As I was at this same time last year, I am currently preparing to travel to Falfurrias, TX with the 2026 Beyond Borders team. I find myself in the same boat as last year, where most of my preparation has been to get together all of my clothes, gear, and toiletries. Are all of my shirts clean, do my boots still fit the same? Do I have all of the gear necessary to be safe, such as a compass and a bright colored bandana? These are important things for me to consider, but I also find myself thinking back on how I was feeling while preparing for last year’s trip. I felt prepared because I had all of the right gear and I felt excited because this is similar work I hope to do in my future career. However, I remember my reflection at the end of the trip, where I looked back at my original post and noticed how surface level I sounded. We were there to be of assistance to individuals devoted to the search and recovery of individuals who lost their lives. Searching for a word, like excited or prepared, to describe how I feel going into this experience again is impossible. They were not the right words to use then, as I couldn’t truly know what to expect yet, and they are not the right words now, as no one experience will be the same.
This one lesson, that it is impossible to truly prepare for this experience, really stuck with me from last year’s trip. Getting ready for the upcoming trip is only proving this point. My goal for last year was to become a more empathetic and active listener in advocating for migrants. This was a goal I thought would be easily achievable through education of the situation and experiencing Falfurrias for myself. This was a limited understanding of the climate I was walking into, but I would like to go into this trip with the same goal. I realize this goal does not have an end game, but is an intention to consistently work towards during my time in Falfurrias, as well as in my everyday life. I am striving to be empathetic and attentive while conducting this work as well as in my communication to others about it. I also strive to keep in mind that this experience isn’t about me, but about the individuals caught in the cross hairs of the systemic injustices that neglect them. So while there is no way to truly prepare myself again, I know that listening to those who know more than me on the topic and to my team members who I know provide valuable input will be essential to beginning this experience again. Cooperating with those around me, who are my support system and who I would like to support, is the best kind of preparation that I will actively aim towards, knowing what I know now about participating in this experience.
