| Sunday, February 18, 2007 |
| Confessions |
I have a confession to make.
I've only spent about 30 minutes at the border in my four years at the University of Arizona.
I know, ridiculous right? How is it that I can work for an online border publication and have such little experience at the border? How can you report or reflect on something you do not truly understand?
I'm not quite sure either.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
My first (and only) trip down to Nogales was in January 2004. It was the beginning of my second semester of freshman year and my best friend, her parents, her brother & her brother's friends were in town for the weekend. We did the usual Tucson attractions, you know, Old Tucson and ...Old Tucson. Then her family decided it would be a good idea to go down to Mexico for the afternoon. The drive isn't that long and it would be really neat to spent some time down there, maybe get something to eat.
Rich, Kristen, Mike, Josh, Kari
So down to Nogales we drove. It's about an hour drive, but the time seemed to pass pretty slowly. Still, with five college kids in the car, we were able to laugh most of the way down there. Finally, we arrived and proceeded to drive over the border to Mexico.
The view from the car on the way down to Mexico.
Now, my friend's dad has always been a character. "Bob stories" are infamous and the things he says can usually catch you so off-guard you find yourself lost in tears of laughter. However, there are moments with him you know will be funny when you look back on them someday... even if that day just won't be today.
And in true Bob-form, within minutes of crossing the border Bob took one look around and decided he wasn't too comfortable in Mexico. It didn't look like there was too much to do.
View from backseat of our van in Mexico.
We U-turned the van around and sat in line for about half an hour, waiting to board back into the United States. We spent more time in line, waiting to return to the U.S., than we did in Mexico thanks to Bob. I thought Kristen's mom was going to hit him.
The vendors, walking up and down the lines of cars
who were waiting to enter the U.S.
We never even got out of the car. And thus ended my experience in Mexico...
Until now.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I've come to realize, the only way to grow and change your perspectives is to physically and mentally push yourself into situations that will help you embrace those changes. How could I possibly even begin to fulfill my duties as co-editor-in-chief of a border publication, when I've never even truly experienced the region we are writing about? Maybe I've witnessed some of the social distinctions and stereotypes in Tucson, since we are so close to those issues, but the region itself I have not even begun to uncover.
It makes you wonder though, how many people get away with writing about something they have experienced very little?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thus begins my attempt to do more than I really have time for!
My most recent attempts include reading the following two books I purchased off of Amazon.com:
1. Enrique's Journey, by Sonia Nazario.
2. A Home on the Field, by Paul Cuadros.
The first one has been heavily recommended by my professor since day one, and I keep passing it in the bookstore on campus. The second book, A Home on the Field, was recommended by Olga Briseño who I wrote about last week; Olga hopes to have the author speak sometime this semester and it would be really fascinating to read his work before hearing him speak on the issue.
Besides, I love reading. Probably more than I love many other activities. Unfortunately school has tainted my passion for reading by sucking up my entire life and spitting it back out again with very little room (or desire) to read beyond the required textbook list. So this semester, I have been trying to read as much as I can for pleasure -- even if a book takes me a couple weeks to get through. Hopefully I will be able to make a lot more time for these two books, as I work my way through my semester. I am sure there is an endless amount of worth I can gain from both of them.
Other attempts I have made this past week include food, which I also happen to love.
Amanda Hines and I traveled down to one of Tucson's most famous Mexican restaurants El Guero Canelo to video tape our visit for Borderbeat.
I don't want to give away too much, because I'd like to leave some information for you to read in the article Katrina wrote and in the video Amanda and I captured... but it was quite the experience.
Sonoran hotdogs!
Maybe it's not exactly like being in Mexico... but any reason I can use as an excuse to go back as often as possible is a reason I am willing to accept!
Speaking of being in Mexico... that is the next trip I currently have in the works.
My friend Karla, who I referred to in my first blog, is from Nogales and is planning on taking Amanda and myself down there for three days in the beginning of March. Her parents already have an agenda planned, but Amanda and I are hoping to bring back lots of videos, photos, interviews and insights into Borderbeat upon our return.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Not that a couple of books, Mexican food and a three-day trip to the border will make me an expert on the issues that we are covering, but then again -- ANY great work does not simply come together in the matter of a day or even a year. The things we can truly be most proud of are the collaboration of years worth of effort and intrigue. In ways, it is sad that it is already February. Time works against us, as deadlines come and go and work never ceases to pile up. I'd better be careful -- I may just blink and find myself in line at graduation.
I'm not going to lie -- there are times when I even wonder what we are trying to do here. But then I look back and think about the things in my life that I have been most proud of... and sure enough, every single one of those events (at one time or another) I seemed to have lost a little faith in. Yet more importantly -- every single event also forced me to carry on, even when I was unsure. And carrying on, even when you are unsure of where you are headed, can produce the most satisfying of results.
All photos taken by Kari Shaffer. |
posted by Border Reflections @ 9:06 PM  |
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