I have been packing for this trip for about a month. At first, I was so focused on buying a pair of sturdy boots that everything else I have on my list faded into the background. Once I bought them, all I could think about was breaking them in. It seemed like it would be the end of the world if I didn’t and every time I wore them I was reminded of this incredible experience I was about to embark on. I think I focused so hard on those boots because I was afraid to prepare emotionally for what we are going to experience. There are so many things that I am looking forward to going into this trip, but there is a lot that I know will be challenging for me, physically and emotionally.
One, I am excited to experience a culture different than my own. South Texas will likely be an environment I have never experienced before and I will meet people who go through life in completely different ways than me or anyone I know. Two, I am excited to test my field skills and learn new ones. I have done archaeological work in western Illinois, but I know the environment is not comparable to what we will experience in south Texas. There will be more physical stresses present and added emotional stresses that I know to expect. Three, I am excited to learn more about the life experiences of individuals crossing the border. For everything that I am looking forward to, when considering this aspect of the trip, excited does not seem like the right word to say. We will be searching for individuals who have struggled more than I could ever understand and I am not yet sure how I will handle this. I aim to stay positive with my team and respectful of every individual we come across, and I believe the best way to prepare my self for this is to become as educated on the situation as possible before traveling down. Of course there are things that I will not learn from a book or might not be completely accurate, but keeping an open mind and a willingness to learn will be essential.
We fly down in about a week (from when I am writing this) and other than preparing the physical things that I need, I am working on gaining a better understanding of my position, not only as an outsider in Falfurrias, but as someone who will be putting themselves in a position to catch a glimpse of what a migrant might face. I accept that I will never truly understand, but I feel it is my responsibility to be as receptive as possible to their experiences. Because of this, I am most looking forward and committed to becoming a more empathetic and attentive listener and advocate.