Hurricane Katrina: A great escape for this Goan family
BY RONITA TORCATO
Goan expats Bernadette and Dr Terence DSouza were among the fortunate ones who escaped in time from the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
We are presently in Virginia, longing to go back home but know that we cant for a very long time until the city infrastructure is rebuilt informs Quepem-born Bernadette, who grew up in Mumbai, went to the US in 1978, and works as Managing Attorney with the Domestic Violence Unit of New Orleans Legal Assistance where she represents victims of domestic violence in securing divorces, custody of minor children, spousal and child support and other related issues that confront victims of abuse. Terence, whose parents hail from Cuncolim and Velim, is a neurologist with an office in Kenner, New Orleans.
The DSouzas are grateful that they were able to leave timely following a mandatory evacuation, with their daughter Vanessa who just started her first
year at the Tulane University School of Law from which Bernadette had received her Juris Doctor in 1993. She had opted to stay home with her and her husbands three children when they were young and to enter law school later.
Both Terry and I will probably be looking for temporary jobs just so we can stay sane. We miss our home and work. I worry about my city - a city steeped in rich culture and heritage. I cant believe the devastation, anarchy and chaos. I do have word that except for fallen oak trees, the area we live did not suffer as much water damage as the rest of the city.
The reason why they didnt leave the city immediately when the first alert about Hurricane Katrina was sounded, was because we had friends visiting us with their three children from Italy. After we managed to get them on a flight out of New Orleans we began our preparations to leave.
Describing the evacuation, she says the trip was rather arduous
given the fact that thousands of people were fleeing the city en masse. We drove over Lake Pontchartrain. It was such a beautiful day, hard to imagine that the hurricane was soon approaching - the calm before the storm.
Despite the growing concerns of not finding any accommodation along the way and the horrific traffic jams, we made it safely to a small town, McKinney in Texas.
In McKinney, they were unable to reach anyone since the telephone network was overloaded. Finally, they managed to contact Dr DSouzas youngest sister Trudy in Virginia and a couple of days later made our way up here. We are safe and I want to thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers.
The DSouzas have access to a computer now and Bernadette has been in touch with her family (and this correspondent) by email.
America has helped Bernadette grow in ways unimaginable in Mumbai. She was one of eleven women named by Governor
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco from across the state to serve on the Louisiana Commission on Womens Policy and Research.
Bernadette may not have (mercifully) experienced the rampaging hurricane but she has been touched by something else equally if not more terrifying, that some of us have seen in a Hollywood movie.
In 2000, one of her client was fatally shot by her estranged husband, which strengthened my commitment to domestic violence victims, says Bernadette.
Last year, she ran for judgeship in a Civil District Court and promised to create a family court in New Orleans if elected.
In August, she helped establish the Visitation and Exchange Center, a place where children can visit the non-custodial parent under the watchful gaze of police officers and trained monitors. The US Department of Justice had provided financial assistance through its Office of Violence Against Women. The city government, Sixth
Avenue Baptist Church, NOPD, the Childrens Bureau of New Orleans, Watson Memorial Teaching Ministries and the YWCA also provided funding.
(courtesy: www.oheraldo.in)
This first of its kind Gulf-Goans e-newsletter is dedicated to Goans around the Globe. http://www.goa-world.com/ Team, moderated by Almeida Gaspar since 1994 & presented by Ulysses Menezes, owner of http://www.goa-world.com website.
Quote of the Day
The past gives us experience and memories; the present gives us
challenges and opportunities; the future gives us vision and
hope.
"Konkani Film "ALL THE BEST" to be shoot in Kuwait shortly by T-Bush"
www.t-bush.com www.goa-world.com www.colaco.net
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
http://www.goa-world.com
http://www.live365.com/stations/61664 Live Konkani Music
http://www.mahableshwar.com/
Addresses:
Post message: [email protected]
Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
List owner: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
URL to this page:
http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/gulf-goans
YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
- Visit your group "gulf-goans" on the web.
- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
- Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
