Communicating Culture: TOURISM & MEDIA in PUERTO RICO: The island that enchanted me

The island that enchanted me

By: Juliana Gutierrez

I had always wanted to have the opportunity of studying abroad. It was during my first week at the University of Oklahoma that I heard about the study abroad in Puerto Rico. I instantly felt like I had to take this class. Being able to speak both English and Spanish was surely on my side. However, neither this nor the six credit hours I was going to earn was what motivated me to take this class.

What motivated me to take this class was my hunger for culture, for relating to other people and understanding their traditions and beliefs. With my never ending desire to take on a journey and discover the world and my passion for culture, this was an opportunity I was not going to miss.

Although this was a short yet intense one week class, I had an unforgettable experience in Puerto Rico. From the island itself, to my classmates and my devoted professors, everything was more than fantastic.

I loved how we truly immersed ourselves in Puerto Rico. Not only did we go to the touristic places but we also explored many cities of the island, discovering their uniqueness and what each one had to offer.

We engaged in the Boriqua culture and studied how tourism business works in Puerto Rico. We learned about their history and cultural mix, which is the result of three races: European, African and Tainos. We listened to autochthonous rhythms and even recited trovas.

We tasted their traditional dishes, which they reminded me of my home country, Venezuela and, of course, I loved. We explored rainforests and felt the humidity on our skin, witnessed people's strong devotion for the three kings and even watched nature’s marveling bioluminescence.

Each and every one of these experiences filled my heart with joy and my mind with knowledge, and respect for Puerto Rico and its welcoming people, who at all times made me feel at home.

Something that amazed me was how proud are Puerto Rican's of their heritage. Throughout the island I saw many flags in balconies, restaurants, house entrances and squares. Whenever I talked to locals, I felt how they cherished their culture and strived to preserve it.

I learned uncountable things. From how to write a feature and all the dimensions that tourism involves to how to make Puerto Rican fricassee chicken.

With so many beautiful places around the island, I was impressed when our tour guide, Jose Pereira, told us that only 20% of tourists visit other cities besides San Juan. Although it is true that the capital has a lot to offer in all senses, I strongly believe that visiting one city does not give tourists a complete picture of a country.

In my opinion, the media is in part responsible for this. Labeling San Juan as the only important or worth to visit city in Puerto Rico is a mistake. Nevertheless, I was able to see how cities like Caguas have done an excellent job at attracting tourists.

This city, known as the heart of Puerto Rico, had a characteristic that made it different: it is not on the coast. This was not a disadvantage for Caguas. With so many other things to offer, the city has managed to enhance its tourism and uniqueness through the construction and preservation of over a dozen museums that are connected by the 'criollo hear route'.

A welcoming office of touristic development, social media and beautiful easy-to-use brochures that guide people through the 'criollo hear route' have been some of the media strategies the city has used to increment its tourism.

Even if the media has underestimated cities like Caguas, which are obviously less popular than San Juan, I believe that the so called cultural tourism is starting to change with coming generations.

As Resonance Consultancy president, Chris Fair, said in an interview with www.travelmarketreport.com, creative tourism is a trend to watch in the next years. What differentiates creative tourism from other trends is that travelers engage in the culture of the place by having a connection with it. In this trend, tourists become travelers and interact actively with locals and their daily activities.

With creative tourism trend arising, the media will probably start targeting tourists by selling more emotional connections and fulfilling experiences and less leisure time or ordinary visits to museums.

After our adventure in Puerto Rico, more than ever I feel that I am a traveler and not just a tourist. Without even knowing about this trend, I am sure we all engaged in creative tourism in some ways.

This amazing trip actually accentuated my hunger for discovering the world and it made me want to truly engage in the culture of each place more than ever.

Without the shadow of a doubt my expectations for this short study abroad program were exceeded. I learned in the best way possible: stepping out of the classroom and the books and actually experience the topic of study: Puerto Rico.