusted me to develop an online career exploration program to encourage local middle and high school students to pursue medical-related careers. The first step involves creating a collection of mini-videos highlighting different health-based jobs (e.g. medical coder, pediatrician, physical therapist), which will be available online. These videos will profile individuals from the hospital talking about their day-to-day activities, their career influences, and their occupational goals. Ultimately, the hospital hopes that providing students with an easy portal for healthcare knowledge will provide hope for a brighter future and inspire students to aspire for something bigger and greater than what they thought was possible.

This program is still in its early stages, and although I have interviews set up and understand it will take time to get this project off the ground, I cannot help feeling anxiety about its completion and success. I’m flattered that KM and AO believe in my abilities to effectively complete the videos, but I also know that a large portion of the project’s success relies on how well I make all the parts come together as a whole. Although it is impossible to say if local students will watch these mini-videos and gain motivation, something is better than nothing. Even if I learn that only one student was influenced by my work, then it will all be worth it. Yet, I still feel restless. I believe in “Seeing is believing,” so until I see the finished project, I do not see my worries going away. Eh! Responsibility is really a double-edged sword.