Preparations: Freddy

I am super excited for our upcoming pilgrimage to the borderland in Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico! I am looking forward to learning about the culture near the border and talking to lots of people, including local residents, church leaders, local government officials, migrants, and US Border Patrol, to better understand all sides of the story. In order to accomplish this, I will have to leave some current beliefs that I have behind. First, I will need to take on the trip with an open mind and make sure that I am listening to and not judging the stories that I will be told. I will also have to leave behind some of the things I take for granted here at home. One thing is that the majority the Northeast is white, so I sort of blend in, but when we go to Nogales and Sonora, that will most likely not be the case. This will be the first time in my life, where I will experience first hand what it feels like to be a minority.  Additionally, I will not be used to the culture there as I am here. Things like food, clothing, customs and daily routines may be very different from what I am used to here in the small, suburban town of Stow, MA. Finally, I will have to leave behind the things that I commonly think about on a daily basis so I can open my mind and focus solely on the experiences I will have. I am excited and grateful for this opportunity to see how life is different for immigrants hoping to cross the border, and to better understand the many sides of the Immigration crisis in our country.  

-Freddy, St. Elizabeth, Sudbury