Newman/Ursuline students trek to Mexico

<p class="bold allcaps">What the trip is about</p> <p>Students from both Cardinal Newman and Ursuline High Schools have been attending the Esperanza trip for years. This year a selected group of twenty-one students will be making the trip. An application was required in which the applicant had to write an essay explaining why he or she wished to attend. The students also had to submit their GPA's. A group of faculty was chosen to review the applications and they in turn chose the students who would be attending. This students were pick not only for their willingness to help but also for their characters. Each student attending the trip this year is truly gifted and a well-rounded individual. </p><p> </p><p>The purpose of the Esperanza trip is not only to help those in Mexico but to also learn. To learn about the culture, poverty, and life outside Sonoma County. However working is the main focus of the trip. The group will work about eight hours each day. The main purpose of the trip is to help build community along with houses in the Tijuana area. </p><p>Watch this page for updates and photos from the trip.</p><h3>Days 1 & 2: Student reports</h3> <p>Justin:</p><p>We left for Esperanza early today. I was excited for the trip. I didn't really know what to expect when we got to Mexico, but I was really surprised how the houses were built . There were houses built on the hills made out bricks and pieces of metal. On the side of the road on the way up was a car on fire. Its really amazing how different this country is from ours.</p><p>Day 2:</p><p>Today was the first day that we got to work with the families. I was really excited to get to work. The first thing that we did was move some concrete brick. Then we had to flatten out the dirt so we could pour the concrete floor. It took a while and a lot of dirt to get a solid foundation so we could get the concrete flooring down. We finally started to pour the concrete. We made a line so we could pass the buckets of concrete. It was a lot of fun working together especially with the family. </p><p> </p><p>Troy:</p><p>Day 1:Once again the 12 hour trip has already been worth it. I didn't think seeing all of the poverty again would be much of a shock, but the shacks made out of garbage and the children playing in the dumps was eye opening once again, especially with the car on fire at the side of the road.</p><p>Day 2:We left for our work site around 8:30 this morning where we were going to build a floor for a family. Working with the Mexican families side by side really show how excited they are to be getting a home. I even got a haircut for 5 dollars from the wife of the family.</p><p> </p><p>Andrew:</p><p>Even though I had an idea of what to expect when crossing the border, nothing prepared me for what we saw. Literally 2 minutes out of San Diego and into Tijuana were buildings made with scraps of trash, wood, and anything the family could find. We continued the drive to the Posada and saw more of the same. I did not know how this could be considered middle class in Mexico.</p><p>Day 2:</p><p>We got up early to have a meeting and then left for our work site at 8:30. When we arrived at the house we were working on the family was all smiles. They were so grateful we were there to work on 'their' house. Our job was smooth out a surface and fill it with concrete to make the foundation for the second room of their house. The family helped us and also made us lunch, which I must admit was excellent. After lunch we went to the border to see what happens there and then went back to the Posada for showers and more food.</p><p> </p><p>Bryan:</p><p>When we crossed the border my memories from the trip last year came rushing back into my mind. I saw the Mexican "Marina" or the Marines patrolling the border. Then we reached Tijuana and drove through to La Gloria. The poverty in Tijuana is immense. It is scary to think that people live in these conditions. Even though I remembered the conditions from last year it was still an eye-opening experience. </p><p>Day 2:</p><p>We arrived at the work site around 9:00 and met the family whose house we were building and the other families who would be helping us. They were very happy and excited to see us because they knew that they were about to embark on another step towards getting their home. The foundation was already in place when we arrived so we poured a floor today. Then we took a drive to the border. While at the border we looked out into the ocean where so many people have perished trying to swim around the wall. It was incredible to look around and see the conditions all while knowing that America was less than 200 feet away.</p><h3>Day 3: More reports from Mexico</h3> <p>Troy:</p><p>Today we visited the volunteer Health Clinic that has been built for those in need of medical aid. It was built for families that were forced to live on a dump due to financial troubles. The diseases and hardships became too much and the health clinic was built. After our tour we went to a work site where we dug holes for rebar to be set in. This is hard with only a pick axe and a shovel. This was another hard yet satisfying day of work..