Puerto Rico! You Lovely Island!

Credit for this picture goes to Dr. Drey, who explicitly wanted me to credit her. I kid, I kid.

If you didn't get the West Side Story reference, well then clearly you are NOT a Broadway fan. It's okay! That's right! I visited the voluptuous, awe-inspiring (can I use this word here?), welcoming island of Puerto Rico!

Coming back made me feel very... how do I say this?...purposeless. And glum. I went from the beautiful, sunny, and most importantly, skin-clearing and hair-bettering weather, to the gloomy, cloudy, sunless weather of New England. I got home towards the end of February vacation and spent the rest of the break just feeling sad and wishing I was somewhere else. Writing about the trip felt like reliving every experience, but only from a distance ☹️. So as a way to feel better, I avoided it for a whole month! Of course this sort of thing happens to us all; we visit a beautiful part of the world and then come back to our seemingly little world. At least I felt this way. I also want to say though, I came back from a fantastic trip! Truly one of the best ones of my life!

I can't even begin to explain how much I learned. I'm hitting cliche territory when I say this, but don't underestimate how strong Puerto Rico is. The plants, the food, even with restrictions, and best of all, the people! Kind and beautiful people I'm so happy to have met. Especially our tour guide. It's hard not to be cliche! I finally understand travelers who feel like they found themselves and were CHANGED.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿Pre-Vacation Fun＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

I did not feel this way at the start of the trip. I was congested and thought my being sick was a sign I was going to, and I quote, "die early." I kid you not. Clearly I overreacted. I'm not someone who likes to exaggerate to that extent, but in the moment I didn't even entertain the idea that maybe I just had a common cold. The day of the trip itself wasn't a good day either. It began with my being late in school and having to walk into my pre-calculus class late for the second time in a row that week. Wearing no decent clothes; just baggy sweatpants, Bearpaws, and a really sweaty sweatshirt. I was still feeling congested, embarrassed, and really didn't want to come to school late again, but I didn't have much of a choice.

At the end of the day and just a few hours before I had to be at the airport, my mother called to tell me I had a doctor's appointment! Just a few hours before I had to be at the airport! With nothing but a half-packed bag! But I was thoroughly convinced by the end of the appointment that I wouldn't die early. Which was a relief, as you might think. All the doctors wished me a good trip, which always makes things better.

My mom and I then headed to Whole Foods and ran into my friend's mother; what happens when you both have kids with dietary restrictions I suppose. I won't list every little thing that happened. I just like remembering the little things that happen before the trip and then talk big picture when the trip truly begins, as a way of setting the scene. Continuing the not completely relevant pre-trip story, my mom and I finished packing and drove to the airport with my sister, brother, and father. I said goodbye to my family about fifteen times (we've all been there I'm sure) and headed to security...

...and the rest is actually irrelevant.

NOW, let's get into the nitty-gritty. Below I've listed all the regions and towns we visited in Puerto Rico and may I say, we visited QUITE A LOT of places. I don't think I've ever done so much in just one trip. I'd like to properly thank our amazing tour guide, Hectór, for telling us everything he could about his home. I feel like I can say a lot about the island, the various regions, and even the words Puerto Ricans use that cater only to Puerto Rican Spanish. It's nice not always feeling ignorant towards those who are equally important to learn about and understand.

With that, read what interests you, don't read what doesn't interest you, and learn something. You can even use this as a guide to plan your upcoming trip to Puerto Rico, instead of only visiting concentrated-tourist locations.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿Yauco＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

Hectór decided to take us to a less known area called Yauco. According to him, this town was a dangerous place to visit, but with the new murals painted by local artists, people there wanted to attract tourists there and alleviate people's initial impression. These murals were eye-opening, even the houses were painted into bigger picture. As we, forty-five ambitious high school tourists (emphasis on high school) walked through the town, people stared at us (who can really blame them?) and some happily waved. One man from the town wanted to take a picture of our group so a local artist could paint a mural of us. Maybe someday I'll return to Yauco and see my school painted on the wall.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿School in Lajas＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

Now, it was very hot, and I was still wearing my loose jeans and Life is Good shirt that I had blown my nose into repeatedly on the plane; you can imagine I wanted to change. But, we were on our way to Lajas Elementary School, filled with the sweetest and most outgoing kids I have ever met. I don't have any pictures because phones weren't allowed. Instead, here's a mural of a boy I found in Yauco. It really illustrates the energy and love of the kids in Lajas:

I went to one of the Spanish classrooms and talked with some of the students. Unfortunately, the flight had stuffed up my ears and fans were running in the rooms so it was really difficult to make out what the kids were saying without asking them too many times what they were saying. On top of that they spoke Spanish really fast. Faster than people from other Latin American countries.

I had an interesting experience with one girl I noticed no one was talking to. I asked her in English, "what do you like to do?" She didn't answer, so I said it again in English, assuming she just didn't hear me. I've been told I speak very softly... but then again there was the hearing problem. She still didn't answer. Then I asked, "¿Qué te gusta hacer?" This time she responded with "dibujar," meaning "drawing." This moment was one of the highlights of the trip. Of course no one is required to learn English for the sake of accommodating others. As a matter of fact, the fact that all of us don't speak English is what fosters diversity and cultural curiosity. Our little conversation continued with me asking her what classes she liked, in Spanish of course. It's my turn to speak her language.

Today was Valentine's Day! And my oh my everyone was so festive. I wish it was still like that in my school ☹️. The kids wore festive headbands and had candy. SO MANY of them gave me candy I had to use the hat I was wearing to carry all of it. I'm not complaining. I was both surprised and flattered at how kind these children were. They wanted to show me what their valentines and their toys and they were so excited. The teachers also were decorating the school; covering the billboards with festive valentine tissue paper, and hanging up heart-cutouts. Now, I personally repel children. I love them, but they don't share the same interest in me. And I honestly expected that coming here, but so many of these kids still gave me candy and took an interest in what I was doing. I really don't know if I'll ever be a part of brightening children's' day again. It's a Valentine's Day miracle!

