Reflections and advice

I started Border Beat feeling like I was way out of my comfort zone, and worried about how I would even find one interesting, newsworthy thing to write about. This class has challenged me to look beyond my regular story ideas, and come up with stories that I really felt needed to be told, but also dealt with the border. Surprisingly, I DID IT!!! I am very proud of the stories I covered this semester. I had the most amazing interviews in my college career, I learned to deal with controversial immigration and religious issues, and I learned to look at the border as more than another topic for politicians to argue about.

As I finish up this class I am actually quite glad I didn't make it into CatScan (my secret hope at the beginning of the semester). Border Beat is a site that I am proud to have been a part of, and I enjoyed searching for border-related stories. So my advice for new Border Beat students is...

Enjoy the class! Be stretched as a journalist, and get some good interviews. I have found that people you may be intimidated to talk to are often willing to do an interview. Start learning soundslides and audacity right away so that when it comes time for you to use them, it won't be so stressful, and you can do your project well.

Do work that you are proud of, and think like a journalist. I think the key to finding great stories is always being on the lookout. Bring a journal, a pen and a camera with you wherever you go (when possible). I hate when I see a great story right in front of me, and I don't have the tools to get an interview or photo. When you are always on the lookout, finding good stories will be easier than you think.


Don't complain. You are paying to be here (or someone else is paying for you to be here), so when things seem too hard or you feel you aren't getting anywhere, ask questions and figure out what you can do to change that. Don't waste this class because it is such a great opportunity to be creative, challenge yourself, and publish really great work that you can hopefully use on your resume.

Border Beat was a wonderful class, and I hope that next semester's class adds even more great content and media, and maybe you guys can win another award.

Signing out for my final blog,
Ashley Donde

Christmas Tamales and other great Tucson holiday traditions

(photo by baldtechnologist, flickr.com) I'm not Mexican, but every year my family gets to feast on delicious homemade tamales during the Christmas season. The food is a gift from an employee of my parents'. Every year we've gotten them, and they are always delicious. One of the great things about living in Tucson is participating in Mexican holiday traditions. Here are some Tucson holiday events with uniquely Mexican flavor:



One Tucson tradition, held for the last 30 years, is the El Nacimiento display at the Tucson Museum of Art. This display, created by Maria Luisa Tena, features hundreds of figurines arranged to tell stories from the Bible out of the Old and New Testaments, including an arrangement of the birth of Jesus. This display runs from November 10 - March 30.

If you are interested in finding unique Mexican Christmas decorations or nativity scenes to purchase, then the Feria Navidena (Christmas Market) is a great place to go. This market runs the whole month of December. Bring your children on the weekend to take pictures with "Pancho Claus." The market is run by El Centro Cultural de Las Americas. Call (520) 629-9536 for more details.

Of course, tamales are a great Mexican Christmas tradition, as I mentioned earlier. You can be a part of this tradition too at the Tucson Tamale & Heritage Festival on December 1st. In addition to great food, there will also be live entertainment and a tamale competition. The free event is from 10am-6pm.

The Southwestern Nutcracker isn't necessarily a "Mexican" tradition, but it is a uniquely Tucson tradition. The ballet runs from December 7-9, and brings the traditional Nutcracker to Tucson in the late 1800's, including coyotes and rattlesnakes!

To add to your holiday cultural experience, check out A Tucson Pastorela December 14-23 at the Leo Rich Theater. The performance is put on by Borderlands Theater, and tells the story of Jesus in a unique way. Ballet Folklorico Tapatio will be performing at the theater as well, on Sunday the 16th, and Sunday the 23rd. AND, every night there will be pinatas.

So decorate your Christmas cookies, and make your gingerbread houses, but don't forget to check out a few of these exciting events and maybe you can create some new holiday traditions.

Puerto Penasco

Many Tucsonans head to Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point) to enjoy the beach and an inexpensive vacation. This past weekend I headed down to Rocky Point with my church, along with other churches and groups from Arizona, to participate in "Casa De Amor" (house of love), a house building project that is part of Amor Ministries.

This was my first house building trip, and my third or fourth trip to Rocky Point - and the most memorable. I will be doing an in depth story on the family we built for on borderbeat.net, but I wanted to blog about my feelings and thoughts about the trip because it was so meaningful to me.

As I said before, many Tucsonans head to Rocky Point to enjoy the beach, but this weekend I didn't even see the beach. I spent the entire weekend with a woman named Inez, getting to know about her and her family, and helping build a home for her.

Inez, me, my husband Sean, and Inez's husband Pasqual

She was amazed that our group cared enough about her and her family to come and build a home for them, and spend time getting to know them. She explained that most Americans come to Rocky Point to drink and party.

I was amazed at everything she told me. Her life had been extremely difficult, she had been treated horrificly by her mother and brothers, and her attitude was that of forgiveness, perserverance and gratitude. She said she and her husband spend time in prayer every night and every morning thanking God they have a place to sleep, a blessed marriage and a God that loves them and has not forgotten them. She told everyone who had helped build her new home that we were invited to stay there anytime we wanted, and to bring our families, even if it's crowded. She told me to say hello to my family, even though she didn't know them. She told me to be an encouragement and support to my family as we struggle through rough times. She told me to always remember the things that God does for me. Her wisdom was astounding. The other women I was with as she spoke to us were amazed. Our jaws were dropped and our eyes were wet with tears as she told us things about her life that she had never told another person, aside from her husband. She told us that we were all sisters. We were - and still are.

I wish that every person could meet someone like Inez. Someone with that amount of wisdom, humility, gratitude and love. What an incredible weekend in Rocky Point. While motorcycle bikers from all across the U.S. were there for a massive rally, partying and drinking like most Americans do, I was in the process of having my life changed. What a shame that they finished their weekend with empty beer bottles. I ended my weekend with a full heart and a bigger family.

Just a note: ANYONE can be part of Casa De Amor. You do not have to be part of a certain church to participate. PLEASE get involved. I promise you it will change your life, and will give you a better weekend than a beer on the beach.