Importance of Language

Growing up, my parents always expressed the importance of language. Within my family alone, my father speaks Greek and Hebrew, my sister and my mother both speak Spanish. Whenever the chance came for me to take a foreign language my parents encouraged me to try it. At first I started off taking French classes, but I soon realized that it was not for me and switched to the American favorite, Spanish. Never truly mastering the language of Spanish, I still feel a strong connection to the culture.

            Keeping my background in mind, my encounters with the Puerto Rican language were impactful. Puerto Ricans take their language very seriously, which can be understood through the way they speak it. Puerto Ricans have even came up with a term called, Spanglish, where they mix both Spanish and English words into their language. Spanglish has given Puerto Ricans a sense of pride and ownership of their language as a whole. An important thing that I soon realized that is that Puerto Ricans do not speak in English unless they have to, which goes back to the fact that they are proud of the evolution of their language.

            After my trip to Puerto Rico, back home, it soon dawned on me that language helps establish cultures and provides explanation on how a culture has evolved and deviated from a central force. No different than the rest, Puerto Rico provides more than enough support for this thought.

http://www.topuertorico.org/descrip.shtml

Beyond Language

http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Pa-Sp/Puerto-Rican-Americans.html

Back Across the Pond-by Marley Harris

Sitting at home, reminiscing of Puerto Rico, I cannot believe I was just there yesterday. As I stepped off the plane here in Oklahoma City I was quickly reminded of reality as the bitter cold hit me with a gust of wind. The beautiful island of Puerto Rico was behind me. It now all seems to be a giant blur and my wonderful memories are now a dream. As I am loading my pictures on to my computer (I only took about 500), my screen is filled with such beautiful color. Greens, blues, whites, pinks, my screen has the essence of paradise. While reminiscing threw all of my photos, I begin to realize just how vast the Puerto Rican landscape was. This tiny island that is apart of the United States, has such a unique history, culture and landscape, that I feel as though I am two worlds away from Oklahoma.

Since Puerto Rico is made of over 60% mountains and hills, there is little land that is left flat. Houses gripped on to the side of these mountains. I cannot imagine being able to live in one of those houses that is hugging on to the side of it so tight. The views are breathtaking.

It always made me laugh when I heard people on the island talk about “these winter months in Puerto Rico.” As if to call 82° F winter, and to call that cold. Since Puerto Rico is located in the Caribbean and near the equator, the temperatures stay about the same throughout the year. Seasons slightly differ from one to the next. This is what helps make Puerto Rico so appealing.

*All photos were taken by and belong to Marley Harris

Check out these cool links to learn more about Puerto Rico and where we visited!

http://www.samuellind.com/

Map

El Yunque Rainforest

Spanglish

Spanglish

By: Laura Pope

As I departed the island of Puerto Rico yesterday, the San Juan airport was crowded with travelers, travelers from many different locations and dialects. People and language fill the security check areas. I heard more than only Spanish being spoken within the area surrounding me. As people talk, I feel as if I am taking a miniature tour of their culture. The passion and emotion that is expressed through language compels me. It compels me to learn Spanish and translate what people are conversing about.

Puerto Ricans use inflictions and emotion to better convey their message when speaking in Spanish. Throughout the airport I could determine the difference between an angry tones of Spanish from a fast direct tone that was not necessarily angry. I feel that the Spanish language is passionate when spoken. The relationship between Spanish spoken parents and their children is extremely touching.

Although, I do not speak Spanish, my trip to Puerto Rico has taught me a lot about the Spanglish influence throughout Puerto Rico. English is not a Puerto Ricans first language I discovered because they are not as confident in English as they are speaking Spanish. When I did speak to Puerto Ricans in English, they quickly began speaking in English. Most Puerto Ricans learn English for the first time in school because their parents only speak Spanish. I could determine from the children that I spoke to while in Puerto Rico that their English teachers are effective and changing future generations.

Vieques is Not for Sale

Vieques is Not for Sale

By Rachel Bradley

Vieques is a Puerto Rican island that lies 40 minutes off the main shore by ferry. It was first settled by the Taino Indians and later invaded by the Spanish. The Tainos gave much resistance, so they focused on building a colony on mainland Puerto Rico then in the beginning of the nineteenth century built a fort in Vieques as part of that process. This fort is known as Fortin Conde de Mirasol (photo: top center).
Vieques was home to many slaves that worked their luscious sugar cane crops, which was the main economic income. About 350 slaves lived, worked, and died on the island. Slavery was finally abolished in Puerto Rico in 1873. The French also fought for territory of the island. The fort was never involved in battle, but rather used as a prison. In 1898 Vieques was part of the United States with Puerto Rico, and by the Jones Act of 1917 all Puerto Ricans were born United States citizens.
After three-fourths of Vieques was taken over by the U.S, they began sending their navy over around the 1940s to do bomb and nuclear experimentation. It devastated the island’s breathtaking flora and fauna and caused cancer rates among the residents to skyrocket.
Today, after a long history of battle between islanders, invaders, and the United States Navy, Vieques is back on its feet trying to improve their land and keep it thriving. Much of this was done with the help of the Fortin Conde de Mirasol Museum coordinator, Robert Rabin. He came to the island from Boston at the age of 25 for three weeks of research in which he said, “three weeks turned into three decades.”
Rabin had made it a passion to keep, what he calls, “the most beautiful view in all of Vieques” standing, its culture strong, and the U.S. Navy out (photo: top below). In 1993 he and his wife joined a spearhead movement to keep the Navy out due to the health concerns of the islanders. He even spent six months in prison due to a nonviolent practice where they sat in the Navy’s bomb range. This was his third arrest. Finally in 2003 the Navy listened to the protestors and moved out. Rabin is a strong advocate for the health and safety of the island and its people, and now helps the museum that holds the archives and history of this land and its people (photo: below, center).

