Together again.

The Whoxy kids met up again for the first time since Saturday at Genaro's house tonight. It was wonderful to see each other again, and it felt like it had been eons since we were together in New Orleans. The reunion was needed; for most of us, meeting up again was more important than returning to school. We had bonded so closely during those three weeks, and if the meeting is any indication, the bonds will not be breaking any time soon.

We squeezed together in the warm living room and talked about the problems of returning to the clean world. Some of us still can't sleep in beds; Justin prefers his sleeping bag, and Ian said that Peter, who wasn't there, sleeps in the tent he had brought to St. Mary's, and takes baths because he was so used to bathing at the Womens' Center. Some of us have difficulty getting back to the world of academia; others are happy to be back and feel fortunate to be learning. We all shared feelings of anger and impatience and don't care much for material wealth anymore. We are all having difficulty finding worth in some old friendships. There's some guilt in being back (though as Kai reminded us, feeling guilty helps no one.) Three weeks away from our old world is enough, in some ways, to turn us away from it altogether.

The course may be over, but the activism is not. We are all set on going back. Some during Mardi Gras, some during spring break, some during summer. Brandon and Malik might make it out to California to give a speech or two at our colleges, which would be amazing.

We may have left New Orleans, but New Orleans will not leave us.