Hello all! Hannah here, sorry my recap post is a little late, but hey, better late than never.
For the last three years after leaving Esperanza, unlike most of the group, I am lucky and get to stay in the warmth of San Diego for a few extra days to visit family instead of going back to the cold of Ohio. This year, my one cousin was not busy the days I was there, so I figured one day, we could go see the border from the US side, since I never have before. This was a hard pill to swallow, and below I will reflect why, but first, let's go over the Mexican side of the border.
Here is a nice picture I took last Sunday at the Mexican side of the border.
When looking at this, you can see how the citizens have tried to make the best of the given situation. They don't let the border affect their land, however they do not avoid the border, in a way they accept it and fight against it through peace and happiness. Yes, it clearly is not a happy place to anyone by any means, but you will all know what I mean in a second. Instead of barren land and ignorance towards it, there is a boardwalk, shows, a family beach, and many other fun attractions around.
(I just liked this picture so I put it in as a transition)
So lets move on, here is the american side of the border.
Going to the American side was my idea, I found where to go, gave my cousin the information and we went. Let's just say neither of us was prepared, knowing the Mexican side is very casual, when planning what to wear, I wore casual things, jeans, a nice shirt, some sandals, however when we got to the address (it is a state park called Border Field), we were both a little surprised. The closest you can drive in to walk to the beach to get anywhere near the border is still a 1.5 mile hike away, not including the around 0.5 mile walk to the border on the beach. So what did we do? We walked, a lot, and what did we see? Absolutely nothing, maybe a few people, but other than that, absolutely barren, desolate land with many helicopters and border patrol vehicles everywhere. This was the first hit to me, I figured why are people so against this land, as we all know San Diego is a big city, so chances are they would utilize it if it wasn't a state park, but the nearest buildings on the coast had to be about 20 miles away. People are terrified of this land, at least that is what I got.
So next, my cousin and I walked down the beach toward the border. If you have ever seen the border from the Mexican side, you will notice there are 2 fences, and to answer questions, America owns the land in between. So, after walking all of the way to the border, you are forced to stop around 30 yards before the fence due to a restricted area... Why is this area restricted? I couldn't tell you, but you cannot get any where near the fence on the American side, very close, up to a sign, and then you are just staring at the yards of land in-between you and a place you stood only a week ago.
Here's the closest I could get to the border in America.
Nearest building? What's a building?
So what does this mean to me? There is absolutely nothing around the American side of the border for miles, to me, this is an exact representation of the fear Americans have, and for what reason? Our country will not even attempt to go any where near the border, let alone go over it. This makes me feel an unknown amount of shame about the US. I am ashamed people are not more educated about this situation, that people are too stubborn to even listen most of the time (or they listen but refuse to believe), that people constantly reject others whenever they themselves came from immigrants. It is a hard pill to swallow because as much as we, those who have been and those who believe us, push others to look at other countries as our friends and family, since we all share the world together, people will always refuse. Standing around 30 yards away from a fence I once touched a week before was difficult, knowing that I have friends and people I consider family in that country and I cannot even touch a fence that separates us that my own country built! That is a hard pill to swallow, it creates some anger, but thinking about it, anger will not fix anything, and Mexico is a fantastic representation of this. Instead of being angry over the fact that this fence is blocking out their country because of America thinking of them as "menaces" or whatever else you may want to call it, they take the pill, swallow it, and turn it into peace, turn it into something that does not rattle war, but rattles bones. Rattles bone in the fact that they are able to fight with absolutely no war what so ever against a country that has put this fence in their faces rejecting them, and that is a lot to say in this day and age since there is almost nothing but war.
Here is a cool panorama of America's side, my cousin needed at least some debut because he is awesome for actually taking me there.
So, while some of you may be angry about this fence, may be angry about this post, may be angry about anything related, don't let the anger phase you, take the pill, swallow it, and turn it into peace. Those of us who do believe and who want things to change need to start by giving up war and giving into peace, without that, nothing will ever change, and change is needed more than ever.
Until next year,
-Hannah <3
A final somewhat happier picture to end on.
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