Day 1- Saturday Feb. 19
Today was an awesome first day in Puerto Rico! We got a good night sleep after arriving late last night and woke up to the sunshine, palm trees and our wonderful cook Maga making us breakfast. Our house here in Cerro Gordo Beach is right near the ocean and has a great outside eating area and a huge lawn where we can play soccer and frisbee. We also noticed an almond tree, a papaya tree and a huge Iguana in the lawn! After breakfast we made our way to the community that we will be working in for the next few days. We visited the house that we will be helping to build tomorrow and the family that will be living in it when it is done. Ramone and his wife, an elderly couple, are so greatful for our help and it was great to know that our work will mean so much to them. We learned that several different Global Works groups had started the house this past summer with community members and it was really neat to see how much work they had accomplished. We liked to see that there were family members and friends all pitching in to help build the house and we can’t wait to help tomorrow! We then met another family on the other side of the neighborhood were we hung out for a while and got to snack on fresh coconuts. Later on we went back to our house and got to reflect on what we had observed on our first day as well as have a little time to write in our journals. As the sun started to go down and the air cooled down we could smell the cooking of Maga from the kitchen. After a great dinner we spent some free time hanging out with each other playing soccer and just enjoying the Caribbean air. As we went to bed we were surrounded by the sounds of crickets and coqui frogs outside.
Day 2- Sunday Feb. 20
Today was our first day of work in the community and we really had a wonderful time. William, a member of the community, taught us construction methods that we employed all day. We put together rebar supports, mixed cement and poured columns and beams. Children from the community were helping and we got to practice our Spanish skills. It was fun to work along side community members who were so nice and we were amazed at how much we were all able to get done. We never thought that mixing cement would be so much fun! Ramone’s wife made us lunch and brought it to us on the work site and it was nice to sit and enjoy the breeze. We finished the work day with an entire room done and we look forward to coming back tomorrow to finish the job! We went to Cerro Gordo Beach after work and relaxed in the gorgeous Caribbean water. The palm trees in the hills around us made quite the setting as we watched the sun head down for the day. Dinner was waiting for us when we got back and it wasn’t until we finished that we realized how tired we really were. We spent some time talking about the day and then headed to bed for a good night sleep.
Trip Photos:
Day 3- Monday Feb. 21
Day 4- Feb. 22
Today was a smooth ride to Vieques. We woke up early, ate breakfast and packed up to hit the road east. We hopped the ferry to Vieques watching the main island of Puerto Rico disappear behind us. As we slowly approached the docks in Isabella Segunda Vieques we realized we were embarking on a whole new adventure. We made our way to Fort Conde Mirasol on top of a hill overloooking the entire island. The views of the blue water and the mountains of the main island rainforest off in the distance were unlike anything we have every seen. We could hear the sounds of town below us with the bustling people, cars and occasional roosters. Robert Rabin, who is the man who is in charge of the fort, told us about the history of Vieques. We learned about how the Spanish build the fort and how the Europeans built the sugar cane industry in Vieques and that the US gained control of Puerto Rico and Vieques in 1898. We also learned about how the US Navy occupied Vieques for most of the 20th century using it as a bombing range. We were so amazed to hear Robert talk about how the people of Vieques and thousands of others protested peacefully so eventually the Navy left in 2003. After the fort we drove across island to our home for the next few days in Esperanza on the south side of Vieques. Before dinner we went for a sunset dip in the ocean by an old sugar cane pier. On our way there we stopped off at the Vieques Historical and Conservation Trust where we met Mark Martin. Mark takes care of the trust that has educational groups, an aquarium and many other great programs. Tomorrow we will help Mark paint an abandoned school house that was donated for an educational research center. After our swim we walked back to our place. We watched the sunset over the mountains in the west turning the sky from pink to purple and then disappearing to bring dusk over Esperanza. We had a great Puerto Rican dinner of rice and beans and chicken and headed to bed for a good night sleep before a new work day tomorrow.
