Sunday- Fly in to Tucson; made it to airport ok, security held up Maricela to almost miss flight but flight delayed to Dallas; in Dallas, van ready for pick up at plane to ride to Tucson plane....FUN! We made it, met Margi
Monday- Met Mike Wilson with Tohono O'dom nation. Amazing talk; drive to Nogales Mex- no passport check, nothing to get in Mexico (....interesting); met/picked up Cecilia; visiting with Grupo Beta, talked to recently deported migrants there; went to stay with our families in Colonia Encino; played kick ball and learned about our families history migrating to Nogales.
Tuesday- Homestay breakfast; News about the U.S. dept of state warnings along border, warning to cancel desert walk and grocery store visit; saw military armed in middle of nogales with big guns (don't know what kind); visited Maquiladora- took pictures; on road to Magdalena, met Ana Maria de Colombia who lives 6 months on the border of Panama/Colombia and Mexico/US, played music, met foster children in Mexico (Ceci knew one of the girl's family in Nogales...interesting), they played violin, vegetarian food; went to CAMYYN in Altar, met migrants recently deported, had dinner together, met with sisters, Tere, Marcos. Slept in cafeteria area together.
Wednesday- breakfast with migrants, much fewer than the night before...wondering where they went, back to cross desert, home, or in an huesped. Visited Plaza area where migrants wait for coyotes, a few vans to sasabe, line waiting for money transit; saw what looked like coyotes/polleros looking for customers. Went to visit a casa de huespedes, guy there a little drunk told us his story- crossed four times, beat up by Chicanos in California, chef in US, about to cross again and if he doesn't make it, he said he will kill himself and will ask the border patrol to help him. We had to go, he hugged Luis and Maricela as if it had been a long time since he's had human contact, very emotional for all hugged. Drive back to Nogales, lunch with Lupita who serves food at the comedor near the border port of entry, where people are dropped off when deported; she lives near the wall, took photos and a walk in her colonia. Visited wall art with Taller Yonke artists, as with every visit the art work is always amazing to look at. pictures to be posted. Walk across border, line, line, President Obama photo on wall in customs. Migration simulation with St. Adams College, Colorado. Dinner at Maya Quetzal, Guatemalteco. BLOGGGGG, pictures.
Monday- Met Mike Wilson with Tohono O'dom nation. Amazing talk; drive to Nogales Mex- no passport check, nothing to get in Mexico (....interesting); met/picked up Cecilia; visiting with Grupo Beta, talked to recently deported migrants there; went to stay with our families in Colonia Encino; played kick ball and learned about our families history migrating to Nogales.
Tuesday- Homestay breakfast; News about the U.S. dept of state warnings along border, warning to cancel desert walk and grocery store visit; saw military armed in middle of nogales with big guns (don't know what kind); visited Maquiladora- took pictures; on road to Magdalena, met Ana Maria de Colombia who lives 6 months on the border of Panama/Colombia and Mexico/US, played music, met foster children in Mexico (Ceci knew one of the girl's family in Nogales...interesting), they played violin, vegetarian food; went to CAMYYN in Altar, met migrants recently deported, had dinner together, met with sisters, Tere, Marcos. Slept in cafeteria area together.
Wednesday- breakfast with migrants, much fewer than the night before...wondering where they went, back to cross desert, home, or in an huesped. Visited Plaza area where migrants wait for coyotes, a few vans to sasabe, line waiting for money transit; saw what looked like coyotes/polleros looking for customers. Went to visit a casa de huespedes, guy there a little drunk told us his story- crossed four times, beat up by Chicanos in California, chef in US, about to cross again and if he doesn't make it, he said he will kill himself and will ask the border patrol to help him. We had to go, he hugged Luis and Maricela as if it had been a long time since he's had human contact, very emotional for all hugged. Drive back to Nogales, lunch with Lupita who serves food at the comedor near the border port of entry, where people are dropped off when deported; she lives near the wall, took photos and a walk in her colonia. Visited wall art with Taller Yonke artists, as with every visit the art work is always amazing to look at. pictures to be posted. Walk across border, line, line, President Obama photo on wall in customs. Migration simulation with St. Adams College, Colorado. Dinner at Maya Quetzal, Guatemalteco. BLOGGGGG, pictures.
