As we wrap up our look back at this incredible experience, we’re grateful for the moments of curiosity, growth, and connection our students experienced:
Mysterious murky bayous beckon to us and we cannot refuse the call. We board our boat at Honey Island Swamp for today’s adventure. Our captain takes us deep into the bayou, past a settlement of houses perched at water’s edge. The river is their highway, and boats are their sole means of transport to work, school, and fun.
Moving on, we begin to spy young alligators sheltering in plants and lily pads near the shore. They know they are food for every other creature in the swamp so are careful about where they hide. Older ‘gators are easier to spot as they laze about. A small water snake resting on a broken limb just above the water slides gracefully away upon our approach. Turtles sun along logs, all in a row until our appearance causes some to slide silently into the water until we pass. A single osprey swoops over us on its way to join its mate on a limb above its massive nest. They watch over a teeming bayou that holds us in its embrace, allowing us to forget civilization for a short time.
Phoenix travelers are lured back to New Orleans to wander among the French Quarter’s streets that they found so fascinating on their first day. Music and aromas of fresh beignets accompany us on our explorations. We find a soulful group of musicians playing jazz on the street, wind through narrow streets of colorful doors and ironwork, ride a streetcar into modern New Orleans and find fresh, sweet beignets that we eat overlooking the mighty Mississippi River before heading back to Bogue Chitto.
