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Most of the team had never been to Texas before, so we decided to wake up early and do a little sightseeing before going to the airport.  We loaded up the minivan and went to Whataburger for breakfast taquitos and honey butter chicken biscuits. There are no Whataburgers in Indiana and I wanted to make sure they got to try these famous breakfast staples of Texas. Then we said goodbye to Falfurrias and started the drive to San Antonio.

We started at the Alamo and then made our way to the River Walk. I’ve always felt that this last day is a way to buffer the emotions of ending our work in the Texas Borderlands. These trips are both physically and mentally exhausting for the team. Additionally, these experiences are often intense and push them out of their comfort zones in terms of evaluating their place in a system of privilege and power. It’s not until they slow down that they truly begin to grasp the magnitude of the situation and what they have experienced.

The Alamo
The Alamo

We enjoyed brisket for lunch at Moses Rose’s Hideout and then tres leches cake at Rosario’s. We kept an eye on the radar because severe storms were moving across the Midwest, but we only had minor delays. And then just like that we were back in Indiana. The students are taking the day off to rest, recover and reflect on their experiences. Again, this is often necessary as they begin to consider the fact that they can just leave the border and return to the lifestyles that afford them comfort and security.

Sightseeing in San Antonio
Sightseeing in San Antonio

Please continue to visit the blog for the next week as we reflect upon our experiences. Thank you for following our journey and supporting us along the way.

~KEL

Day 6: The End

Uncategorized

Today marked our last day of work in Falfurrias for this season.

We began early as usual, meeting at the South Texas Human Rights Center at 7:30. Our goal for today was to finish the ranch we started yesterday. It was fairly small in comparison to other ranches in the area, so we felt that if we finished the periphery, we would be able to officially clear the ranch as of right now. Our team, Arianna, Selina, Eddie, Deputy White, and Byron loaded into our various vehicles and headed to the ranch gates.

In order to reach our goal, we split up into two teams, each taking a leg of the periphery. I went along with Megan, Dr. Latham, Eddie, and Bryon and we searched the northern border.  Alba and Holley went with Deputy White, Arianna, and Selina and searched the west border.

Megan and I waiting to take off in the back of Eddie's truck.
Megan and I waiting to take off in the back of Eddie’s truck.

Different from yesterday, we were able bring vehicles onto the property, so we were able to have a place to keep our gear as we were searching. This lightened the load we had to carry on our backs as we were navigating the brush, and allowed us to more easily search for clearings or paths going off the main road.

We systematically made our way around the ranch, looking for any signs of human activity. We had no finds, not even trash, until we were almost done for the day. Dr. Latham and Megan found a rest area with shade, new trash, socks, a can opener, and more. They found their way back to the truck to tell Eddie, and then the three of us went back to take coordinates of the area.

Can opener found in the rest area.
Can opener found in the rest area.

During this excursion, Eddie was trying to get in touch with the owners of the ranch next door to try to get us on the property to search for Byron’s cousin. We met up with the other team, and decided that we were able to say with as much certainty as possible that the ranch was clear. So we headed back to the gate. Eddie was still trying to reach the ranch owners, so we all piled into the minivan to soak up as much air conditioning as possible.

Tried to take a picture then Deputy White goes "Give me a six!"
Tried to take a picture then Deputy White goes “Give me a six!”

After about a half hour, Eddie still couldn’t get ahold of the owners, so we decided to call it a day and head back to the center. There, we ate a small lunch and sat and talked for a while. Byron shared a little of his story of how he got to the US, which was incredibly eye opening for all of us.

We wrapped up our conversations, made plans for dinner, and departed. At the hotel, we all jumped in the pool for a minute (apparently ticks don’t like chlorine), then showered and started to pack.

We were lucky enough to have everyone join us for our last dinner in Falfurrias! We went to Taqueria Jalisco, which is right down the road from our hotel. We ate great food, swapped stories, and decompressed from the week we had spent together.

Dinner party!
Dinner party!

I am so thankful we were able to spend just a little more time all together, giving our trip a tiny sense of finality, even though we know the work will never be finished.

— Sidneyimg_2839

Day 5: The Search Continues

Human Rights, Migrant Death, Reflections

As always, when in Texas expect the unexpected.

We had expected today to be a continuation of Saturday. Indeed, today started off the same with all of us rolling out of bed, applying sunscreen and bug spray, then heading over to the hotel lobby to enjoy a protein filled breakfast.

However, today was destined to be a new adventure. The Texas State crew and some of the reporters had to return home so we were a smaller search team. In addition, we conducted search and recovery operations on a different ranch than the one we had been on Saturday. The reason we decided to search this new ranch is because it falls along the path Byron’s missing cousin is suspected to have taken. Bryon’s cousin has been missing for almost a year so we were all eager to search this new property with hopes of finding some evidence that could bring Byron closure.

We walked almost four miles searching for remains and evidence of recent human activity. Similar to yesterday, we encountered a variety of terrains including sand, brush, and open grassy areas. Variance in the landscape made conducting a systemic search of the area challenging, yet we were able to identify some personal effects likely belonging to migrants.

Team member in the brush

Today probably was the most emotionally eye-opening day of our trip so far. While searching in the brush, I came upon some footprints in the mud that looked fresh but were not made by any member of our search team. Deputy Sheriff White followed the footprints and concluded that two adults and a small child had been through the area less than 24 hours previously. Thinking about how physically draining today was on our whole team then imagining a small child pushing through the brush, past the snakes, feral pigs, ticks, and thorns, leaves me dumbfounded.

A footprint I found in the brush
A footprint I found in the brush

Tomorrow will be our last day searching for the May 2019 session. I’m incredibly proud of our team so far and know that we will be able to summon all the strength required to have a productive last day.

Day 5
Day 5

Megan