</p><p> </p><p>Andrew:</p><p>As soon as we got up we ate breakfast and were on our way. Before we stopped at the next work site we went to a Health Clinic built on a dump. We got a tour and went out back to see how people used material from the dump to both build their houses and make a living by selling some of the trash. From there we went to the work site which was in the same neighborhood. We were putting up pillars for a second floor of a house. I spent the majority of the day digging a whole with more racks than dirt. This was where the pillar was going to be put. We eventually came back to the posada all tired from a hard days work.</p><p> </p><p>Bryan:</p><p>Today we got up and took a tour of a local Health Clinic. However the incredible part was that it was built on the edge of a recently closed dump.. There were homes around and in the dump in which people people live. The Clinic was built in this particular spot because of the numerous dieseases that come from the dump. Then we went on to the work site. We split up into groups to complete different tasks. Some people were digging and others were bending reebar. In the end we all came back together and worked with the cement. It was fun to work with the families again and the food that they cooked us was amazing. We are back at the posada and are looking forward to a fun night full of poker. </p><p> </p><p>Justin:</p><p>Today we took a tour of a local Health Clinic. It was simply stunning when I saw the location that it was built at. It was literally built on top an old dump. The dump right in the back yard of the clinic. After the clinic we went to the work site. We met a new family that we would be helping. I helped straighten out wire so that we could build some pillars for a second story of the house. After that we all helped with the concrete. The families are really nice and it was a lot of fun to work with them. </p><p> </p><p>Steve: </p><p>Today we began the day by visiting a health clinic built by homes on top of a dump. We toured the facility and saw rooms ranging from dentistry to optomitritry. We walked to the back of the building where we saw locals searching through trash and burning some. It was a very moving experience for all of us. After that, we went to a new build site where we essentially built pillars for the second story of a building. We had people cutting steel (rolled in a loop) into four foot strips. Then a group of us would pound out the steel to make it perfectly flat and straight. Then the metal would come to me where I bent it into squares with a vice grip. After that it would go to a group who would tie it onto rebar with wire to make the pillars. Later we made concrete with a mixer and passed it in bucket lines. It was pretty tiring because I mostly scooped it out of the trough along with Bryan, Brandon and Mac. </p><p> </p><p>Jodi:</p><p>It is not every day that a parent has the opportunity to spend an entire day with their teenager, let alone 5 days. But thanks to the Esperanza trip offered to the students of Ursuline and Cardinal Newman High Schools, I found the chance to serve as a chaperone for 21 of some of the finest young adults I have ever encountered (including my own daughter). They offered to step away from their own active lives to serve those less fortunate than themselves... and have done so in the most gracious way.. These students chose to fulfill their promise to build a home for a needy family fully aware of the sharp increase of violence in Tijuana. I admire their courage and determination and feel honored to share this experience with them. They are the living example of Esperanza "Hope".</p><h3>Days 4 and 5:</h3> <p>Troy:</p><p>Day 4:</p><p>Today we spent the day at the site we began with on the first day. We switched with bending and tying re-bar and building walls. It seems like they weren't very sturdy until we started pouring the concrete in the middle. Pouring the ingredients into the concrete mixer was the job me and Eddie did most of the day, 6 rock buckets, 2 water buckets, 1 bag of concrete, and 4 buckets of sand. After a hard day of work we invited both of the families over for a fiesta at the posada. We had about 30 people over, about a third being small children. The fiesta ended with Mexican Dancers performing for everyone. It is really cool to see the families live their normal lives and have fun. At the end of the show partners went up to dance and it was a fun time.</p><p> </p><p>Day 5:</p><p>Today was a really cool day for those of us doing Esperanza for our senior service. After about a half hour of working at the same site as day 2, we headed over to Eduardo's, a leader of Esperanza and our close friend, soccer team's game. The field was mostly dirt and weeds, but the talent level for 14 year old was pretty impressive. They used the balls that Justin and Bryan donated and it was a fun time. Tonight Drew and I will give Eduardo our own donations that we have received from our Information Night and the Esperanza Poker Tournament 2009..that I won. This has been a great trip filled with a great experience and i am glad that we got to come even with the troubles that we encountered before we came. I hope those that did not support our trip will learn more about it's importance and will be supporters in the future.