Katrina Disaster Relief - My Immersion Experience

I didn't know what to expect when I got into Louisiana. There was a part of me that assumed a lot of New Orleans would be rebuilt based on what I saw in the media. Well, I was very wrong. Even in neighboring cities, the damage was incredible. Families forced to leave buildings they once called home, now lay as nothing but foundation. It was an eye-opening experience going on the Immersion/EBP trip down south. We spent time in a near by city distributing food and supplies at a local church. We also spent time rebuilding the church by replacing dry wall, roofing materials, and installing windows. Our group then spent time working with a volunteer group called Common Ground. We stayed overnight in a run down school building in the upper 9th ward of New Orleans, and then during the day we worked in the lower 9th ward mowing lawns and picking up debris. Picking up debris was unbelievable because there were so many personal items discovered such as photographs and ID's.

Being in New Orleans for spring break was an invaluable experience because I finally saw and heard the truth about the situation post-Hurricane Katrina. I couldn't have spent my spring break time in a better way. From my experience in New Orleans I became inspired to become more actively involved in the Immersion/EBP program. Now I am one of the program coordinators, and my personal mission is to have participants come back reflecting on their own eye-opening experience.

I am also co-leading the winter break trip to Costa Rica with Dustin Dresser. I look forward to bringing my travel experience abroad to help the trip run smoothly while getting a lot of work done to help the communities within Costa Rica. This program is a great opportunity to experience something different during school breaks and give back to the community. Hope you all can participate in this program. Pura vida!

-Eric Garvey
Program Coordinator
Psych Major & Management Minor
Class of '08

My-Immersion

My Y-Immersion started last spring break 2007 when I went to New Orleans for hurricane relief work. I was shocked to see that even after a year and a half after the storm the city is still in shambles. Our volunteer work further proved that much help is still needed. We volunteered at a church helping make food packs for displaced New Orleans residents and we also helped do a neighborhood clean up in the ninth ward. Working in the ninth ward was unreal because in some areas there were no houses, just overgrown prairie grasses and trash from the storm that was scattered all over the lots. Participating in this trip really helped me realize that even in our own country there are areas that scarcely resemble a first world country.

From this experience and previous travel experience I decided this year to be a coordinator for the Y-Immersion program and lead my own trip to Costa Rica. I think travelling at this age is the best time to travel because you are young and you can really learn a lot about yourself and your world before you graduate and start working full time. Lots of times time spent abroad will help you determine what you want to do after graduation or help you decide on a major. After graduation in May 2008 I hope to do a lot more travelling and even live abroad for a few years.

I look forward to training many trip leaders this year and look forward to them leading their trips and exposing more young people to important social and environmental issues that often get overlooked in the fast paced environment of college. Y-Immersion a great opportunity that I think everyone should experience.