Group Debriefing - All 40 PHAST Gulf Trip members finally met in whole last Thursday. One promising outcome is a strong interest in starting some kind of satellite group that will focus on sustainable Katrina/Rita efforts along the Gulf Coast. Good to get input from members of other projects, as we all had very different experiences and perspectives on how to move on productively.

I'm not sure about how I felt about the meeting. I noticed a relatively quiet New Orleans group throughout. By the end the meeting, I burned with unresolved points I had wanted to bring up, but had missed the time or opportunity. So many people wanting to chime in. Great to hear all the different perspectives, but it was hard at times to believe that that some of my peers had spent the week in the same hurricane-devastated area. I certainly didn't feel as optimistic as some of them.

Different Takes - After the meeting, a teammate/friend and I went to see a screening of The Grace Lee Project (check it out). On the way, she talked about how hadn't been able to contribute to the meeting at all because she felt like her experience had been so different. So many peers talked about experiencing "the call to service" because it was their first time to witness disparity and poverty. Well, what if we already knew about poverty and disparity before going on the trip? What if we already understood the call to service? My friend has not had much support and feels quite alone. I felt a different reaction as well, not surprised by the poverty or disparity, but more overwhelmed by the enormity of this problem. People still don't seem to grasp it, even those who were on this trip.