Peering over the ridge at 7,192 feet, a violent gust of wind nearly knocked me off my feet. Four miles of hiking had all culminated in this view. From the top of North Franklin Mountain, the individual aspects of my home – El Paso - appeared small in comparison to the vast city below me. Even the border fence was rendered invisible from such a vantage point. This community, with its intersection of cultures and countries, showed me how to think, developed my open mind, and shaped my compassion. El Paso del Norte is situated at the westernmost tip of Texas, bordered by New Mexico to the west and Ciudad Juarez to the south. This beautiful city is unlike any other. It has sky-high mountains, an international border, and the best Mexican food in the world. In El Paso, I can always see the Franklin Mountains and appreciate their grandeur. Long hikes are my own time to relax and contemplate. Whether I’m thinking about an upcoming student
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I’ve become very familiar with the border, considering I have lived here for 18 years. I regularly cross over into Mexico to visit family and have spent many hours waiting in extensive lines of cars at the border. To El Paso, the border is a gift, creating a unique multicultural community. The annual Fourth of July celebration is accompanied by mariachis and Baile folklórico, Mexican folk dancers, almost every birthday party here has a piñata followed by a rapid frenzy to pick up the falling candy, and Buenos días (good morning) is a common greeting. Mexican culture is a fundamental part of El Paso life and it has seamlessly blended with Texan and New Mexican cultures. An underlying acceptance and openness makes this cooperation possible. Living here, I’ve developed an open mind. I have met people who don’t think the same way I do or hold the same beliefs, but I have learned to take these differences as an opportunity to learn and
I’ve become very familiar with the border, considering I have lived here for 18 years. I regularly cross over into Mexico to visit family and have spent many hours waiting in extensive lines of cars at the border. To El Paso, the border is a gift, creating a unique multicultural community. The annual Fourth of July celebration is accompanied by mariachis and Baile folklórico, Mexican folk dancers, almost every birthday party here has a piñata followed by a rapid frenzy to pick up the falling candy, and Buenos días (good morning) is a common greeting. Mexican culture is a fundamental part of El Paso life and it has seamlessly blended with Texan and New Mexican cultures. An underlying acceptance and openness makes this cooperation possible. Living here, I’ve developed an open mind. I have met people who don’t think the same way I do or hold the same beliefs, but I have learned to take these differences as an opportunity to learn and