Now that I realize I only have one month left in Puerto Rico before I move to Costa Rica for 3 months, I am starting to have regrets about moving, but I know If its anything like it is here, I will love it as well. I will miss all of the brilliant friends I have made along the way, and hope to keep in contact with everyone. Such is the life of a world traveler, as one must move on, the melancholic goodbyes are inevitable. One day I will settle down in a place for a more long-term stay but as for now I must move on and follow work. And what better of a place to be going to than costa rica and working at a hostel on the beach¿? I really shouldn´t be complaining. I hope, however, I will be able to make it back to PR soon because of the friendships I have made there and the people that have shown me such compassion and guidance.
its a mix drink sold in a caprisun pouch!
pr fritura
legendary yauco, one of the most colorful slums in the world along with la perla
miss carnaval
carnaval
in jobos getting beat up by waves
view of san german
I love the caribbean grunginess
beautiful grunge
where shark hunting took place
cactus in puerto rico?
sunset from the dorm
bananas outside the dorm
secret beach in guanica
fire clouds
from the mountains above san german
monte del estado maricao looking towards la parguera
andy
climbing cell phone towers
wal-marts machete
it worked a bit
homeboys at carnaval
waterfalls near maricao
san german my town
Up until now I have been to the carnival in ponce, coffee festival in yauco, whale festival in cabo rojo, las justas in ponce(the competition and the packed streets with concerts and cheep beer everywhere), maricao, gozolandia, salto curet, snorkeling, fishing, shark gazing, monkey searching, trailblazing, testing your strength with brick walls of water in jobos and cell phone tower climbing. I recently had a family bbq on the beach with puertoricans over semana santa(holy week), which was one of the things I was able to check off the list I recently made of things to do before I leave. Also on the list was mavi, a local fermented fruit drink that is rather tasty. other things on the list include-
-Arecibo observatory
-cueva la ventana/cuevas de camuy/ceremonial indigenous park
-SCUBA diving
-local baseball game on sunday, and eat burritos
-DJ at a bar
-ride a horse on the highway while talking on a cell phone
-beach party with a campfire
-and more hopefully...
This is a letter for a friend that wanted to know what it´s like in Puerto Rico, so I gave him the rundown-
I´m having a great time here in Puerto Rico, but like everywhere, it has its advantages and disadvantages. I´m currently in San Germán, Puerto Rico located on the Southwestern part of the island about 20 minutes from the beach by car. The university is a private one called the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, and the campus is regarded as one of the best on the island, though the buildings are old(it was the first of the system founded in 1912. I am living in a dorm on campus and pay 1000 dollars for the semester and share it with one roommate. Grading is pretty easy because the teachers realize I am an exchange student and they help me. The curriculum isn´t too challenging (i´m taking puerto rican literature classes and business classes), and I am also fluent in spanish.
today is a marvelous day, but you will see how someone will come and mess it up
graf mayaguez
traigame la vaca
this viejo was so gangsta!
the mountains
some pr friends
fotos in the art building
To make things simpler here is a breakdown of what I see as the advantages and disadvantages-
advantages- great snorkeling, kayaking, surfing, fishing, hiking opportunities, forests, waterfalls, caves, mountains, beaches. It´s like a mini costa rica. People here are really easy to meet and I have alot of friends. make sure you meet people with cars and you can all pitch in for gas. Traditional Puerto rican food is great. Usually its rice and beans accompanied by a stewed or panfried meat like pork or chicken. It´s pretty cheap here, you can get a beer for a dollar regularly at the local bar. People are always celebrating something here, every weekend there is an event going on or a free concert. The island is so small but it feels really big in comparison. Class sizes are small and I know my teachers. It´s really easy to do the program(I did all my paperwork in 2 days) and cheaper than study abroad. The women are great and will love you. You have all the same amenities as in the US. You don´t need a visa or even a passport, problems with that stuff are negligible. the nightlife around the surrounding area is rather fun and cheap, if you like latin music. Also, if you need to meet some gringos, you can just go to rincón. The NSE director here, Ricardo, is really nice and did a great orientation for us(there were 9 of us exchange students). People are very family oriented. I sometimes feel very smart here though I really am not. Housing is cheap(I have friends that pay 200 a month or less for rent in a house with roommates.) Mangoes and coconuts from the trees are my breakfast every morning. Bananas and plantains are abundant, avocadoes are awesome. I get to watch the snow on TV while I sit in my hammock. Dominoes, laid-back, Caribbea lifestyle. I love how some people put their families and free time above their work. ,
disadvantages- even on this part of the island alot of people speak english. Upon arriving here every time I would try to speak in spanish people would automatically speak to me in english. With however, my spanish is sounding more natural and I have told my puerto rican friends to please address me in español. Also, they speak alot of spanglish here. You need a car to get around here unless you have friends with cars. the dorms aren´t co-ed and they feel a bit like a prison, and don´t expect the crazy freshman dorm experience you get in the US. Not as many exotic fruits as I thought. The actual town of San German is a little boring but it´s nice because its relaxing and tranquil at the same time. You can see even on this part of the island a huge American influence. there is some crime in the larger cities. There is traffic. The fried food that alot of people eat is really unhealthy. It can get hot and steamy, but I´ve learned to love it. People seem to not know the concept of a trash can. Salsa is becoming less popular with the young generation as reggaeton takes over. I wish sometimes I was the only exchange student so I would speak spanish 100 percent of the time. I don´t think they let you live off of campus for your first semester here. A number of people are rude, and even bad drivers here, but not as bad as Colombia. Don´t anger Puerto Ricans, they will do some harm to you.