</p><p> </p><p>Andrew:</p><p>Day 4:</p><p>Today was an eventful day. We went back to the first house we worked on and put up the walls. When we were finally done we said our goodbyes to the family, which was very emotional for many people. When we got back to the Posada we started preparing for a fiesta we were having for a lot of the families. I got to meet a lot of other Mexican teenagers. We told jokes and asked each other what our favorite type of foods were and what movies we liked. After we all ate dinner we had professional dancers that performed different styles of Mexican dance. At the end one of the dancers needed a partner from the group and I volunteered. I had a great time with the dance but it got me extremely tired.</p><p> </p><p>Day 5:</p><p>Today I was at a work site for about half an hour and then some of us went to a youth soccer game that one of the Esperanza workers was the coach of. It was a good experience meeting the kids and watching them play. On our way to the game we saw many crosses on the Mexican border wall. They were for the people who died trying to cross the border into the United States.. This was a sight I was not prepared for. We got back from the game just in time for lunch. After lunch the work day was done and we went back to the Posada and started to clean up on our last day. This has been a great experience. Our group that came down grew extremely close and we changed the lives of some great and inspiring people.</p><p> </p><p>Bryan:</p><p>Day 4:</p><p>Today we put up the walls on the house in which we poured the floor. This process went very quick when we all worked together. I worked the mixer again and it was a lot of hard work. At the end of the working we had a meeting with the families so that we could say goodbye. Then we came back to the Posada and prepared for our fiesta. All of the families were invited and most of the members of the families were able to attend. We had steak and chicken for our fiesta and it was a lot of fun interacting with the families. After dinner we had arm wrestling matches and then Mexican dancers performed for everyone. It was a very fun night.</p><p> </p><p>Day 5:</p><p>Today was the last working day that we had. However Eduardo invited a couple of us to go to a soccer game in which he was coaching. We were unable to stay for the whole game but it was fun to see that kids play since we donated a lot of gear towards these teams. It was incredible to see the field and the conditions in which these kids were playing. There were a lot of rocks on the field and over 75% of the field was dirt. These conditions were very sad. When we rejoined the group back at the work site we said goodbye to the second family that we were helping. It was an emotional moment and one that I personally will always remember. We are now back at the Posada cleaning up, and preparing for our long trip back home.. </p><p> </p><p>Justin:</p><p>Day 4:</p><p>Today we put up the walls of the first house that we were working on. It was a lot of fun. It started to look like house. We kept spots for the windows and doors. We built the wall eight bricks high and then put some re-bar in the bricks. Then we had to fill some of the wall with concrete. I had to pour the concrete, it was hard lifting the buckets over my head and pour it into the wall. After all the building was done we gathered into a circle so that we could say good-bye to our family. It was very emotional. Overall it was a great day and I enjoyed it.</p><p>Day 5:</p><p>Today we went to one of Edwardo's soccer games. On our way to the game we passed to memorial of all the people that have died trying to cross the border. It was a long fence with wooden crosses on them. It was a really amazing experience to see it. When we finally got to the feild we saw the conditions were terrible, about three fourth of the field was dirt and rocks. But the kids seemed to be having a good time any ways. We headed back to the work site to say good-bye to the second family. It was just as emotional as the first time. Now were back at the Posada cleaning and waiting until we get to go home.</p><h3>Closing thoughts</h3> <p>Jodi:</p><p>The motto of Ursuline High School is "seek knowledge, clarify values, act on convictions". This past week the Ursuline girls and Cardinal Newman boys have breathed life into these words. Their growth as individuals and as a group has been nothing short of extraordinary. Working together to make a family's dream a reality has taught us all that we can make a difference and that difference can be quite dramatic. Standing within the walls of the house you just built brings you a sense of accomplishment. Looking at the joy of the family who will now make it their home, transforms your life. Tomorrow we will leave Tijuana and leave behind the family, but our hearts will forever remain intertwined. Thank you Esperanza and Ursuline and Cardinal Newman High Schools for providing this opportunity for us all.</p>