Enchanted

by Emily Nicholls

Puerto Rico's nickname "La Isla del Encanto" translates to "The Island of Enchantment". From the moment I started sticking to myself while walking off the plane, I could feel something different. No, it wasn't that my shopping sensors were detecting a duty-free store nor was it the feeling of sweat coming out of places it shouldn't in the middle of winter, it was something special. Though we were all disenchanted by our non-beachfront accommodations, I hoped that everyone would be able to experience the same deep feeling that I did, which would be different for each person because this land meant something different to each of us. Some saw it as an opportunity to reenact Brooke Burke's "Wild On!" experiences while others saw it as an opportunity to thaw out on the beach after the Oklahoma City Metro area's record breaking ice storm . Regardless of goals, I knew we'd all be making memories.

To me this beautiful land connects me to family. My mom is from Ponce, my grandmother lives there, my uncle and his family live in Bayamón, and like every other hispanic, I have cousins everywhere. Even if you don't have relatives here, strangers try to connect to make you feel welcome; people make you their relatives. It's a funny feeling to change from the fast paced world that is college life in the states to come here and readjust to life here. At home everything is a competition, from football to enrollment times, everyone is out to win. Secrets on how to pass a certain test are reserved for close friends or people who can help you out in another way. It's all very cutthroat. It's almost funny that one has to travel to an island that many people aren't even aware is part of the United States to get the feeling of community and the attitude that reflects the sentiment of the American classic song "This land is your land".

Puerto Rico overflows with the feelings of family and welcomeness. Those were the feelings I was filled with when I walked off the plane, and by the end of the trip I know everyone else could feel those things, too.