Since I’ve been home for more than 72 hours, you’d think I would have time to process the experience that was Puerto Rico. Yet the more I talk to people, I find that when they ask the inevitable question, “How was your trip?” all I can say is “amazing!” or “incredible!” The truth is this trip was a once in a lifetime experience and I doubt I will ever find the right words to describe it.
It wasn’t just the activities. It was absolutely amazing to hike and swim in a rainforest and kayak – okay, Patrick kayaked and I fought epic battles with the mangrove trees – in the Biobay. I’ll never forget the exciting things we did, but those experiences would have meant nothing without the people I met on this trip.
I didn’t fully realize what a risk it was to travel with total strangers for two weeks. It didn’t hit me until we met for our first on campus class. I silently panicked about how much money I had just spent without thinking things through. What if I don’t get along with these people? I’ll be stuck with them with no possibility of escape!
I shouldn’t have worried. After the homesickness faded, I didn’t think about home as much as I thought I would. I missed my family and friends, of course, but I never felt lonely. I always had someone around. That would have made me crazy at home but it worked wonderfully in Puerto Rico. I was having so much fun that I lost track of days of the week. I had to rely on my trusty BlackBerry to tell me if it was Friday or Sunday. Our tour guide in Ponce, Francisco, told me that was the ultimate sign of having a great time.
Every time I posted a picture on my Facebook page, my friends teased me about this class. When I posted a status update about doing homework, my friend Marie joked, “Calculus – calculating the time it takes to get the perfect tan.” Other friends asked if I was getting college credit to tour the Bacardi Rum Factory. Of course, our curriculum stretched way beyond that. We had lectures on the bus about the rich history of Puerto Rico and classroom sessions about the history of travel writing. We took tests and worked on group projects. Most of all, we learned about ourselves and each other, formed new friendships and discovered a new way to see the world.
When I transferred to OU in August, I vowed that I would take advantage of every opportunity to study abroad. I wanted to live in a new culture and experience the world outside of Oklahoma. One of my friends spent a semester in Europe and I was envious of his stories. Nathan saw Julia Roberts do a photo shoot for InStyle magazine in Italy. A woman in Ireland did his laundry for free because he was from Oklahoma, the home state of her favorite country music star, Garth Brooks. I wanted memories like that.
Now I have them. I can’t imagine a New Year’s Eve that will compare to the exclusive party at La Concha, which we attended thanks to Saint Vincent, the patron saint of parties. I’m usually a pretty reserved person until I’m comfortable with people. New Year’s Eve was the night I finally let go and let myself enjoy this beautiful new place with an amazing group of people. I danced, sang and stopped worrying about looking foolish. That’s when the fun started. I even attracted the attention of a man who spoke little English, other than, “Do you have Facebook?” I think he’s still searching for the girl in the blue dress named “Kren.”
When I returned to Oklahoma, I told a friend that my biggest regret of the trip was not taking enough pictures. I took over 1500 photos but I feel like I missed so many of the moments that made the trip so unforgettable. I wish I had pulled out the camera when we were singing on the bus or hanging out on the patio at Hotel Melia. I wish I had more pictures of us dancing on New Year’s Eve. My friend reminded me that I would have missed out on those memories if I had been more focused on taking pictures instead of living in the moment.
He’s right. I got so much more out of my time in Puerto Rico than I ever imagined possible. I learned that I’m braver and stronger than I ever knew. I realized that I can’t wait to finish school and embark on a career that involves lots of travel. I fell in love with seeing the world. I’m counting down the hours until my next study abroad trip in May.
My friends and family are excited about the things I bought home. My niece loves her seashell necklace and my mom loves her Puerto Rican coffee. I treated myself to beach time and shopping in Juana Diaz. I have a great new tan and tons of gorgeous, hand-crafted jewelry. My favorite souvenir however, is the new group of friends who are more like family. I never realized that it was possible to form such a strong bond so quickly. Thank you – each of you - for the trip of a lifetime. I will never forget any of you or our time on the Island of Enchantment.
No comments:
Post a Comment