Adiós mi amor Puerto Rico
By Adam Pinkney
Two weeks on an island was the best Christmas and new years gift I could have ever received. In these two weeks I learned a lot about the rich history and culture of Puerto Rico. I fell in love with the people, food, music, and beaches. No other place I have ever visited compares to Puerto Rico. I felt so welcome and did not want to come back home. However, back to reality and I cannot forget the amazing effect this beautiful Island had on me.
I will also never forget the awesome group of classmates that shared in my experiences. This was the best group of friends I could have asked for on this trip. We all smiled, laughed, and pretty much cried when we had to leave. My two professors and TA were also of great support on this trip and they made a perfect team.
Learning about the history of a place while being in the place was the best learning experience I have ever had. We actually went to the historical sites and absorbed the sites and sounds of places such as El Yunque rainforest, Vieques, Quanica dry forest, and bioluminescent bay to name a few. The local people are so loving and caring. They do not discriminate on the basis of race or skin color because the Puerto Rican race is so varied. Puerto Ricans are made up of Taino Indian, Spanish, and African.
For a person that has never visited the island, I would first suggest to them a tour guide named Jose Pereira. He is an awesome guide and you will fall in love with him. I also fell in love with every other native that I came in contact with. No one was rude; they were all nice and loving. One tip would be to make sure and pack a ton of bug spray.
Finally, the intangibles that I walk away with are emotions. I have never loved and felt so loved as much as I did in Puerto Rico. The beautiful sounds and smells of the island will dwell with me forever. The most important intangible, which I will soon turn into tangible, are the ideas I have been coming up with for my graduate project. I will be making a documentary of Puerto Rico in some sort of fashion.
No comments:
Post a Comment