Migration & Culture
Borderlinks Trip
On Wednesday we as a class went on a trip to Nogales, Mexico. I expected
to see
Unhappy people, which are desperately looking for a way out of their
country. What I did find was quite the opposite. The family we stayed with
told us they were happy to live in Mexico and tried to stay in America for
some time but decided to come back home because they worked so much they
were unable to see their family’s. The mother told us that she enjoyed the
way she lived, because she owned her house and property. “In America we
wouldn’t be able to have our own a home or see our children”. We also
talked about school and how it costs them $18 per month to send their
three kids but they are unable to send them because it costs much money,
though they do go when they are able.
As I looked around I noticed unfinished walls and gaps in the ceiling.
They didn’t have heat or even running water, I was just so uncomfortable
thinking what I had at home and what was n
ot available to me here. How
could they keep clean and stay warm at night? Then the mother looked at me
and said, “The house is falling a little each week”. That wasn’t actually
what she said but my Spanish is so rusty that was what I thought. I looked
to our guide and he told. “It may look ugly but we do a little each week”.
I was very aware now that unlike in the U.S. the Mexican way of living
hasn’t any stress and they take one day at a time to spend more with
family and enjoying today. I couldn’t fathom the thought of living in
Mexico with what I grew up with in my life, but they cannot fathom the
thought of living my life either. So today I realized that though we have
cable, we might not actually have it all. When was the last time you sat
down with your family and had dinner at the table as a family? When did
you last come to your home and all your family is there to talk and see
each other and find out what they did today? I tell you what, I have a few
things in life, but I do not have the sense of family that they do. You
could say I’m envious of how little those Mexican family’s have and still
they do not complain to anyone, while we complain about our new car
doesn’t have a sun roof. This trip really opened my eyes and showed me I
may not have everything I want in life, but I do have what I need.
