Memories from Mexico
1. "I had planned a four day business trip to Los Angeles, and at the last minute my best friend and I decided to spend a day in Baja. It was my first time away from my 2-year-old daughter. I woke up in a little hotel, walked down to the kitchen to get coffee, and saw everyone looking at the TV in the bar. The first plane had just hit the tower, and we were all in shock. There were no phones nearby, and the news said the border to the US closed. I walked down to the beach, looked up, and saw my friend emerging from a room upstairs. She had been partying all night with some people she met, and had no idea what had happened.
We found an internet cafe in town, and I madly emailed my husband and family back east. I was terrified of being separated from my daughter. Driving was so surreal, seeing children in uniforms holding assault weapons everywhere.
When we were finally able to cross the border at Calexico I knelt and kissed the ground, which alarmed the soldiers.
I had drawn a social story book for my daughter describing me being gone for 4 days, her being sad, and me returning just like I promised I would. The irony? What was supposed to be a four-day trip ended up lasting two weeks, with me finally driving home cross country."
- K. W.
We found an internet cafe in town, and I madly emailed my husband and family back east. I was terrified of being separated from my daughter. Driving was so surreal, seeing children in uniforms holding assault weapons everywhere.
When we were finally able to cross the border at Calexico I knelt and kissed the ground, which alarmed the soldiers.
I had drawn a social story book for my daughter describing me being gone for 4 days, her being sad, and me returning just like I promised I would. The irony? What was supposed to be a four-day trip ended up lasting two weeks, with me finally driving home cross country."
- K. W.