returning to EP

I am definitely returning to El Paso this summer! I will be working at Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center as an intern and will hopefully have time to be a community volunteer at Annunciation House!

I'm so relieved that I received funding from Brandeis: Social Justice World of Work Fellowship. Phew!

I'm currently trying to decide if I want to continue on this blog or create another one. A ver.

SCB Presentation

SCB Fellows 2010 Presentation: We Don't Know S#@t! from Dara Rosenkrantz on Vimeo.

An article in Brandeis University's "The Justice"

Between Boundaries
Students spent time in Israel and on the Mexican border to learn about cultures in conflict
by Dafna Fine

For some, the barbed wire creates the illusion of a prison. Swarms of people grow restless, waiting up to two or three hours in the heat. Words of hatred and political divide are spray painted across the wall and scream to come alive. Young soldiers are tired from 12-hour shifts at the border and Students Crossing Boundaries fellows, along with others, prepare their passports for inspection, but they, however, look past the hate and divide and instead try and understand the conflict.

Moving forward

I have been thinking a lot about the meaning of my time at Annunciation House and my time on the border.

Could I aguantar el calor...could I stand the heat this summer?

It seems I did.

But I'm realizing that the heat doesn't just exist along the border.

By the heat I am referring to
1)the high temperatures
2)the difficult work
3)the implications that follow from the work

Tu eres mi otro yo...Ya viene la paz [I promised to share this a while back...]

Father Arturo Bañuelas spoke at the July 14th Procession and Mass. It was quite moving. Following the mass I approached him and asked if there was a way I could get a transcript of his speech. He responded that he had some notes, but elaborated on the spot. He presented me with the copy of the notes he used at the mass...

Here they are!

Final Day--- Day 73

I am now in North Carolina...my time on the border is over.

I have a lot to process and will be posting more about the last few days very soon.
----
At the despedida (going-away party) last night, I said a few words to the guests as I futilely combated tears, thanking them and letting them know how much they, the work, and the mission of the house had affected me:

"Ya he metido casi todo en mi maleta, pero dejo mi corazon aqui con ustedes."
[I've already put almost everything in my suitcase, but I leave my heart here with you]

Celebrating (written Sunday August 1st)

I really enjoyed myself yesterday.

The morning and early afternoon were wonderful, in spite of (and in part due to) a torrential downpour.

I've been metaphorically beating my head against the wall trying to decide whether to write about this or not.

I'm still deciding whether to post this.

For now, I will just write.

Yesterday morning I went to Ciudad Juarez with four other volunteers. We went to the Mercado Cuauhtémoc in downtown Juarez...about a five minute walk from the Paso del Norte International Bridge.