As a person that grew up in the border, I've spent hours and hours crossing the border to go visit family, or go shopping. It's something that I once hated and sometimes still do (the waiting is the part that kills me). But there's a beauty in being able to cross the border and go to another country. I consider myself lucky, there's a lot of people that can't do it, or doesn't have the resources of getting a passport or a visa to cross.
While waiting along with so many people to cross to the other side, there's isn't really a lot of things to do. People watching is something I always do, and its basically all I do while I sit in my car waiting to cross. Waiting and admiring the people that sit in the same position I do, waiting. Also admiring those hard working people that stand in the sun and the heat of the desert.
You can find people trying to clean your windows before you even ask them to. They might've cleaned half your windshield before you can say no. You see Rarámuris (Native Americans from the Northern part of Mexico) selling gum or just asking for 'korima' which means 'sharing' in their native tongue.
People sell antojitos mexicanos. Antojitos literally means cravings. The best way to describe it is by saying they are our Mexican Fast Food. You can find them on street booths and carts (in this case, you see people with carts, or holding the food in their arms.) and restaurants. They are easy to find in Mexico and they are a true treasure for someone like me that lives 10 hours away from home and can't easily satisfy the craving with a food truck in Austin. Food that you can find in the bridge varies from Mexican chips and chicharrones (fried pork rinds), elote (corn), nieves de garrafa, (type of handmade, water-based sorbet), and tacos sudados (steamed tacos). You can even buy queso asadero, which is a Mexican semi-soft cheese that originates from Chihuahua in northern Mexico. You can also find people selling art, handcrafted Mexican toys, loterias even windshield wipers.
The bridge can be chaotic and frustrating, but it always makes me think and appreciate the fact that I am lucky enough to be able to cross and experience it while enjoying an antojito.
Here are some photos that I've taken in the bridge with my phone when crossing to Mexico or crossing back to the U.S.
