Ethan Davis (The Beacon)
By Ethan Davis, Guest Commentary
Before registering for the 2012 Rural Immersion with the University of Portland I wasn't too sure what to expect and to be honest when I did sign up it still wasn't very clear to me what I would be doing during the week of fall break. I had done service learning and service trips all throughout high school so I had some idea about what we might be doing but I couldn't be sure. I could have gone home for the week of fall break but instead, as cliché as it may sound, I chose to step out of my comfort zone by registering for the Fall Immersion. There's a great quote that Robert F. Kennedy once made when he said, "Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." I will always remember this quote because it is the sole reminder I have to always step out of my comfort zone and do new things. Sometimes I have great experiences when I step out of my comfort zone and other times I have terrible experiences. However, the 2012 Rural Immersion trip was an experience I will always remember because it was so great.
"I saw and experienced things that I used to hear from others," freshman Jean Francois Seide said. "Not only that, I spent a wonderful break with a group of twelve."
During the week the Rural Immersion group went to numerous locations all in the Yakima, Washington area in order to learn about the politics of agriculture and immigration. We visited many ranches and got to see close up what the mechanics of agriculture looks like. At one site we learned that for each (approximately) 75 cubic foot barrel filled with apples a picker earns eighteen dollars. To say the least that's very low wage, along with long days beginning before the sun rises; we were told many farm hands work sixty or greater hour weeks. Furthermore we were told that the majority of farm hands are Mexican immigrants who can only speak Spanish or very poor English which creates a strong language barrier. One could question how someone survives under these conditions?
"The average person has a terribly inaccurate perception of the role of undocumented workers in our country," sophomore Matt Gadbois said. "Rural plunge was about getting close to the issues and seeing how much respect migrant farm workers deserve."
Aside from farm visits we also visited many sites which support the efforts of immigrant workers. One such site was Nuestra Casa which provides ESL classes for many immigrants hoping to learn English. We made another visit to EPIC which is an elementary school that is offered to low income families that specializes in teaching Spanish and English to all of its students. We also stopped at the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic which offers medical relief to families and bills relative to a family's income. We also met a number of lawyers who specialize in the defense of immigrants and immigration.
The Rural Immersion trip was an amazing learning experience and it truly changed the way I view the politics of agriculture and immigration. I will always remember my great experience in Yakima, Washington over fall break and I owe all this to stepping out of my comfort zone.
Ethan Davis is a sophomore mechanical engineering major. He can be reached at davis15@up.edu
