Travel Confessions of a Freelance DP: Juarez Mexico
El Paso Texas overlooking Cuidad Juarez
It was a normal afternoon, I was working on my computer, checking emails, and preparing the numerous upcoming shoots when I received a text from a friend/client of mine. It said, “Hey, any chance you want to film a job in Juarez Mexico?”
As we all know, Juarez is a border town in Mexico that is separated from El Paso, Texas via the Rio Grande River. Unlike the tropical paradise and all-inclusive resorts that most Americans have enjoyed, Juarez is a city overrun with warring drug cartels, human traffickers. Images of rival gang beheadings and heated discussions about protecting our borders from illegal immigration is what most Americans visualize. I had traveled to Mexico many times for work before, so I was some what accustomed what I could expect.
Maybe it was the lack of international adventures in my life since becoming a Dad, or maybe it was the excitement to get back out into the Wold after the Covid-19 pandemic, but I told my friend, “I’m interested, but my passport has expired.” “My client tells me that they should be able to get you in and out of the border easily as long as you bring your expired passport", said my friend. So like any responsible business owner, husband, and loving Father would say, “Count me in!”
The day leading up to my flight to El Paso I found myself becoming nervous and anxious, and the same thoughts continued to swirl in my head “What if they can’t get me into Mexico? Will the client be upset? Or worse, what if I get into Mexico and I’m unable to get back into America?
I’ve arrived in El Paso and it’s the morning of the shoot. I meet the clients in the lobby of the hotel and we hop into the van. The client assures me that everything should be fine…he thinks. We cross over customs without stopping. The only signs of life we saw were the Mexican Border agents wielding automatic weapons and a blank stare as we passed by them. We immediately went to the customs office to declare ourselves and get our work visas. I was told to get in line first. After 15 long minutes I approached the window and handed over my passport. The border agent said, “No” and asked me to leave. I waited out by the van for the other and hoped that one of the border patrol agents out by the highway didn’t notice me or that I looked too suspicious.
Finally, the clients joined me back at the car. I asked, “Well, what now?” “Nothing", said the driver. “You’re already in Mexico. We’ll continue as planned and drive to our destination.” I was advised that if border agents arrived on site I would either need to take a walk, or find a good hiding spot since they were known to do audits from time to time.
The shoot went very smooth. It was a factory that makes beautiful outdoor furniture, so I filmed the factory process and the completed products. Upon completion I was once again nervous about being able cross back over to my home country of America. Once again the thoughts of getting intercepted along the way, and being held at the border continued to plague my mind.
Just when I thought I was headed home, the clients wanted to treat up to a meal, so where in Mexico would you expect that we go…”American Steakhouse”. This was one of the longest meals that I have ever sat through. There were appatizers, followed my main courses, desserts, and finally tequilla. I don’t drink liquor very often, but when you’re stressed in Mexico it helps. Once the tequilla started to do it’s magic and the thoughts of my impending doom started to fade, our driver jumped out of his chair quickly and said, “We’ve got to get going now. The sun is about to go down and I don’t want to drive across the border at night"!
We made it back out to the van and the driver mentions to me, “We have a change of plans…It will go smoother if I drop you off at the border and you walk back with you camera gear. Here’s a couple pesos and one of my associates to assist you.”
We get dropped off at the bridge and I can see America. It’s so close. Has it always looked this beautiful? Have I ever taken my American citizenship for granted? We get to the turnstile and we soon realize that we don’t have the proper change to get through. Thankfully, the associate that was with me spoke fluid Spanish and was able to swap change with someone that was also crossing forward. Whew! The associate goes first, and as I’m about to put my change in the turnstile the border agent standing nearby asks me in Spanish, “What’s in your bags?” Obviously, it’s expensive camera equipment. It’s my tools for my trade. My everything. Is this going to be a shake down? Will I get extorted? My associate is talking with the agent and finally he gives me the nod to move forward. Thank God!
We walk along the overpass towards the American customs building. One mure hurdle until I make it home. It’s make it or break it time. I wait in line until the young woman border agent waves me forward. “Passport please”, she says. I hand her my expired passport. Thump, thump, thump goes my heart. “Thank you and welcome back”, says the agent.
I proved a couple of things:
You can cross the Mexican border by land with an expired passport
I’m not as tough and adventurous as I thought I was.
My wife loves me very much, but I’m not allowed to go back to Juarez.
I’m proud to be an American.
American steakhouses in Mexico are just as good as (if not better than) steakhouses in America.
