Update #2
Monday March 14, 2011
Today we switched work sites in the morning and one group went back to Thomas’s house to plaster walls and one group went back to Lydia’s house to pour more beams. At Thomas’s house we learned the precision of making walls and making cement plaster. At Lydia’s we got another dose of hard core cement mixing and really got down and dirty to finish up the walls so a roof could be built. Both groups joined again to finish up and we enjoyed traditional Puerto Rican food thanks to the families. After work we went back to the Eco Lodge and enjoyed the pool and another great dinner. We had a group meeting later in the night about community service and about our impact on the local communities here in Puerto Rico.
Tuesday March 15, 2011
Today we got to meet two of the coolest people in the world up at Las Casas de la Selva. Andres and 3T spoke to us about the work they do with sustainable forestry in the tropical forest they live in. They want to set an example for the world by showing that you can forest trees and make a living from the forest without negatively impacting the ecosystems within it. We helped them clean up part of their property that they hope to use to house volunteers and to have gardens. After we worked for a few hours and said our good byes we made our way back to that beautiful swimming hole in the river. Later that night after dinner, Andres came to the Eco Lodge and played some guitar for us. Anita, a leader in the community and someone who helped us with some of our work, presented us with certificates of appreciation as well. What a nice way to end our few days of hard work!
Wednesday March 16, 2011
Today was our last full day in Puerto Rico and we sadly left the Eco Lodge in the morning to head East to El Yunque Rainforest. After a beautiful coastal drive we reached the magical forest and went on a short hike amidst the sight, smells, and sounds of the rainforest. We were surrounded by coqui frogs, huge trees covered in moss, ferns, and palm trees that seemed to go on forever. After our rainforest visit we had a late lunch at a small local restaurant back in the beach town of Luquillo. Down the road a bit we ended our great day in the waves of Luquillo Beach. With the moon bright above us and the waves crashing at our feet it was a bitter sweet ending to a great trip. Home awaits, but there is no question that the Synergy school will leave a small part of themselves in Puerto Rico.
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Update #1:
The Synergy School is enjoying their adventures in Puerto Rico. Check out their latest update:
Thursday night, March 10 – Synergy students and teachers finally reached their destination after a long day of travel and settled in for a good night of sleep. We had a late night pizza dinner and went to bed happy.
Friday March 11- Today was a wonderful welcome for the Synergy School as they were guided through Old San Juan by our great friend Alvin. He explained a bit of the history of the city as we made our way through the old cobble stone streets and visited places like the old cathedral and the fort El Morro. The views from the fort of the old city were amazing and the waves were crashing along the coast. We had a traditional lunch with such things as mofongo, tostones, rice and beans and amarillow at El Jibarito and finished up our day with a little shopping and a rest in the Plaza Colon. After saying good bye to Alvin we climbed back in our vans and made our way south and through the mountains to our new home in Patillas. Ready for bed we settled in nicely to the sounds of coqui frogs and owls.
Saturday March 12- Today we were able to visit the homes that we are going to work on tomorrow and we met the families that we would be working with. This was exciting to everyone because they were able to see exactly what they were going to be making. We then had an amazing afternoon swimming and relaxing in a magical river spot that had crystal clear water and a waterfall. The students were stunned at the beauty of the forest and the river and didn’t want to leave! Later on back at the Eco Resort we had some reading and journal time before we had another great dinner thanks to Tyrone’s father and mother. To end the night we went on a night time excursion through the woods with Rafeal and learned about some tropical trees as well as listening to endemic owls. The sounds of the forest with the light of the moon was a great way for the students to really be a part of their surroundings as they were quiet and concentrating more on the space around them. From the property we were able to see spectacular views of the lights amongst the hills and the boats in the far away sea. Thank you Rafeal for sharing your beautiful land with us and your love for the natural world!
Sunday March 13- Today was our first day of work and that is just what we did! We broke up into two groups and went to two homes. One smaller group mixed cement and poured the beams for the corners of a home where a prior group had put up the walls. They also put together some rebar columns that will act as supports for the ceilings. The other group started mixing cement for the roof of another family that Global Works as worked with a lot. The smaller groups finished up their columns and joined the other group to help finish the whole roof. Last week San Francisco Day School poured one side of their roof and today we poured the rest! We ended a hard day of work with a dip at the local beach with winding beach, palm trees and mountains as our backdrop. We concluded the night with a great dinner once again and a meeting. We shall sleep tonight!
A few more photos:
