I woke up exhausted from the sounds of Ponce: car alarms, honking, and the blaring of music past midnight kept me awake. This morning it is so easy to be grouchy or unthankful for the smallest things. With a long day ahead, I find it hard to be fully engaged in the activities at hand. Making our way to our first activity for the day I start to wake up and see the life outside. Puerto Rico is so beautiful, and if you look away for just one moment, you could miss something really amazing. This morning we met Tinito, who specializes in making a beverage called Mavi which contains a plant that is fermented. It was said to cleanse your blood and helps with relaxation. This is exactly what I needed. After going for so long and having a restless night, it was as if it was a sign that I needed to be in this exact moment.
After heading back on the bus, we participated in a breathing exercise with our guide Natalia. It was to help us relax and loosen up for the long day ahead. Again, this felt like a reminder that I needed to relax and try to enjoy the moment for what it was instead of stressing the future. Our next stop was the coffee farm in the mountains of Adjuntas. It was so interesting to see how coffee is made in Puerto Rico and a good reminder of how most of everything is hand-picked and harvested here in Puerto Rico, which is so special. After finishing our tour of the farm, we were able to try the coffee directly. Although I am not a fan of coffee and had to put 4 packets of sugar in it, it was a beautiful, serene moment sitting with my coffee and gaining an appreciation for the work put into it. It was also a good energy boost for the rest of our activities.
Our next activity was a visit to the educational project at Casa Pueblo. This was such an interesting and educational experience. Here, we learned that the people of Puerto Rico came together to stop deforestation, and Casa Pueblo was the founder of this movement, as well as many others today. The most recent being the solar power movement. Their goal is to try to eliminate electrical power and move to solar power, especially in the case of an emergency. This was especially put into action after Hurricane Maria in 2017, which changed a lot for the people of Puerto Rico. It was amazing to experience the community that was formed through this devastation and just how everyone is so connected. After we toured this project, we were outside standing under the solar panels, and the words Sol Idaridad were displayed, which means solidarity in English. This was super important to this group as it represents the mutual support they share. It was also a good message for me to reflect on how I can collaborate in my own land for the better of the community and country as a whole.
To wrap up the day, we headed to a music class at Casita de la Musica Cayeyana. Here we learned how to play the Güiro. First, we watched the students play a song, then the instrument was handed to us. We played along to a few different songs and played different types of beats each time. This had to have been one of the most interesting experiences of the trip. While we were playing, everyone was a unit. It felt like a connection that I have never felt before. They say music is a universal language, and in this moment, it was the truth. It was an amazing way to end our busy day and had me reflecting. Puerto Rico is a country filled with love, spirit, and connections. Although I might have started the day feeling hopeless and burnt out, I ended it feeling uplifted and connected.
0 Comments