Jeff Bunge

Geography of U.S. / Mexico border

Reflection

As I reflect on the border trip experience the one event that stands out in my mind is driving. The prospect of a long drive used to make me cringe. However, on this road trip it provided an opportunity to get to know a unique group of people, see landscape I could have never imagined, and learn more about myself and the world around me. We drove over 3,100 miles from Brownsville, Texas to San Diego, California. The majority of our lectures and discussions occurred in the SUV’s or was made possible because of the SUV’s. Confined with a small group of people in a vehicle for hours at a time lends itself to conversations on a wide variety of topics. Discussions ranged from appreciation of the ever changing landscapes to music and politics. As we drove through Organ Pipe National Park in Arizona the professors shared their knowledge of the region. This style of teaching was repeated in the other parts of the border regions we explored as well. I was introduced to new types of music, food, culture, and opinions in the long car rides.

Before the class started I was interested in learning more about the people, places, and landscapes of the border region. I wanted to learn more about the southern U.S. border states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. I was interested in learning about the border patrol, the problems caused by illegal aliens, the life of ranchers living near the border, the activities of drug cartels, and the history of the area. I wanted to see if the articles I read prior to the course would support what I would experience and observe during the trip. I also hoped to form new friendships and network with a wide spectrum of individuals. The trip went above and beyond my expectations.

The U.S./Mexico border trip provided a learning experience that I had not anticipated and I am still processing the trip’s impact. This stems from visiting ten states, six Mexican states and four U.S. states that I had not previously been too. Our class spoke with border patrol agents in McAllen, Texas and El Paso, Texas. Both provided us with insights on the border patrol operations in their sectors. In these communities the border patrol agents are willing to put their lives on the line even though they are not appreciated for the work that they do in their communities. At the border patrol we saw the IDENT system being used on an illegal alien. We saw the video cameras they use to watch illegal aliens. These cameras cost approximately $150,000.00 for each pole. I learned that the INS was no longer an organization included in the Homeland Security division of the government. We visited an army base named Fort Bliss to learn more about the K-9 unit of the border patrol. Each K-9 dog costs approximately $35,000.00 by the time it is ready for the field. An ironic fact we learned in Douglas, Arizona is that they have a private school where children of the drug cartel attend classes with children whose parents are employed as custom agents. After this trip I have a better sense of where national parks are located such as Big Bend in Texas, Organ Pipe in Arizona, and Guadalupe Canyon in Baja California. I enjoyed many landscapes around the border that I would have never gone to without this class. We visited a ranch in Arizona where we were amazed to learn about the amount of trash left behind by illegal aliens. The border trip also emphasized how important the Spanish language is becoming in American society. I realized I need to continue taking classes in Spanish if I want to be successful in the business world.

The trip has broadened my view of the world. I will never look at a product that says made in Mexico the same after visiting a maquiladora or Mexican factory. I witnessed hundreds of Mexican workers working tedious jobs in conditions that would be illegal in the United States. We were told that the minimum wage was six dollars a day. As we walked through the maquildora one of the male workers proclaimed, “We (Mexicans) hard workers.” It was humbling that he had such strong feelings of pride and nationalism even though he did not make a fair wage. I also have a new appreciation for the border patrol agents who are satisfied with their jobs even though public opinion is against them. The border patrol agents are aware that many illegal aliens escape into the United States on a daily basis. A sergeant in the McAllen border patrol used an analogy referring to catching illegal aliens as similar to fishing, “You can only catch a few fish in the sea.” This trip also gave me a new appreciation for traveling. Before this trip, I always wanted to get to my destination as soon as possible. After riding with Professor Taylor I realized that making stops along the way makes traveling more enjoyable. We stopped to take GPS points, visit fruit stands looking for new foods to taste, and stopped at other interesting sites such as reading historical markers, which made this trip more pleasurable.

You can learn more in two weeks in this type of class than you can in ten weeks or even a year in the classroom. The observations I made became the illustrations of the readings I had completed prior to this class. The professors shared their knowledge with the class as we observed the people, places, and landscapes along the border. This class provided a unique opportunity to get to know the professors outside of the classroom. It is impossible not to get to know the others on the trip during the long car rides, the meals shared at the restaurants, and the relationships that developed by experiencing an amazing sixteen day road trip experience together. Thanks to everyone who made this trip possible.