The trip to Nogales, Mexico with the people of Boderlinks and our Migration and Culture class, was an important and touching experience.  I was glad to be part of a day of learning, understanding and sharing with my classmates, professor, members of Borderlinks organization and the people of Nogales.  I definitely learned a lot at the Grupo Beta site.  Before this trio I did not know of their existence.  Their pamphlet was a hit at my house. My 8 year old learned a little about migration.  I would like to see how well Grupo Beta’s new doctrine works for them in them and the people they are reaching out to, in the future.  I hope they stay a helping organization and not return to a military and intimidating one.  I hope that they can save live that may have been lost to the hardships of migration from Mexico to the U.S.

Lunch with Dona Ophelia was quite a unique experience.  I was pleased to witness human endurance and hope under such harsh conditions.  I was saddened by and reminded of the difficult circumstances that so many of the people in the world live under.  The people of the Colonia Colosio impressed me with their ability to produce homes, business and a community out of nothing and knowing that they could be removed from the land they were squatting at any time.  I hope that the lag in our economy does not completely destroy the fragile way of life that the people of Nogales are dependant on.

I was inspired by Madre Socorro and her commitment to help, change and educate.  The trip to the grocery store was the most educational part of the trip for me.  I know that I live on a grocery budget that many Americans would find hard to live by, but if I lived in Nogales I don’t know how I would feed my family. I commend the men and women of Nogales on their ability to provide for their families.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Nogales and am now even more inspire to go on in my education and goals to help people.  I hope I am able to take more such trips to learn more about people being affected by globalization, urbanization, militariazation and so on around the world.  I am motivated an inspired, with renewed hope.

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