Stereotypes- The puerto rican guys with ghetto cars, nice rims and sound systems that cost more than the car are funny. The dudes here are sometimes more well groomed than the women. They wear diamond earings, have rattails, dress metro, and love to get their eyebrows done.
all in all, it is a really interesting culture and worth the experience, I have grown to love it even through it´s imperfections.
Remember, living in San German is different than being in a big city like San Juan. There are almost no gringos and things are alot cheaper here. There are less traffic jams and it is easier to meet people. I feel like a local, and it is less americanized, though you can still see the impact greatly. There is, however, less to do in terms of shopping and nightlife, but more outdoor and adventure activities. In short, it is more of a true cultural experience here in San German.
I´ve been through this before. Oh, the island. I can hardly imagine I’m in the carribbean soaking up the best of life here. I know this place isn’t paradise because there are people that are struggling to survive everyday and feed their families, but there is something about this place that is enchanting. People sacrifice work so they can be with their families or chat with their friends, and many realize that money is just a means for them to be able to survive. It’s not just a different language, it’s a different definition of reality. The language paints reality in a way which makes Spanish not merely a mode of communication, but a lifestyle as well. For example, Spanish speakers like to shed responsibility from themselves by saying se me olvidó el lapiz(the pencil forgot me) instead of me olvidé el lapis(I forgot the pencil). In my culture, we are taught to take responsibility for things, and I know this is just a simple example, but it offers a window into a new psyche and constraint of reality. Most people seem to take responsibility for their own actions, but it´s the fact that they still say it that shows a difference in a way of thinking.
Kenny Chesney is a gringo like me that shares the urge to be next to the ocean breeze, relaxing and just enjoying life as it is very fleeting, and living in the moment. It is a philosophy that I enjoy, and realize that some aren’t able to do it, so I am very thankful. I will be doing more volunteer work around the world so maybe they can share my dream one day. I would like to get a job at a bar by the beach and just be a beach bum for a year, whoever said I had to jump into a career right out of college.
I need to be fluent in Spanish, get some internships, learn French, and make some money while having a good time.
I don’t like to be lazy, but I love relaxing. I like to work for my rewards, so I will stay active physically, mentally, and spiritually. Time to start cooking some great meals!
San German is a small town that in a way has been left behind on the tourist map and by the rest of PR. All over you see abandoned buildings and feel nostalgia in the air, but fortunately the people are very friendly and lively. Most of the 5000 students at the interamerican university go home or to other places over the weekend like Mayaguez, but we have lots of fun here in quaint German. Martin’s is the pizza place that serves mean calzones, the cheapest stella artois, and peso gasolina, el trago listo. La casa del sandwich makes good sub sandwiches for cheap, and it’s owner, Orlando, gets great happiness from seeing us gastronomically satisfied. Los tigres is the local hangout where we play dominoes and pool almost every night. There is a nice tapas restaurant, a new bar with a very nice patio, another bar that brews its own beer, and a burger king that stays open until 2am every night. San German has two nice plazas with one of the oldest churches in the new world and a cathedral that spikes up into the mountain sky. We are close to the mountains of maricao and 30 minutes from the beach, and I cannot complain. The only thing I’m worried about is my money running out from having too much fun, and the dorms. They look like prison cells with bars everywhere and a plethora of fire hazards, but our rooms are a juxtaposition against somewhere you think you’re not allowed to leave sometimes. Also, it is not a coed dorm and curfew is at 2am. Despite these restrictions that make me feel like a 12 year old again, I am still having a blast and enjoying every minute of the Caribbean
Boqueron local beach
mi crib
view from the dorms
San German Plaza
San German town
Boqueron durang the day
view from the cuesta of Sangi
Plaza Porta Coeli
For one of my classes we have to study a business and its strategic management, working with the owner and applying the concepts we have learned in class to the business. I really like this idea and have permission from the owner to do los tigres bar, so naturally I am really excited. My other classes include a Puerto Rican literature class whose professor is really funny and dramatic, an entrepreneur fundamentals class where the professor didn’t show up, and I’m still waiting on my last class tonight at 730 that’s called development of a business plan.
Interamerican University of Puerto Rico San German
Up to now we have been taking publicos(old school vans that provide a poor definition of public transportation) for day trips and the cost is adding up, although they are reasonably priced. We befriended kiki, the publico guagua driver but were thinking about buying our own van or scooters to explore the island with. I’ve already mapped all the secret beaches I want to see with google earth, the only problem is transportation. The other option is become friends with people that own cars, and that might be the most economical option thus far.
