Going to Texas will bring with it many new experiences. Some of these experiences include a change in environment, while others include a change in culture and community. I look forward to the new experiences Texas brings. I am most looking forward to getting to know some of the people who have devoted their time to the humanitarian works within the border lands and those who call the area their home. Being raised in America by parents from New Zealand gave me a unique perspective of American culture. I’m interested to see if anyone in Texas may have had a similar experience growing up so close to the Mexican border, or possibly being a dual-citizen themselves. I hope by the end of this trip, I will have a better understanding of what is occurring in Texas and along the Mexican border. My understanding of this humanitarian crisis can only go so far without witnessing it for myself.
Texas will be very challenging because again, it encompasses both a different environment and culture within the community. Going into any new community as an outsider can be difficult, but going to Texas will be quite different as we are entering the community trying to understand and help with the humanitarian crisis. As an outsider, I think a substantial challenge will be adjusting to the cultural changes from my background to the background of those living in the Texas-Mexico borderlands. Another challenge will be the environment of the Texas landscape. Texas is hot and contains snakes, spiders, and boars; all of which I did not grow up with. Even though it will be a challenge, I am looking forward to the many new experiences this trip will bring.
I think this experience will be life changing. That sounds cheesy, but I mean it. Going to Texas allows us to experience a very small part of what these undocumented border crossers face throughout their journey. You don’t know what they are going through and we will never know exactly what they go through, but we can try and understand them.