Day 7

Buenas Dias!

So it is my 7th day in Mexico this year and I am on cloud nine! The group from Wooster is here! The main part of the group arrived early yesterday afternoon with a group of 4 walking across the border later due to a late flight getting in. I went to pick up the group that walked across. Heading to the border is always an interesting experience, and it's never the same. Right now they are doing construction on the border (They have been for a few years now) so things are constantly moving around (see earlier post about me walking over the wrong way). But we met up with them and all is well!

When the group arrives we always do an opening circle. It is one of my favorite experiences to see how people's comments and reactions change from the opening circle to the closing circle, how their perceptions change.

Emily Howard, who works for The College of Wooster's Office of Interfaith Campus Ministries wrote on the Wooster trip's blog yesterday and had some great things to say:

"In our first reflection circle yesterday, people shared some of what brought them to this place, and why they've come. Many people in our group have visited for many years (the most being, I think, 9 years in a row! and several past and present long-term volunteers among us). Trinity UCC shares a sense of commitment and particular mission with Esperanza International and this city. I am always impressed by the number of folks who point out houses they worked on years ago, have developed long relationships (even marriages!) thanks to Tijuana, and notice the changes and improvements in the city each time they return. Whether it's the music and the colors and the roosters, the families impacted, the differences and similarities in the way of life - they find something meaningful and unique that brings them back. "Why do you come to Tijuana?" is simple - they feel a connection in their life, in their spirit, with the people and the place, and want to share it with others here and back home.

Students' responses as to why they are here were a little different, as many are here for the first time. Many said they feel the desire and have a commitment to help, serve, and give back to others. They have learned about the relationship between Mexico and the U.S. and want to see the other side in person. Or, they knew another student who came and had a life-changing experience -- so, here we are!

As for me, I know one thing I'm looking for this week is to experience the connection between all people - whatever our language, income, work life, religion, culture. My best memories from last year's trip are those moments of surprising connection at the home sites, at the migrant shelter, the orphanage, even out shopping and at the taco stand. Esperanza says one of its goals is to promote global citizenship (actually, the COW says that too!). What connections do we share with this place? How can we promote a good relationship with our neighbors across the border?"

Four people will write on The College of Wooster & Trinity's Trip Blog Daily. Follow along for different perspectives on the trip and all of the experiences. 

Mexico Day 3

Today I worked in a community called Cumbres with Roberto one of the technicians. The two of us with the help of Maria, the woman who owns the house we built a small wall and poured the cement for the wall. We didn't use a mixer, we simply mixed the ingredients together on the ground with shovels. Which sounds easy, but it was a lot of work! I am finding muscles I didn't remember I had. Below you can see Roberto building a wall and Maria helping below. We carried the sand for the cement and all the materials up that hill! At the bottom of the hill you can see the family's current bathroom, the room we were adding to will be their bathroom when it is finished. Also notice the tire/dirt steps, they are very resourceful!

It is always amazing to me to see the physical things I can do. I can lift, mix, and shovel more than I thought was possible. I also find that when it has to be my balance is pretty good!

 The view from Maria's back yard. You can see how dense the houses are and some are nicer, some are simply ply wood.

 There are many olive groves in the Tijuana area, in the distance if it wasn't so cloudy you could see the ocean.

There were horses grazing in the back yard.

And Roberto and I had delicious pizza for lunch! Bet you can't guess which half was mine...

Mexico Days 1 & 2

Day 1

I arrived in Tijuana yesterday afternoon, a little later than expected. They have moved where you walk across into Tijuana, so if you are crossing it is actually much easier. You get of the trolley and the border crossing is right there. I unfortunately was unaware of the change so I walked all the way across the bridge, pictured below.

Then I walked all the way back crossed, and walked over a different bridge to where I met Alex, who was a long term volunteer with me, and his girlfriend Giselle. We stopped at The Posada to drop off my things and headed out for delicious fish/shrimp tacos, I may or may not have eaten five. My diet is out the window this week I am going to eat as much delicious Mexican food as I can get my hands on! I have missed it so much!! Mexican food in Michigan just isn't the same! Especially the seafood!

