When It’s Time to Relocate

Two years ago this week, an angry lady named Katrina blew into New Orleans, leaving 80 percent of the city underwater. The devastation after Hurricane Katrina was hard to imagine -- and still is. Even now, the Big Easy is struggling to right itself and rebuild.

I ran across this NPR essay, written by a Katrina Media Fellow at the Open Society Institute. The author clearly is deeply in love with New Orleans, with all its color, pageantry and richness of heritage, and points out that unlike many reporters, she actually lived there instead of just working there. But the reality is, she needed to leave, because it’s not safe to stay anymore. You can feel the anguish in her words.

And she’s definitely not the only one. Many have fled out of the wrecked city, starting new lives elsewhere, complete with new jobs. It can’t be easy to abandon your home. But sometimes, it’s necessary.

If you need to relocate, for any reason, check out these articles for help.

And as for New Orleans -- which the author describes thusly: “It's like a battered beauty queen. Hard to look at, and messed up even more on the inside, but still so regal and charming” -- I hope someday, people can use our relocation advice to repopulate this Southern gem.

For more information, check out our Move On section.

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