Blog Post #1

The earthquake that hit Puerto Rico on January 7 had a great impact on the island, but not on my expectations for the trip. Natural disasters and other random acts can occur anywhere in the world and I would rather take a risk than regret not going because of fear. I made an informed decision to stay on the trip and I am extremely glad I did. The earthquake did however cause me to think about if the service could be modified to reflect the situation, despite the difficulties of being far away from the impact zone as well changing plans last minute. Rebuilding in parts of PR affected by the earthquake will be an important step in future emergency preparedness. By building or re-outfitting structures in more earthquake proof ways, the island can better guard against future earthquakes. I am grateful to do service in Puerto Rico regardless, particularly because environmentalism has defined most of my experience as a Bonner Scholar.

Apart from service, one thing that struck me about Puerto Rico is how similar the built environment is to the United States. I have visited the Caribbean once before when I vacationed in the Dominican Republic. Visually Puerto Rico shares some aspects with the DR, but on the whole it feels much more similar to the United States. The prevalence of American chains was particularly jarring, from the Coach store in Old San Juan to the Walmart in Luquillo. This is no doubt a reflection of the dominance of American economic interests resulting from the Jones Act. As I interact with Puerto Ricans and visit sites I hope to learn on a deeper level how American culture has mixed with the already blended Taíno-Spanish-African culture of the island, and what effects it has had not only on the Puerto Rican economy but not the people themselves.