First Day Here- Ryan Gale

It is great to finally be in New Orleans again. The drive down was long and tedious, as to be expected for a van ride with eight other people for 25 hours. We did not hit any bad weather, which made the trip a little bit easier and less stressful. Upon returning to New Orleans for my fourth and final year it was good to see that the city is as active and as vibrant as always. Downtown New Orleans looks no different, however, after going on the driving tour today, it was great to see some progress made. While there is definite progress from last year, there is still much work to be done. The consistent volunteer base here will ensure that this work will be completed. Aside from the physical progress of the city, with the Saints playing their first playoff game here tonight and the BCS Championship game being played here on Monday night, it is clear that the city is back and ready to host major events such as these. I am sincerely looking forward to the rest of the week here.