Today we ate breakfast and then we went kayaking. It was so relaxing just strolling along and seeing all of the live that lives in and along the water. After that we got ready and left. We went down town in the Gulf City and we walked around and saw foundations and debris that was still there from Katrina five years ago! It was so sad- standing on the foundation thinking that there once was a family here, and they lost everything! Thinking about the water being thirty feet high and measuring that against the trees just seemed unreal! I cannot even comprehend my house being completely submerged in water. How would I feel? We also went to the Coast University. We walked around a little on campus and looked into some of the buildings. Just thinking and comparing this university to Shippensburg University was so devastating. The buildings we looked unto were still full of debris and it looked as if the hurricane just passed through last month! These students lost so much. Not only did the students lose everything but also the professors and faculty here lost jobs and relationships. It seems like the people here don't have anything! But after talking with some people I realized that they do, they have a lot really - they still have each other. They support each other and are always there in times of need. It's really awesome how much faith and hope these people have. Seeing all of the construction showed me that even through so many bad things are happening and they got knocked down they still pick themselves back up. They are starting over. It is so great to see this.
We then went to Ship Island. The island is eleven miles from the coast so we were on the boat for a little while. While on the boat I talked to a woman for most of the time. We talked about so much! She told me that she lived two hours north of here and they came down for the weekend for the car show. We talked about Hurricane Katrina and how her husband came down the weekend after this and brought food and water down to help out. This really inspired me! Seeing how when the government was absent that the community really came together and helped one another. We also talked about different issues going on and how they affect the people such has welfare and health care. So many people down here don't have life insurance because it is too expensive. They either have to choose to pay their mortgage or to pay for health insurance. It shouldn't be this way. It doesn't seem humane for people to choose either to have a home or to see a doctor. This woman was very inspirational. I am so happy I was able to talk with her, she really showed me how much one person can really influence another. The fact that I, Megan Fabbri from a small town in PA, can really make a difference in this world. When there is so many people who need help and assistance why would I just sit around and wait for someone else to help them when I can! There is so much to do in order to improve these people's lives. I want to make a difference and that is what I am going to do.
So anyway, back to the trip: on the island we learned about its history and learned about the battle that was there during the Civil War. It was interesting. We also learned a lot about the eco system on the island, and the purpose it serves on the mainland when hurricanes pass through. We also learned about the organisms and how they affect the island. I usually don't think about these kinds of things so I really learned a lot. It's so beautiful! It looks like paradise. The water is so blue. It is sad that there are workers here who are trying to remove the harmful toxins that were put there because of human's mistake, but it is still beautiful.
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