Community Collaboration
The potent theme throughout our trip has been collaboration. Many people put a lot of effort and time into creating the amazing trip that we had. However, collaboration has only been possible because of the community that has brought us together. Community is a key component of collaboration.
On Sunday, we went to church, spent some time at the beach, and enjoyed a dessert called “limbers.” This was a day we spent entirely as a group. We were with each other the entire time, having fun and making memories together. Our group joined the church congregation for lunch, and we had the opportunity to talk to some of the people there and find out more about their culture on the island. There were not many opportunities like this one, where we could learn about life on the island from someone who has lived there their entire life.
At the beach, the group went into the water together, talked about the trip thus far, and had fun in the water. We took pictures of one another and went to buy food together. Although we spent a short amount of time there, we made the most of it. I was not very close with anyone before this trip, but we all quickly became friends and created amazing memories I will have forever. Afterwards, we went to Titi Limbers and enjoyed a cultural dessert made by a woman named Mabel and her son. They shared their unique stories with us and it was empowering to hear how Mabel started her own business and what motivated her to keep going. Her son told us about his career as well and how he hopes his daughter can continue the legacy of Titi Limbers.
All of these experiences we have had on this trip, especially on Sunday, would not have been possible without community.
Making connections with one another by listening to and sharing stories is how we created our community. We created lasting memories from our unique experiences that we may never have again. The creation of community and the collaboration within it allowed us to build relationships and bonds not only with our group members, but with the people of Puerto Rico as well.
This trip has taught me many things. The most important one of all is to connect with others and learn from them. What we learn can be used in the future to inspire more collaboration. Everyone has something to offer, you just need to listen and apply it. Find community in all places and use one another for inspiration in this beautiful world.
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