Reflections About the Program

Reflections from the ’09-’10 Project Mexico Team

 “If you’re against illegal immigration because it is illegal, then ask yourself why is it illegal.” 
  -Dimitri Linde, ‘10

You may ask us why we wish to go to Mexico. Why to a country where there is political instability, a 70% unemployment rate and no clean drinking water. I will answer you: we do not go to Mexico in spite of these things; we go to Mexico because of these things.
   -Pmex '09-'10 Team member

Things I take for granted:
-Literacy.
-Public trash collection.
-Walls that aren't drafty and roofs that don't leak.
-Freedom of speech.
-A passport that can get me anywhere.
-Rain.

What I lack:
-Unconditional perseverance, love and dignity.
   -Camille Wathne

I have been asked, many times, my views on “illegal immigration.” On the sixth day in Mexico we visited a migrant house, a casa migrante, where those who planned to cross the border or who had just returned after deportation could stay for up to four nights. I met a man there who intended to attempt to cross the border, through the mountains and the desert, within the next 24 hours. I wished him good luck, buenas suerte. I cannot summarize my views any more succinctly than that: buenas suerte.
  -Project Mexico '09-'10 Team member

 "There is no such thing as unskilled labor"
   -Kris Dzenis '12

More concrete. While it’s nice to be able to see the results of our labor, it is manually exhausting. By mid-morning I was looking through the schedule and counting up the number of cement-mix projects we had left: 7. What if I had to do construction all day, every day for minimum wage? 
  -Pmex '09-'10 Team member