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿Mongrove Cays＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

Ah yes, the Mangrove Cays. The highlight of that VERY LONG first day. I promise I've never been awake for that long a time and experienced so much. After touring a beautiful town and playing with fun-loving children, all after a flight where I didn't get really ANY sleep, spending the last bit of day here was the perfect thing. I made a promise to myself on this trip that I wouldn't give school a second thought. I wouldn't feel like I would be going back to a gloomy town. I would have amazing experiences and come back to share them. We went on a river cruise, fed iguanas (very cute iguanas might I add), and then jumped into the water almost instantaneously. At least I did. Because how can you not? 

There was also a fisherman show, where we saw and got to hold starfish, sea cucumbers (weird little things), sea urchins, hermit crabs, weird types of starfish, and finally, we got the opportunity to pet an octopus. That's something I can go home and say I did. The rest of that evening was spent letting our heads float in the water and feeling our hair move with us. Then we dried off and were ready for the next activity. Yes, there is more.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿Bioluminescent Bay＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

THIS is how we spent our night. We were going to spend the last parts of our first day seeing something truly spectacular and extraordinary. Puerto Rico is one of the few places with a bioluminescent bay, meaning the bay LIGHTS UP. Like in movies, but real. This is caused by tiny tiny microbes that glow when you slap the water and just move around. I'm sad to say I don't have any pictures and we were only able to swim in the bio bay for five minutes. But what an absolutely surreal experience this was! I felt like I was in a movie. Or dreaming. Or dreaming of being in a movie.Who knows these days? I was immediately reminded of Moana; the sea calls me. I'd move around and these little blue dots, bluer than the ocean, surrounded my hand. I felt that I had superpowers or something, but the credit goes to the microbes.

Another really surreal thing happened that night. How many times do we get the chance to say that? But I remember reading the expression in one of Grace Lin's books, "....and the moon lit the way." For some reason whenever I'm standing in the dark I think, "can the moon really light someone's way?" When standing on this boat, nowhere near any artificial lights, the moon shined so brightly that our shadows were actually visible! Even though this was a tiny question that would circle my brain from time to time, it felt like the island answered my question. I don't think I'll ever see or feel anything like this again. But that makes it all the more special, right?

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿La Ciudad de Ponce＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

After a really long and joyful first day began the time to do service and help kind people, which wasn't something to be upset about. Our bus took us to the city of Ponce, named after the Spanish explorer, Ponce De Leon. We specifically visited a farm on Ponce. The tour guides told us that the farm was founded by an immigrant who came to the island many years ago. We did simple work like (ugh) weeding, planting plantain seeds, which are larger than you think, and some people got the pleasure of cleaning up chicken poo. And there was a beautiful ocean sitting next to the farm. The owner of the farm came to thank us and gave every one of us a hug. I love nice people. His house was also really beautiful and very different from what you might think when you think of a wealthy person's house.

Hectór highly recommends going to Ponce to buy souvenirs. The price is half as much than it is in San Juan. Do it! I bought the most precious accessory I've ever seen and it really suits my style! A simple purse shaped like a flower. I expected it to cost twenty dollars or more. It cost eight dollars. So I bought my sister one, too! Roaming around the streets of Ponce was enriching. Ponce isn't as much of a tourist-infested city, but that makes it even more culturally informing. You could see the raw culture as opposed to something created to attract tourists.

Can you spot the little lizards? There might be more than one!

My friends and I met a man selling ice cream. Really good, vegan ice cream, for only one dollar. We had a twenty-minute conversation. He told us he was born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York. People here, they don't simply say "good" when asked, "how are you?" They genuinely care about how you're feeling. This man didn't find it strange that I talked a little more than I needed to (at least I think I did, maybe he didn't). It quickly came to my attention that Puerto Ricans, among many other people from other countries, know where Boston is. It makes me a little sad that I don't give other countries the attention they deserve. But I'm currently working on perfecting my African geography.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿San Francisco School＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

And for our last activity of the first half of the trip, we visited a school called San Francisco School. This was one of the funnest volunteering activities of the whole trip. It did begin with a very long walk up a hill, but this is what students have to do every day of their lives. Our group repainted some of the school grounds with games like hopscotch, four square....*sigh*....nostalgia. Some students also painted colorful shapes so kids could invent their own games. Others also painted murals and made drawings on the walls to give the school more spirit.

Guess what I did? Probably one of the purposeful tasks of all...I painted a door green, which took a considerable amount of time. And I stained my new shirt with oil paint. But it had little cactuses on it! That's how you make permanent memories; stain your clothes unintentionally. After finally finishing the door, and later learning it was going to be replaced, I worked on one of the biggest projects; redoing the library. I mostly just swept the floor, but that's harder than it looks. And we all had to wear to wear masks during this activity... you know...to prevent anyone from getting high. Bad for business.

The sun was scorching during all this, but my Hydro Flask had my back. I also got some great food. It's so strange that even with restrictions, and being able to eat just rice and beans at times, the food is still pretty darn good. And that was our day. We got some time to ourselves in the Ponce plaza and bid the city farewell.

And that's a wrap of only the FIRST half of this beautifying trip. This was mostly all the service we completed, which was really fun (hey, who doesn't love stating the obvious repeatedly?). Community service is better with the million dollar ocean view. Onwards are more touristy things like swimming in water (how touristy!), exploring a rainforest, and more things you probably want to know, but can't because you have to read the next post first. ¡Hasta luego!