NY2NO

Today my group of 5 girls and 1 boy worked on clearing an overgrown lot.  Talk about girl power!  The weeds were about 7 feet tall at their highest points.  When we were driven there we thought it was a joke.  The lot was enormous and filled with thick vegetation.  As we made our way through the jungle, we couldn't stop ourselves from singing various songs.  A neighbor right in front of the lot, who was working on his own lawn, was kind enough to let us sit on his porch when we rested.  Mr.Sims indulged us on stories about fishing and cooking methods.  He invited us to his beautiful home and gave us great advice.  "Wear long shirts and long pants" he said.  While I wasn't too sure about the long shirts, long pants can only be a benefit.  I could never imagine anyone ever inviting me to their home in New York City.  His warmth and hospitality made working much more enjoyable.  Even when he told us we had been clearing the wrong lot.  When doing something as difficult as clearing a lot, it means so much more when you actually meet people who are affected by it.  When I cleared lots on previous days it seemed I was doing it for no one, just for the heck of it, but to meet a person and see a face is so much better.  I would have done the hard work regardless, but the impression of the people here down in the ninth ward is something that will last longer than the aches of my body.

-Andrea Belen