Puerto Rico: Abysmal

As a U.S. Commonwealth, Puerto Rico failed to meet the few expectations I had possessed prior to entry. Beautiful beaches, bio-luminescent water, Old San Juan, and historic fortresses were among my best experiences. These all maintained a moderately unique set of characteristics. Not to mention, my favorite experience was the professional cockfighting matches that we attended! While I am not a person that propagates the cruelty of animals, this was still a very interesting experience. It was more the atmosphere of the event rather than the actual “cockfighting” that I found entertaining.

My time in Puerto Rico was mostly spent with a group of about ten individuals. This was a very fun and diverse group to be around. Of the ten, seven consider themselves Christian. As a result, the morality of the group was stable and understood without mention. Yet, just as many incoming college freshmen gain a “wild hair” upon entering college, the same seemed to be the case with this group.

Going out to the bars and clubs in Old San Juan on the eve of our third day in Puerto Rico, each individual reached an intoxicated state with the exception of me. It became further clear to me that this newfound sense of independence amongst the participants of SAS will result in regrettable decisions by many.

This gives me greater awareness and incentive to fail to make such counterproductive decisions. Rather, it is my desire to grow as an individual and further my ability to love others. It seems that this voyage will provide me the opportunity to partake in both. I must note that it is not alcohol that I oppose; it is the state of being that lacks typical bodily control that I oppose. This often manifests in numerous many ways, not solely alcohol.

Most notably, I was disappointed with the lack of public transportation in Puerto Rico. Because it was essentially limited to none, I was unable to gain a true appreciation for the island. It was my desire to travel around the island, specifically in the interior. This was made impossible because lack of a public transportation system. As a result, I was confined to the city of San Juan with the exception of our travel to the fascinating bio-luminescent lagoon on the east coast. Nevertheless, Puerto Rico proved to be a good city to port in first as it allowed many friendships to form in the confinement of San Juan.

Brazil is to come!

TS