Day 5- Feb.23
We woke up to a cool Vieques morning and to the never ending sounds of roosters. We reached our worksite in the morning where we quickly started scrubbing and painting walls. Mark was there to greet us and told us how cool this place is going to be when it is done. It is so neat to think that SFDS has a part in the creation of this educational center that someday we may come back to study here. So we worked hard all morning and had an onsite lunch. It seems that Vieques is a bit hotter than the main island, but we were comforted as we remembered that were are going to be swimming under the stars in the Bioluminescant Bay later tonight. After our hard work was done for the day we made our way back to our hotel to lounge a little by the pool and relax. Soon after we headed across island to play a team of local students who had just put together a soccer team. We learned from Mark that they had never been able to play any other teams and they would be thrilled to meet us and play a game. We played for an hour or so and had a great time and we think the other team did too. After soccer we went back and had another great Puerto Rican dinner of rice beef stew. After dinner we headed to the Bioluminescent Bay where we had a spectacular time. We learned about the single cell organism that has two chemicals in it and when it is aggitated it combines the chemicals to light up. Nothing could have prepared us for how amazing it was in the bay. We were on an electric pontoon boat that glided quietly over the glowing blue water. The boat’s wake lit up and we could see fish scattering like shooting stars under the water. It was as if the stars were mirrored in the water and the silence of the night around us was so magical. We got to see the mangroves that line the bay and learned how they perform reverse osmosis and drop their leaves that are high in protein into the bay to feed the organisms. We never wanted to leave the bay, but alas we had to leave and head home to head to bed to rest after our last day of work. Good night Vieques!
Day 6- Feb. 24
Today we not only learned more about the history and culture of Vieques but we got to experience it. We went on a tour where we stopped at historical places like the Puerto Ferro Rocks. These mysterious rocks in a circle are the location where a 4,000 yr old skeleton of a man was found in 1990. This skeleton made people realize that cultures were here in Vieques that long ago and since then archeaologists have found hundreds of historical sites around the island. We learned that many of the artifacts found in Vieques have aspects of cultures from South America. It was so amazing to think as we touched these rocks that people thousands of years ago were doing the same. We made our way to the west side and got to see the old navy bunkers and a four hundred year old Ceiba tree. The Ceiba tree has above ground roots and looked like the skin of an elephant. We then drove out onto the nearby Mosquito Pier that was built by the British and American navies in the early 1900′s. Fisherman have fished off this pier for years even when the navy occupied the area. As we drove out onto the pier we were surrounded by ocean on both sides and we could see the mountains of Puerto Rico clearly across the ocean. We could also see the island of Culebra and St. Thomas in the distance. The last part of the tour was through down town Isabelle Segunda where we saw the town plaza, the old Catholic church, old buildings, and some interesting homes. Then off to the beach! We entered the Vieques Wild Life Refuge and pulled into Playa Carracas or Red Beach as the Navy called it. For a few hours we enjoyed the crystal clear water and the white sand. The water was an undescribable blue and we are not sure if we have ever seen such a beautiful beach. Mark from the Conservation Trust showed up with snorkeling gear and a few of us went out. It was too murky to see much, but we were able to see some fan coral swaying in the current. Mark gently captured three different kinds of urchins and a box crab. Once again, we found a place we didn’t want to leave. As we floated in the Caribbean water it was hard to believe we will be flying away on a plane in three days. After the beach we made our way back to our place to pack our stuff, have dinner and have a meeting. Some of us had a chance to hit the local shops down the street for some gift shopping. After today we feel more attached to Vieques and we also have more of an understanding of the life and history of the people here. We are sad that today is our last day in Vieques. We know that Vieques will always have a place in our hearts as we will never forget our time here!
Day 5- Feb.23
We woke up to a cool Vieques morning and to the never ending sounds of roosters. We reached our worksite in the morning where we quickly started scrubbing and painting walls. Mark was there to greet us and told us how cool this place is going to be when it is done. It is so neat to think that SFDS has a part in the creation of this educational center that someday we may come back to study here. So we worked hard all morning and had an onsite lunch. It seems that Vieques is a bit hotter than the main island, but we were comforted as we remembered that were are going to be swimming under the stars in the Bioluminescant Bay later tonight. After our hard work was done for the day we made our way back to our hotel to lounge a little by the pool and relax. Soon after we headed across island to play a team of local students who had just put together a soccer team. We learned from Mark that they had never been able to play any other teams and they would be thrilled to meet us and play a game. We played for an hour or so and had a great time and we think the other team did too. After soccer we went back and had another great Puerto Rican dinner of rice beef stew. After dinner we headed to the Bioluminescent Bay where we had a spectacular time. We learned about the single cell organism that has two chemicals in it and when it is aggitated it combines the chemicals to light up. Nothing could have prepared us for how amazing it was in the bay. We were on an electric pontoon boat that glided quietly over the glowing blue water. The boat’s wake lit up and we could see fish scattering like shooting stars under the water. It was as if the stars were mirrored in the water and the silence of the night around us was so magical. We got to see the mangroves that line the bay and learned how they perform reverse osmosis and drop their leaves that are high in protein into the bay to feed the organisms. We never wanted to leave the bay, but alas we had to leave and head home to head to bed to rest after our last day of work. Good night Vieques!
