hi mom.

Well well well...not only is today one of the best days of the year (daylight savings time. duh.) but it's also the date that marks 18 more days left of the program. 18 more days. Team leader Tony asked me to remember the 18th day of the program...What a whirl wind year this had been...to say the least. I am currently in Birmingham, AL working with Habitat for Humanity and the three weeks prior to this the team was once again in New Orleans working with the Alliance for Affordable Energy. Habitat is pretty self explanatory and widely known but the Alliance is a small non-profit that works with the energy companies and homeowners to reduce the cost of living. Since the hurricane they have switched gears and are better educating homeowners on the importance of energy efficiency and getting them involved in making their homes energy efficient. Its a small organization with a lack of funding but the staff was great and we definitely learned a lot. I think it's safe to say that this last round has been by far the best in terms of the work being done. These two organizations, while very different, have been great to work with and really utilized the team - making our experience that much more worthwhile. I have learned so much in the past two weeks while working with Habitat...Roofing, J-Channeling, (an awful pain in the bum) framing, siding..etc. I have also learned the words to the same 15 country songs that get played on the radio everyday - that of which i am ashamed... 

I've decided to just give a run down of everything that has happened (in no specific order, of course)

1. We lost our trusty van Mable and gained Boufford. he's huge. 

2. We live in a dungeon in the supposed ghetto and almost go carbon monoxide poisoning our first night (not really) and some fear we will get rickets. (https://health.google.com/health/ref/Rickets)

3. We spent a total of 21 weeks in New Orleans probably making us candidates for citizenship.

4. There were no hurricanes for the last 3 months in New Orleans but there might as well have been because it rained everyday. We did a lot of cloud and water funnel watching. 

5. I am finished with all of my hours! 1,700...yowza.

6. We've become professional acoustic ceiling tile installers..and paint scrappers. both of which are pretty dangerous. As professionals we found different ways to use those tiles...such as cleaning up a flood on the second floor because of a lack of brooms/electricity and to add traction in the mud when Mable got stuck for 4 hours (don't try it at home)...we also painted them to make Camp Hope look stunning...and as weapons when fighting with each other. who knew they were so versatile. 

7. The Girl Scouts in New Orleans aren't as nice as the ones in Ohio. cajuns are feisty, that's for damn sure.

8. I got me a pair of boat shoes but didn't get the chance to wear them when we took a 6 hour ride/tour (which was supposed to be three...sound familiar?) of the mississippi river gulf outlet on a fishing or crabbing or clamming (who knows) boat owned by a man named george - we think we was nice considering we couldn't understand a word that was coming from his mouth. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_River-Gulf_Outlet_Canal 

http://www.mrgomustgo.org/

9. Wiring a house isnt as fun as it looks but, using a giant drill is pretty fun once you show it who's boss.

10. We went to the Civil Rights Institute which was really awesome and educational. Birmingham has a lot to offer..i think most of us wish we could have spent more time down here!

11. The cockroaches in New Orleans like to eat people food and snuggle in bed as much as my dog. neat. oh and apparently astroturf is the knew hard wood floor or tile in kitchens though again, i wouldn't try it at home because cockroaches like the feeling of it one their feet/toes/legs/gross.

12. You can lower the cost of your heating and cooling bills simply by spending days in your unbearably hot attic stapling up the thickest tin foil ever. and insulation is still really itchy especially when it gets blown up your AmeriShorts. yuck. (check us out!)

That's really all i can think of right now. We've got 5 days of work left which brings mixed emotions (I didn't know I had those until last night when I realized that in 18 days I'm not going to be going on a 3 day vacation and it will be a long time until i see some of the people i have shared every memory with for the last 10 months...how depressing) I couldn't be more excited to go home but I know i will miss these people and these crazy experiences (don't tell anyone is said so) It's been real and it's been fun. it's been real fun. But a new chapter awaits and i can't wait to begin it, whatever it may be.