Latest Posts

Traveling to Falfurrias

Community, Snapshots

We’ve made it to Texas!  Starting with an early morning wake up, we all made it through security in Indianapolis with only two of our bags being checked (TSA questioned my bag full of quarters for laundry but after a quick check we were good to go). The rest of the trip went off without a hitch.  We flew from Indianapolis to Dallas, and then from there to San Antonio.  

The team in the Indianapolis Airport ready to head to Texas. In the front row is Hannah, and behind her from left to right is Ella, Claire, Dr. Latham, and Chastidy.
In the airport ready to go!

For some of us this is our first time traveling to Texas, while others have been before and can give a little more insight into what we can look forward to in the next week.  I can tell we’re all excited to finally be on our way. After several weeks of discussing and reading about what we’ll be doing we’re all anxious to begin, and our cross-country journey was the first obstacle in our way.  We landed in San Antonio and after a very delicious lunch at Torchy’s Tacos took the 2 and a half hour drive to Falfurrias.  Honestly the hardest part of our drive was playing tetris to fit all of our luggage into the minivan.  We began our drive through San Antonio and into the countryside, passing Mexican restaurants, ranches, and oil refineries.  

Hannah, Claire, and Chastidy smile as they wait for their lunch in San Antonio
Just landed in Texas and ready for tacos!

As much as I’m struck by how different Texas is, it still feels eerily similar to my own home thousands of miles away.  Large expanses of trees, with tiny little towns sprinkled throughout and populated by family-owned restaurants, churches, and the occasional gas station.  The food the restaurants serve is different and the trees are a lot different here, but it still has the same feeling of small town America that is surprisingly similar to how I grew up.  My hometown is even about the same size as Falfurrias, it’s been really interesting to really see first person just how much variety can exist in one country.  Driving into Falfurrias felt climactic.  We’ve been preparing so much and it feels surreal that we are actually here now.  Deputy Don White joined us for a preliminary meeting and dinner at Whataburger, where we talked a little more about the structure of Falfurrias and the work we’ll be doing this week.  

Deputy Don White, Hannah, Ella, Chastidy, and Claire sit in a circle discussing what they should expect out in the field.
Deputy Don White explains to the team what they should expect and what to look out for

It was at this point that I realized that we begin working tomorrow, and while that excites me it also scares me a little bit.  So, after a late night run to the grocery store for food and supplies, and then another tour of Falfurrias as we searched different gas stations for a Styrofoam cooler, we’ve settled down for the night to prep for our first day.  Prepping for our first day includes double checking the batteries in the camera, making sure the walkie talkies work, and triple checking our field bags to make sure we haven’t forgotten anything that could be important out in the field.  I think the worst part of a new experience is the anticipation beforehand, so I’m ready to start the day tomorrow.

Ella

What to Expect

Reflections

I keep getting asked if I’m excited to go to Texas and I never know what to say.  On one hand I am excited to get hands-on experience and to try to help in whatever way we can, but at the same time I feel like I can’t anticipate what we will encounter while we are in Texas.  This is a very grave crisis happening in our own country and I myself haven’t put much thought into it in the past few years given my location.  It makes me feel guilty that it only came back into my attention because it was something that could benefit me.  I think that at the moment I feel more anxious, while in theory I know what we will be doing and can anticipate some of the challenges we’ll be facing, I know that there is a lot I don’t know.  I’m looking forward to becoming more skilled in field techniques such as line searches and photography, and I’m looking forward to traveling and getting to experience even a fraction of what life is like in South Texas and understanding the difficulties of migrants forced to travel through rough terrain.  

We are coming in effectively as foreigners. Meaning the culture in northern Michigan where I’m from is a lot different from south Texas. So, while I’m interested in seeing how “different” life is in Texas, I realize people living in border communities will view my experiences and perspectives as “different” as well. I recognize that my education and upbringing has given me privilege. I realize the way I say and approach things are a part of that privilege. I think that will be a big challenge for me, balancing my desire to help with my nervousness of doing or saying the wrong thing.  I want to help in any way that I can, but I don’t want to give off the impression I think I can solve any part of this crisis.  

We’ll only be in Texas for a week, and there’s only so much we can do to help in a week. So, we must push ourselves to get as much as we can get done safely and try to make as much of a positive difference as we can.  Even though it is just a week I know we will do good work and through this blog hopefully show others that there is still a humanitarian crisis, and that the issues don’t end when the news stops reporting on them.  While I am nervous and anxious about the work we’ll do in Texas I am also hopeful.  I hope that what we do will help better the people affected by the migrant crisis, whether it’s a family member waiting for news on their missing relative, or a migrant who stops at a water station and gets a necessary break from their difficult journey.  I think it will be important for us as a team to remind ourselves that whatever we get done is still progress, and by participating in this program and doing good work we can hopefully inspire more people in the future to donate their time or money to assist the volunteers who do this work in Texas year-round.

Ella

Preparing for Falfurrias

Uncategorized

As we continue to prepare for our trip, I start to feel more excited and anxious. It feels like time is passing so slowly since we started our weekly meetings and packing lists. Now we have everything to pack, checked all the boxes on lists, and now await our flight on January 3rd. Trying to decipher what I am most excited about is difficult. It feels almost wrong to be excited about a trip to go to a place where so many people are struggling to survive. They experience these harsh conditions everyday and yet, we only go for a week and have everything we could possibly need. I know that a positive mindset is of the utmost importance for this trip, so as I reflect, I am trying to remind myself that there will be exciting times ahead. I am excited to experience a new place and learn more about a culture other than my own. I am excited to create new relationships and grow closer with my team. I know I will learn new technical skills that I will use in my future career and create memories I will never forget. I am so thankful for this opportunity and am anxiously waiting for our arrival to Falfurrias.  

I anticipate we will face many challenges, so many I am sure I can’t even think of them all. I know there will be tasks that I don’t anticipate being a challenge, but turn out to be extremely difficult. The weather will be slightly in our favor since we are traveling in January; however, you never know what Mother Nature has in store for us. I can anticipate physical pain, soreness, blisters, cuts, and thorns. I can anticipate early mornings, long days, and exhaustion. What I cannot completely anticipate are the mental strains of this trip. I have read previous blog posts, had conversations with trip alumni, read articles, and attended our weekly preparation meetings. I know the advice and tips I have been told, but will I actually know what to expect with just that little bit of information? I do not think I will and that creates a daunting task. This trip does not feel like a step outside of my comfort zone, but more like miles outside of it. 

I hope this trip comes with lots of self reflection because it is not one of my strong suits. I know I can be self aware, but struggle to put it into words to express. I know I will be changed for the better because of this trip. As I continue to reflect, I keep the phrase “change is good” in the back of my mind. I will come back as a better version of myself. Hopefully, someone who is even more appreciative of the life I have now, someone who is open to all new possibilities, and someone who is not afraid of the challenges ahead. Our trip to Falfurrias will be the hardest challenge I have yet to face in my adult life. I am determined to squeeze out every ounce of knowledge and experience possible. The majority of this reflection is about me. Right now, it is hard for me to think about anything else because there is so much I don’t know. I know that this experience is not about me, but I don’t know exactly what it will all be about, so thinking about myself and my own anxieties is much of what I do now as I await our departure. I hope Falfurrias can teach me how to focus on the bigger picture and look past my own worries. Our goal is to help others, and learning and discovering myself is just an added bonus.

Hannah