Darrel Holnes is a University of Houston student for his second college year. He was born here in Houston and raised in Panama City by his Panamanian parents. Aside from visits to the United States, moving to the New Orleans, Louisiana to attend Loyola University would have been his first time living in the United States since he was two weeks old.

Darrel told me the story of how he was so very excited to attend Loyola University and how he had spent his time in New Orleans, on the campus and around the city cultivating his new community of friends and learning his way around. He talked about how much he enjoyed the ambiance of the city because of the atmosphere that its citizens created. He talked about how much he’d looked forward to being in New Orleans to live, when he was graduating from his international high school in Panama City. He was planning to be the ultimate host and tour guide in New Orleans for Mardi Gras and the Jazz Fest and just for visitors from his home town. And the dream was made real when his parents drove him to Loyola after flying in to visit to Houston rounding out his summer vacation.

Just as eagerly as he had arrived at his new life, as sullenly did he depart to Houston leaving behind the life he’d fully lived in his dreams and only started in reality. Darrel’s parents evacuated the city with him and his sister, (who was Savannah bound for college), to return Houston the day before the mandatory evacuation was called. They were about the business of continuing their lives in the wake of Darrel’s dashed hopes to be a part of the New Orleans culture and community. With some queries and consultations, Darrel was enrolled in the University of Houston and moved into the dorms for U of H students Cullen Oaks.

He was wishing to return to New Orleans in spite of everything. His parents, in their infinite wisdom and natural care, determined that he could not return to New Orleans for that first semester. They were right and Darrel understood that they were right, and yet he said that for a semester and a half, he held out hope to return to New Orleans.

Darrel told of how he tried to help some foreign students at Loyola University to make arrangements to get home. Largely his efforts failed because the University just wasn’t prepared to facilitate such a catastrophe as what they were experiencing. He talked about how his family had to leave in a car that was planned for three and now had four and so much luggage as to add to the discomfort of the extended ride time to Houston. Darrel shared about how much he felt accepted by the people of New Orleans in the city and then again in the city of Houston as an evacuee. He was fully embraced by people that he’d lived with for only two weeks. He seemed greatly impressed that people could be so warm even in the face of the poignant adversity of their personal circumstances. Even though he made the effort to separate himself from the New Orleanians since he suffered much less than those longtime residents of the city, he was still claimed and accepted as one of “us.”

Darrel said that he wanted his family to know that they were alright. And when the communications were interrupted, he was trying to send text messages to friends and family to let them know. He was trying to keep up with his friends regarding who was going where and when.

Darrel talked about the things that he saw on television regarding the treatment of the citizens of New Orleans. He talked about being shocked at the obvious neglect that the citizens of the United States were shown, by the same government that presented itself to the rest of the world as this really generous and capable super power. At times he did question what it was exactly that he had come to in returning to America.

Darrel’s outgoing and gregarious personality will not be quieted. He has cultivated a community of peers here in Houston among the students on campus including international students and some students from Loyola as well. His really close friend is from Guatemala. She and he have a bond that transcends the regular and they became close. She lived in New Orleans all her life and had family there during and after the storm. She lost family there and shared her stories with Darrel. Her family and story became a part of him through their sharing. And he expressed his gratitude that it was not as bad as it could have been for him.

Darrel is of the opinion that the lives saved by people fleeing to Houston is a greater good than the bad things of the lost lives due to the criminal element that was in the ranks. He tries to share this with people who are bitter about the entire group being here and who are unable to see clearly the details of the event.