I began the trip with a very one dimensional view of Puerto Rican culture and the local people. My views had been largely informed by travel and vacation culture, where I saw PR as a tropical island, with nice beaches, and a big marina. I knew there was more to the island, that people lived there, but at the time I trusted that what I knew about Puerto Rico was enough. With a life so separated from the island life, I made a simple decision to accept such a simple concept.
What I didn't realize was the connection between the islands history and culture and the community of Puerto Ricans in Trenton or other local communities. If I had begun, perhaps, by veiwing the Puerto Rican culture as the embodiment of old San juans tourism, each day my understanding grew. The first day, working at the egoacricuture farm in Yabucoa, demonstrated the passion and power of young and old local working class community members who were fighting to preserve the land so important to them. In Loiza, rich history and traditions of art, music, like Bomba, and food promoted a respect for the deeply rooted values, traditions and powerful ties to the land. Working near San Juan organizing donations with a young community led me to admire the dedication of youth to their own culture. Following this up, Plaza las Americas broke the stereotype portraying Puerto Ricans as a lower income community.
All of the service and cultural experiences we have participated in has humanized the island. Seeing the diverse experiences of the Puerto Rican population, from affluence and social standing to generational change, I have come to respect and admire the Puerto Rican community as a unuiqe and divirse population with a depth that reaches far beyond my original expectations.
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