Hot and Humid

Tapachula, Mexico’s southernmost city, was the next border town that I visited. After four or five days of the cold and rain of San Cristobal, the heat and humidity of Tapachula left me prostrate in bed to end my week long trip in Chiapas. I did, however, find enough energy to succeed in my reconnaissance mission.

In August, a family will be joining the MCC Mexico team and will be the first MCC workers to live in Tapachula. With the help of Luis Flores, a Guatemalan who works for the International Organization for Migration, I toured the city for all of the necessities of setting up a life such as housing, food markets, transportation and banking.

After one short day, I decided that I would not choose to live in Tapachula, but given the work of Arturo and Adrienne, the new MCC workers, it is important for MCC to have a presence on the southern border. Adrienne will be the regional policy analyst for Latin America, and the proximity to Central America will ease her extensive travel schedule. Arturo will be exploring and analyzing the issue of immigration as MCC Latin America works to have an integrated approach to the issue recognizing the realities on both sides of the border.

It is impossible to escape the reality of the border. Early this morning at Tapachula’s two gate airport, the police and security officials suffocated the area. Before I was allowed to check in, an official in army green meticulously reviewed my documents. Next, they screened all of my baggage. Only then was I able to proceed to the check in counter. Boarding pass in hand, I had to show my passport and all my documents to the immigration officials even though I had never left the country. Finally, I proceeded through one last security screening to reach the waiting area.

It’s good to be back home in Mexico City.