Hostel vs Hotel

Yes, the ‘s’ makes quite a difference. Hostels differ from motels and hotel in price and arrangement, where a cheap stay for a dormitory situation averages twenty dollars a night and a private room, fifty dollars. Though common and generally well maintained in Europe, American hostels greatly vary in quality and location. Online reviews collect a variety of opinions, which pieced together and edited create a telling description.

The Marquette House in New Orleans’ Garden District maintains two hundred beds in a convenient side street plot, a jump and fifty steps from a St.Charles street car stop. However, with the off season months, only twenty of those beds remain occupied, where the extended stay residents easily stand out. And they’re quite a ragamuffin, vagabond, smoker bunch. Well, except for the Americorp kids constantly catching a wifi signal in the lobby.

With my walking bys and hanging arounds, personalities emerged, decorating the generally stark grounds of the hostel. Nearly every morning I would descend the stairs to a shaggy blond guy uniformed in camouflage pants and a musty, green shirt perched on the picnic table smoking. The same red hooded man would offer to carry my fifty pound Crippled Suitcase up or down the stairs. And Clay, the only one I knew by name, passed by once in awhile fitted with a printed houndstooth zip up and beanie to go for a smoke or a walk in the neighborhood. As a lost boy, he will either end up continually floating or miraculously pull it together with a striking win. His arguments over industry and business left me confused and views on the younger working generation annoyed.

Thoughts of the latter frequently catch my consideration, especially when traveling and presented the opportunity to meet new people. The question arises if building one’s life around the job trumps building the job around one’s life. I have no idea, but only suggestions on figuring it all out. Recognize your needs, be it proximity to family or fiscal requirements. Keep your support close and open up to new people; talk about your aspirations. Work for the present and prepare for future opportunities. Try it out or go there and see. Alternative paths exist; directions can be changed when needed so keep a watchful eye and open ear. Be patience!

Clay’s opinion focused on the view that too many kids our age go blindly into a corporate job. Maybe yes, maybe no, but the deciding moment is if one chooses to stay and with what reasoning.

All said, I decided to leave the hostel to continue on my way. Not before spotting a peculiar red, plastic Christmas tree decorated with random paper things and Mardi gras beads in the corner of the lobby. Dana, one of the managers, leaned on the opposing wall, looking at the quirky display with disgust, “I know it’s horrendous, but I was stuck doing the decorations and it’s all we have.” Oh don’t worry Dana, it will fit right in.