The first earthquake that hit Puerto Rico would go on to influence a chain of changes regarding our trips itinerary and attendance. Without a doubt, these natural events caused a great amount of concern and we were prepared for anything, even the possibility of the trip being canceled. Due to this, I waited till the day before our departure to buy things for the trip because I did not know if it would be on or not. I even emailed my Geology professor for some extra information regarding the safety of being on an island that is experiencing earthquakes. This trip is something that I think is a once in a lifetime event. I loved the New Orleans trips so much and I felt that on that trip. I was able to learn so much about a strong and beautiful city that was struggling with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. So when I first heard about the trip to Puerto Rico, I felt that this too would be something amazing and educational. Puerto Rico was devasted by Hurricane Maria. People were with limited food and no power for a long time but they were about to make it through due to their strong sense of community.
Puerto Rico is also a place that was controlled by colonial powers and is still in a sense a colony to the US. I found this very interesting in particular because this past semester I took a class that was titled, “Decolonizing the Museum”. Through this class, we were able to have a guest lecture by a very influential professor who curated a very successful show which looked at the community relations between the Carribean Islands and their identities today. There was very strong art that was produced by a contemporary artist that showed their proudness, struggles, pains, and achievements that come with living on a Carribean Island. So, this definitely influenced my want to come on this trip and actually have the opportunity of interacting and seeing the beautiful country of Puerto Rico.
I have many people who are close to me who are either from Puerto Rico or are descendants. They are proud and grateful to come from this island, so naturally, I was pumped to see the beauty. Yes, the initial start of the trip was a little interesting because I was taken back by the sudden drop in numbers. I started to question if this was the right move or not. But now that I am here and surrounded by so many supportive people, I feel great and safe. From meeting and conversing with some of the islanders I know they are happy to have us here and I am excited to see what this adventure brings.
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