At last our journey has come to an end. I must admit that I felt a bit odd when I first woke up this morning. I’ve grown accustomed to the fast-paced routine we had in Texas. It was an intense work week where it sometimes seemed that we didn’t have a moment to take a breath. The physical and mental toll it took on my body was draining and unlike anything I have experienced before. That being said, I can’t wait to go again.
I must admit that I was a bit unsure about how our team dynamic was going to play out. The other more experienced members of my team have known each other for a whole year before I joined the Human Biology program. I can now say that I am glad to have shared this experience with them. Izzy, Jordan, and Olivia are incredible scientists and professionals who I’ve seen persevere and grow throughout this trip. I believe we have grown closer as colleagues and friends. There were many laughs and lighthearted times as well as times spent looking out for each others’ well being. Being the new guy on board, I learned a lot from them and look forward to working with each of them in the future, in whatever form that may take.
This trip was also very enlightening for me. My entire perspective about the humanitarian crisis at the border has changed. With every step through the treacherous terrain and every heavy sigh I grew more and more appreciative of the life I live. I could not imagine being in a predicament where one is essentially forced to make this journey. To say that someone has merely “crossed the border” is such an understatement of the sacrifices these migrants make. I understand that the topic of immigration is such a complicated issue oftentimes far beyond my political understanding. However, I can’t deny that these people deserve better. My heart breaks for the families of the deceased and missing. I hope they find peace. Although our team did not find what we were searching for at each coordinate location associated with a missing person, I can rest easy knowing that we did everything we possibly could to best serve the families and the migrants themselves.
I can’t end the last of my blog posts without mentioning Don and Ray of the Remote Wildlands Search and Recovery team. They made the journey with us to not only search for missing persons, but to keep us safe and healthy. Their efforts are the reason why we could participate in this trip in the first place. They are admirable men who aim to serve humanity out of the kindness of their hearts.
I also want to thank Dr. Latham for choosing me to be a part of this trip and for teaching me more about how to perform and execute my skills in the field. I am honored by her confidence in my abilities to serve the team.
During this trip I learned what the core principle of forensic anthropology is all about: community service. Solving cases and identifying individuals is about serving humanity and honoring the deceased. This trip showed me just how important it is to provide closure to families of loved ones whom they may never be reunited with. My family means everything to me and thanks to this experience, I now know just how important our work is.
–Austin
