My first international work trip!

This post is long overdue, as I got back from El Salvador two weeks ago already. But if I had to write about one thing for my obligatory monthly post, it would be my trip there.

The trip became real to me a few weeks before it actually happened, when my supervisor told me that she wanted me to go. Well, it was more like, one of my coworkers mentioned an El Salvador trip that was supposed to be happening, but she wasn't sure if it was going to. And then another one of my coworkers told me, "Oh yeah, if that ends up being a thing, Nan (my supervisor) will probably want you to go." I became anxiously eager at the possibility, and I brought it up with Nan when I had a work trip to Atlanta to see her at the end of September. She asked, "So do you want to go to El Salvador?" and I replied yes, I very much would like to go. She then told me she'd keep me updated, as it depended on the event organizers, the International Rescue Committee. Eventually, a date for the convening was pinned down, and Nan told me to get my tickets (on the Justice in Motion's dime, of course). I was all set!

So what exactly was this convening in El Salvador?

It was an event organized by the International Rescue Committee called "Aftershocks through the Northern Triangle: Coordinating Civil Society Efforts in Response to Zero Tolerance." The aim was to gather diverse organizations that have been involved in the family separation crisis response, so that people could network, share their experiences, and learn from one another. Since I've only been in the working world for ~4 months, I wonder what exactly convinced Nan that I should go, but I'm not complaining at all.

I think the idea behind me going was so that I could finally meet some of our Defenders in Central America. The Defenders are lawyers and human rights advocates throughout the region who work closely with us on various immigration and employment cases that require transnational legal work. They are also the best part of my job, as I have come to find. This trip was the first time I got to meet some of them in person, and I had such a wonderful time getting to know them (and speaking Spanish too, of course).

Some of the defenders and me in the lobby of the hotel where everyone stayed
In the picture, L-R: Margarito, Alex, me, Eriberto, and Lesly (all but Alex, a Honduran, are from Guatemala)

The entire event took place in Spanish, and it was a lot to take in sometimes. But I like to think I understood most of it! I've definitely improved my competency in the language a lot since starting this work. There's obviously more work to be done, and I know with this job that I will get even better as I go along. 

The conference itself took place in the IRC's office building conference rooms, and it came with a wonderful view from the terrace. 

Said view

Some of the participants (quite a few had already left by the time this pic was taken)

The convening was also a way for me to see the importance of the work that Justice in Motion has been doing in Central America, and I felt proud to be part of those efforts even in such a little way. For instance, some Defenders have been highly involved in finding parents who were deported without their children after they were separated at the border, and also coordinating with these parents, finding out what their wishes were in terms of reunification (or not–some parents chose to allow their children to pursue asylum claims in the USA on their own). On a more solemn note, it was depressing for me to hear about the lack of resources available for returned migrants on behalf of the state, and how much civil society has had to step up in the face of this crisis. But I feel like in the line of work I'm pursuing, I'm going to be encountering a lot of depressing situations. What's nice though is that there will always be people willing to step up and do something to help others, even when the powers that be couldn't care less. While I'm still constantly negotiating how I see myself participating in this "world bettering" in the future, I'm satisfied with the experiences both good and bad that I am having now. Good in that I love the cause, bad in that public service doesn't make a lot of money. But hey, work travel!

On the non-work side of this trip, I legit felt like I was on a little vacation. One that I really, really needed. I loved being able to sleep in a hotel room for four nights, availing of the free and hearty breakfast, and eating lots of pupusas. Yes, I just mentioned two things that had to do with eating. Deal with it.

Working hard? Or thinking about the pool behind me? Neither, just pretending not to be exhausted after a 6 am flight on the way to El Salvador! 

Mmmm pupusas. Good thing I can find these in New York.

A highlight of my trip was meeting Araceli, a Defender based in San Salvador. She has been working with us since 2012 or so, and is one of our most reliable colleagues. I got to sing to her 8-month-old baby Diana, who would stare at me enraptured, and applaud and squeal whenever I paused. It was adorable, and it made me see the appeal in babies. 

I stayed an extra day in El Salvador since the conference ended on a Friday, so I spent my free Saturday hanging out with Araceli and her family. We took a trip to the beach, where I got to see the open ocean. It was incredible. 

Araceli, her husband Orlando, and baby Diana

Can't get enough of the ocean!!

I had a lot of fun getting to know Araceli and her husband (and her baby I guess, to the extent one can get to know a baby). I told them that this was my first international work trip, and that El Salvador will always be a special country to me for holding the distinction as the place where it took place. As I have heard in other occasions before, they told me I was welcome to go back, and to let them know. I do hope I get the chance to see them again and that Diana won't have grown up too much! I really wish I could have spent more time getting to see San Salvador, but all in all I was very happy about the trip. Can't wait till the next one! (Which will be in Guatemala in January. Stay tuned.) 

My qualms about living in New York aside, I'm so happy to have a job that allows me such amazing international opportunities and the chance to work with the Defenders. In terms of my career, it's all just the beginning, and I can say with certainty that it's looking to be a promising road ahead.