Day 6- Feb. 24
Today we not only learned more about the history and culture of Vieques but we got to experience it. We went on a tour where we stopped at historical places like the Puerto Ferro Rocks. These mysterious rocks in a circle are the location where a 4,000 yr old skeleton of a man was found in 1990. This skeleton made people realize that cultures were here in Vieques that long ago and since then archeaologists have found hundreds of historical sites around the island. We learned that many of the artifacts found in Vieques have aspects of cultures from South America. It was so amazing to think as we touched these rocks that people thousands of years ago were doing the same. We made our way to the west side and got to see the old navy bunkers and a four hundred year old Ceiba tree. The Ceiba tree has above ground roots and looked like the skin of an elephant. We then drove out onto the nearby Mosquito Pier that was built by the British and American navies in the early 1900′s. Fisherman have fished off this pier for years even when the navy occupied the area. As we drove out onto the pier we were surrounded by ocean on both sides and we could see the mountains of Puerto Rico clearly across the ocean. We could also see the island of Culebra and St. Thomas in the distance. The last part of the tour was through down town Isabelle Segunda where we saw the town plaza, the old Catholic church, old buildings, and some interesting homes. Then off to the beach! We entered the Vieques Wild Life Refuge and pulled into Playa Carracas or Red Beach as the Navy called it. For a few hours we enjoyed the crystal clear water and the white sand. The water was an undescribable blue and we are not sure if we have ever seen such a beautiful beach. Mark from the Conservation Trust showed up with snorkeling gear and a few of us went out. It was too murky to see much, but we were able to see some fan coral swaying in the current. Mark gently captured three different kinds of urchins and a box crab. Once again, we found a place we didn’t want to leave. As we floated in the Caribbean water it was hard to believe we will be flying away on a plane in three days. After the beach we made our way back to our place to pack our stuff, have dinner and have a meeting. Some of us had a chance to hit the local shops down the street for some gift shopping. After today we feel more attached to Vieques and we also have more of an understanding of the life and history of the people here. We are sad that today is our last day in Vieques. We know that Vieques will always have a place in our hearts as we will never forget our time here
Day 8- Feb. 26
This morning we woke up to the sounds of the wind and waves crashing outside. Our hotel is right on the beach and from the balcony we can look out along the beautiful coast of white sand and palm trees. In anticipation of our last day we boarded the vans and made our way to Old San Juan. When we got there we started walking down a beautiful street lined by trees that led to a fountain right on the ocean over looking the San Juan Harbor. The entrance to the harbor is small and we learned that the Spanish built forts on either side to attack British and Dutch ships hundreds of years ago. The Spanish were able to protect San Juan this way for a long time until the US took control in 1898. We walked along the ocean path that led us to the old entrance to the city. The entrance marked the beginning of the road built by Christopher Columbus that led to the catholic church he built. We made our way up the blue cobble stone streets to El Morro, the large fort built by the Spanish on the very tip of Old San Juan. What a gorgeous site as the grounds that led to the fort were these large green yards full of people flying kites and having picnics. After touring around the fort we couldn’t help but imagine what life must have been like as a slave or soldier living there hundreds of years ago. We also couldn’t imagine how much work it took to built the fort as it was made of stones from the mountains across the harbor. After the fort we had time to eat lunch and do a little souvenir shopping. As we navigated through the Old San Juan streets we noticed the European style of the buildings and all the vibrant colors. The buildings were painted bright blues, greens, pinks and yellows with wooden windows and verandas covered in flowing viney plants.
As we walked down hill to the vans we could also see gigantic cruise ships coming to port in the harbor. We hopped back into the vans and headed East again to Luquillo. Our evening consisted of a last meeting on the beach with the sunset in the background and dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant. We shared our last thoughts about the trip and what we have learned and sitting there on the beach really let us soak in and internalize the beauty of Puerto Rico around us. We have learned new things and perhaps gained new insight into realities that we didn’t even know existed. San Francisco Day School Class of 2012 rocked the Puerto Rico trip and we will never forget it! So tomorrow we will board that plane together and we will get home and return to our normal lives. But we will all share something now and some of us are closer because of it. Puerto Rico was an inspiring place and we can’t wait to share our stories with our friends and families. Good night Puerto Rico and until next time!
Trip Photos:
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