Trip to Nogales

On this trip to Nogales, Mexico, I believe I’ve learned a lot on how the residents live and what they go through everyday.  It has really opened my eyes on what we take for granted.  Throughout the trip, the further and further we dug out our information, the more I felt for those who lived in Nogales, Mexico.  When we arrived to the border, we toured the Border Patrol’s Headquarters.  We learned how they contributed the stop of the flood of immigration into the U.S over time.  Many are opposed to the Border Patrol, like the Border Action Network group we met with before we met with the Border Patrol.  Some of the things they do and the way they treat the immigrants are questionable and I do agree that they should be treated better.  I believe that everyone should have a chance to have a better life for themselves and their families, but I also appreciate the Border Patrol for doing their jobs because they have stopped some of the drug smugglers and those who just want a “free ride”.  I understand that it’s extremely hard to get into the states legally, but if they immigrants continue to “run across the border”, they will either get cause, or have a slim chance for survival.  Seems to me that the Border Patrol have a good idea on what immigrants try to do as they try to cross, and they also have very useful technology to catch them. 

When we had lunch in the Colonias and got a chance to talk to those who lived there, I saw what they lived like and felt sorry for them.  I had never been to Nogales, Mexico before so I had no idea what it was like there, it made me understand a little more why they wanted to cross the border.  When we pulled up to the house we were going to have lunch in, I could not believe my eyes, this is what it looked like:

When I went inside the home, I was shocked to see that what I saw was the entire house.  I learned three people lived there with no running water, no stove to cook on, no bathroom except for the out house, no separate rooms for each of them, no background for the little boy to play in, and no air control for the winter or the summer time.  It was hard to imagine living there with others comfortably.  It showed me to treasure the comfort I live in now, and giving to charity wouldn’t be a bad idea from now on. 

            After we ate at the welcoming homes of the residents, we went to a Maquiladora were they made elevators.  What we read in our readings “We Are Not Machines” (Borderlinks Reading Packet) I was under the impression that usually only women worked there.  As it says in the readings, “Usually, only women are hired in the maquiladoras creating conflicts because the men cannot find work.”  When we went to the maquiladora, I found that half the workers were men as well as women.  I guess that particular one served many in the U.S. and was known to treat their workers with good medical care, working conditions, and pay.  Our readings showed a different view on the maquiladoras more as a sweat shop rather that a decent place to work.  I guess I was expecting to see more of the underpaid sweat shop but was glad to see the more upscale maquiladora and that the workers were treated with respect.

            We had a wrap up talk with Kiko Trujillo who was very welcoming, him and the whole crew at the children’s center.  The food was good and the environment was friendly.  That center was made for the kids that live around there and any other kid who knows about it.  It’s a place for them to play and more importantly, eat.  Many of the families are not able to feed their children properly because they are either working, or just don’t have the funds to provide for them.  The center feed’s the children everyday and supports malnutritioned bodies.  It reminded me of the article “Why Can’t People Feed Themselves?  ‘There are so many people in the world not able to feed themselves adequately.’” (pg 195)  It’s nice knowing there are centers like this that are able to take care of the community.

           To conclude out trip, we departed Nogales, Mexico and headed back to the States.  The trip was a good experience and I believe I’ve taken a lot from this experience.  Going into the trip, I had no idea what to expect simply because I’ve never been there before.  Seeing what I saw, I understand a little more what they go through and the reasons why they do what they do.  I will remember what I saw, and hope everyone else learned something good out of this as well.