“New Orleans is not like other cities, and its Jazz & heritage Fetival is not like other music festivals,”’ Eliza Barclay writes in her article about her po-boy sandwich experience. She describes New Orleans’ Jazz Fest as “wonderfully chaotic and yet orderly.” I feel like this statement could describe New Orleans as a whole city, not just its Jazz Fest. When I think of New Orleans, I think of Mardi Gras, drinking, and Bourbon Street. All of which are “wonerfully chaotic” yet some how orderly simutaneously. The city does a lot of planning and working together with members of the community in order to make events in New Orleans run smoothly. At any New Orleans event, there is always food, music, alcohol, and lots of people. Most cities can’t handle all of these at once bt New Orleans does it year-round. From big events like Jazz Fest to smaller events mostly known to local and not so much tourists that seem to take place weekly, there is always something wonderfully chaotic going on in New Orleans that runs exactly according to plan in New Orleans. New Orleans puts so much effort into these productions because they are what holds the community so tightly together.

At the beginning of the semester I thought nothing of the concept of “Creole”. I heard it was a fun class so I signed up for it. Never had I imagined I would learn so much. I learned more than I ever thought was possible in a month. Not only did I learn about the indefinable Creole culture but I learned about its history and the history of New Orleans in general. When I came here, to New Orleans, at the beginning of the school year all I was focused on was getting through class, making new friends, and honestly, hitting up the boot. This class has broadened my horizons in so many ways. I knew a little bit about the rich culture and roots of New Orleans, but not as much as I should have. I had always thought it would be cool to do the tourist things like visiting plantations and voodoo shops, but without this class I’m not sure I ever would have. Reading about the history and touring the city made me aware of how many enriching and important things I am surrounded by each and every day. I am so thankful that this class and Dr. Hunt enabled me to experience so many interesting things throughout New Orleans. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our Saturday field trip.