The museum and the fort lie on a high point of Vieques overlooking the island's blue seas and green hills. It catches the fresh breeze blowing in from the water as you look down at specs of coral, pink, yellow, and baby blue houses and flowers (photo: below, bottom). The museum stands high in the fort with a sense of safety and preservation of a culture.

Adventuring Through la Selva

By: Tyler Dunn

El Yunque is a place all its own. A unique, breathing organism of self-sufficience. A system of peaks and valleys, tree, rock, and water. A mere hour in the forest will reveal its sacred nature, its presence undaunted by humanity.

  

During my time in Puerto Rico I occasionally came across such intense natural beauty I didn't dare take a picture for fear of misrepresentation. The rainforest of Puerto Rico was very much like this, and what I did capture I only hope does the place justice. 

El Yunque is one of a kind – the only rainforest in the United States. One of the most diverse places on earth, El Yunque contains more than 220 native trees. The Coqui and the Iguaca, the island's two sentimental favorites, both reside within the forest. 

The elevation of the rainforest is always changing. There are hills throughout El Yunque, and the winding La Mina River creates a path through the staggered grasses, through the highs and lows of mother nature. 

This place is sacred, ancient, authentic, untouched, and an experience you need to know for yourself.

For more information about El Yunque, check out these websites.

http://www.elyunque.com

http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/caribbean/index.shtml

http://www.topuertorico.org/reference/yunque.shtml

http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/el-yunque-trail-map/

http://www.savetherainforest.org/savetherainforest_013.htm

The Language of Love

By: Kathryn Collins

Preparing to plunge into the realms of an unknown, foreign land can rattle your nerves. Questions of fear continuously run through your mind like a pet hamster peddling on its never-ending wheel. How will the people treat me? Will I get lost? Did I pack everything? Will my luggage get lost? Am I going to be dressed appropriately? And most importantly, will I be able to understand them and will they be able to understand me?

The locals of Puerto Rico have mastered the task of learning three languages: Spanish, English, and “Spanglish.” Many of the Puerto Ricans have gone out of their way to learn all three, which helps them to cater to the clueless visitors who have been ignorant enough to stick to only learning one language their entire lives. When you enter a store or get lost on the street or order a plate of rice of beans, the majority of people you speak with will not have a problem understanding you and helping you in the best way they can. However, the comfort of them understanding the words that came out of my mouth was not the way they connected with me the most. The language that the exquisite people of Puerto Rico have learned down to a tee is the language of love. It is evident in the way the locals treat others that they genuinely care about the people put into their lives, whether they are their closest friend or a complete stranger touring the new, fresh island. The Puerto Rican's strongest form of communication is a warm smile, a welcoming kiss on the cheek, or uncontrollable laughter. Not only do the locals cater to the tourists by learning their speaking language, but also they choose to communicate in the most welcoming form of love.

“Foreign Languages aren’t so Foreign”

By: Katylee Strange

Photos:

Up- A sign on the side that is written in both Spanish and English

Right- Papo, our tour guide explaining the Spanish meanings to numerous trees in El Yunque Rainforest.

Left- A sign that is written in English, which is peculiar since most people in Puerto Rico speak Spanish.

Many people think the Puerto Rican language is different than that of the United States, but in reality it is very similar. On my trip to Puerto Rico I got to learn what influences the Puerto Rican languages just like every language. From our tour guide Papo I learned that Puerto Rican language was once officially Spanish when Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony, but now the official language is English. One would never think the official language is English if they ever visited the island. Every local place I went people strictly spoke Spanish but new a little English. Barbara Velez, the lady who gave us a tour at La Concha Hotel in La Condado, said that in order to get any type of job in Puerto Rico in any aspect of tourism a person must be bilingual. Puerto Ricans themselves say that their official language is actually Spanglish. Over the years people have mixed both Spanish and English to become Spanglish. Papo said that people from Spain or any other strictly Spanish speaking country wouldn’t understand half of what the said, because their Spanglish is unique to Puerto Rico.

I noticed a lot of the signs in Puerto Rico have both Spanish and English on them. This way people that speak both languages understand what is being said. Culture and language have changed over time. Language in America and Puerto Rico is actually quiet similar because the mixing of cultures and the region in which someone lives makes their language distinct. Being from Oklahoma I have grown up saying phrases and words specific to the region like the word yall. People from other states laugh at the word yall

every time I say it, but to me it is just a common word. Also one word that comes to mind that has different words in different languages is a coke. Depending on where you grow up it is a coke a soda, a soda pop, or a pop. It is interesting to see how people use different phrases in different regions in America and Puerto Rico.