So after our yummy tacos we came back to the Posada and headed to the beach at Rosarita with the group. They did some shopping while Alex, Giselle, and I relaxed at the beach and fresh margaritas!

Day 2

Today we worked in Lomas de San Anton (I think) on a site that already has one Esperanza house. The house we are building now is for the daughter and her family. The house has beautiful flowers and is very nice. Today we moved a giant pile of dirt and got all of the blocks into the center of what will be the floor of the house to prepare to build and pour the walls over the next few days.

 To build the beams for the room we first cut thick wire then straighten it.

 Next the wire is bent into squares, then tied to rebar to make beams.

 The guys eating lunch. The blocks are stacked and ready to build walls.

 Beautiful flowers on the site.

 Yummy lunch, Chicken, beans, and rice.

Throughout the day we leveled out the entire area to the left of the house, it was a dirt hill with aloe and other indigenous plants growing on it.

This evening while we waited for the group, who was at Casa Migrante, we had a bite to eat and saw the Brazil soccer team practicing for their game Wednesday night against Tijuana's team (Los Xolos). This is the first time a team from Brazil has come to Tijuana.

Headed out Tomorrow!

Hello all!
  I am headed to San Diego tomorrow, I will be staying in San Diego for a day or two then taking a train to the border at San Ysidro and walking across the border to meet a friend in Tijuana. I will post while I am in San Diego, and continue posting through my trip in Tijuana.

For the last 9 years I have been traveling to Tijuana, Mexico for a week each winter to work alongside local families to build homes with a wonderful organization, Esperanza International. Last year I was lucky enough to spend three months in Tijuana as a long term volunteer. I have never had a more life changing or inspiring experience. I am so excited to be heading back down! I will be staying until March 16th. On March 9th a joint group between the church I grew up in and The College of Wooster will be joining me. Group members will be posting daily I will link to their blog, it is nice to see different people's perspectives!




In college I started the joint trip between Trinity and The College of Wooster, if you are interested in starting your own trip please e-mail me at Rena.Starr@Esperanzaint.org and I will help you get started! If you are reading this as a member of UUAA please e-mail me if you are interested in coming on the trip next year, I will be starting the planning process very soon!

It is important to give back to your community and I do volunteer locally. This trip is always a nice step away from home, a good chance to take myself out of my comfort zone, out of my own "troubles" and get a perspective on the rest of the world and different ways of living, and hit reboot. I get as much out of this trip as I give, sometimes I feel a little selfish. It is always a reminder of the important things in life; friends, family, and community. I also see it as a reminder that in a cruel world there are still good things. The people I meet have very little materially but have so much warmth, love, and kindness. They are rich in the things that many people with so much more materially are completely bankrupt in. 

Countdown to Tijuana...

Hello again and thank you for your continued reading!

On March 2nd I will be headed back down to Tijuana to spend two weeks volunteering. I hope to post daily about what we are doing, the area, and the organization.

I will be spending a few days in San Diego during my two weeks, I will post from there as well. I love visiting San Diego almost as much as I love Tijuana, I hope I have time to do/visit everything I miss about Tijuana and San Diego!

Last year I spent three months living and working alongside the people in Tijuana. While I was there and right when I arrived home I don't think I fully understood what my time there or the what the people of Tijuana meant to me. I have grown so much over the past year. Being in Mexico helped me get out of my comfort zone and helped to open my eyes to what is going on in the rest of the world. It helped me to understand what I want out of life and how I who I want to be as I "grow up." So many people live full, generous, happy lives with very little in the way of material things.

 Never have I met more inviting caring people than while I was in Mexico. They opened their homes and hearts to the volunteers and bent over backwards to make us feel welcome and loved, which often meant they or their children had to go without. By working together we worked to accomplish something great, a home for a family that had been saving for years for this dream come true.

It is an amazing feeling to know you helped someone accomplish their lifelong goals. I am hoping that I can share this wonderful experience with more people.

If you do not ever come on this trip I hope that you can find something locally that is as fulfilling as this experience.