So wayyyyy back in October I noticed that the International Reading Association was having its annual conference in New Orleans. Now, I LOVE to teach reading and I have wanted to go to NOLA for a while so it was the perfect opportunity.
My friend Jillian, from college, decided to come and join me! We met up in NOLA outside of out lodging, The Royal Barracks Guest House (amazing btw!). We stayed in the Jazz Room. (very atmosphere-y)
The first night, the proprietor of the Guest House invited us into the office, shared a bottle of wine with us, and gave us the lo-down on the city. Jill and I then went out to dinner on Bourbon Street and proceeded to get drunk off of (one) hurricanes. Those suckers were strong, we think the bartender was in on it. Later, we ended up up stumbling home, giggling to ourselves, very drunk, at 9pm.
The next day, I got up early and headed off to my conference. I went to a few different seminars (vocabulary instruction for ELL's and teaching with foldables) and wandered through the exhibition hall (where they give out freebies!). Later, Jillian and I went out in the POURING rain to Lafitte's Blacksmith's Bar (one of the bars you have to go to on Bourbon Street.)
The next day I went back to the conference and a few more seminars then some shopping and scarfing beignets and later met up with our other college water polo friend, Emily, (who oddly happened to be in New Orleans that weekend.) We went out to dinner and then out for a few drinks where we also met up with one of the girls I worked with in Tanzania, Maureen, who currently lives and teaches in NOLA. (This is the night that we wandered through the night art market, danced like maniacs, drunkenly ate beignets and coffee at 3am, went to the warring piano bar, and didnt make it back to our hotel until 6am)
Next day, more seminars, more delicious food and, possibly, more drinking. It was a truly amazing trip in terms of the conference (which I would love to go back to next year) and the friends and nightlife!
My friend Jillian, from college, decided to come and join me! We met up in NOLA outside of out lodging, The Royal Barracks Guest House (amazing btw!). We stayed in the Jazz Room. (very atmosphere-y)
The first night, the proprietor of the Guest House invited us into the office, shared a bottle of wine with us, and gave us the lo-down on the city. Jill and I then went out to dinner on Bourbon Street and proceeded to get drunk off of (one) hurricanes. Those suckers were strong, we think the bartender was in on it. Later, we ended up up stumbling home, giggling to ourselves, very drunk, at 9pm.
The next day, I got up early and headed off to my conference. I went to a few different seminars (vocabulary instruction for ELL's and teaching with foldables) and wandered through the exhibition hall (where they give out freebies!). Later, Jillian and I went out in the POURING rain to Lafitte's Blacksmith's Bar (one of the bars you have to go to on Bourbon Street.)
The next day I went back to the conference and a few more seminars then some shopping and scarfing beignets and later met up with our other college water polo friend, Emily, (who oddly happened to be in New Orleans that weekend.) We went out to dinner and then out for a few drinks where we also met up with one of the girls I worked with in Tanzania, Maureen, who currently lives and teaches in NOLA. (This is the night that we wandered through the night art market, danced like maniacs, drunkenly ate beignets and coffee at 3am, went to the warring piano bar, and didnt make it back to our hotel until 6am)
Next day, more seminars, more delicious food and, possibly, more drinking. It was a truly amazing trip in terms of the conference (which I would love to go back to next year) and the friends and nightlife!
