I am writing this at the airport after spending the week in Puerto Rico, and it feels so bittersweet to be leaving. My in-country experience has been so valuable, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this global service learning trip. At 3:45 AM on Saturday, March 7th, my group and I split an Uber and headed to the airport to begin our journey. We made it through security and boarded our first flight to Fort Lauderdale. Around 3:45 PM, we landed in Carolina, Puerto Rico, where we were greeted and picked up by Adriana. Adriana S. Ayala Gonzalez, a volunteer coordinator for Caras con Causa, was our main point of contact throughout this experience. Adriana took us for a mini tour around Conado. After she brought us to where we were staying, Hotel Iberia. Then, we picked up dinner from the community center, walked to the beach, and then got ready for the next morning. On Sunday, my group and I toured the Old City of San Juan with Adriana. We visited historical sites like the Paseo de La Princesa, government buildings, and El Morro. El Morro stuck out to me because of how scenic it was. The tower overlooks the bright blue water, providing a stunning view of the coastline. Being able to visit historically significant locations helped me better understand the history and cultural identity of Puerto Rico. We also opened the discussion of what Puerto Ricans want to see happen for Puerto Rico, whether they would rather have PR become a state or gain independence. The older generations favor statehood, and the younger generations favor independence. After, we went to a TikTok viral cafe called Cafe Botanico and ate lunch. After, my group split off to explore San Juan on our own. We walked around Old San Juan, bought souvenirs, took pictures, and interacted with the locals. Around 3:30 PM, we explored the markets with Adriana and went to the beach. This was the perfect first day because we were allowed to take in the environment around us, immerse ourselves in the culture, and learn about the history of the island before beginning our service work.
Monday, our first day of service work, Adriana picked us up at 8 AM to drive us to the Caras con Causa center. I was extremely nervous this day because it was our first day of work, I didn’t know what to expect, and we were meeting with Michael Fernandez, the founder of Caras con Causa. This meeting was extremely valuable because we were able to ask questions like why Caras was created, how it’s currently operating, sources of funding, challenges, what our group should focus on, and more, providing us insight. One thing that surprised me was learning about the conflict Caras was facing with the current administration. Michael explained that if the organization did not comply with certain wording requirements, they risked losing funding. Hearing about this challenge opened my eyes to the difficulties nonprofits often face. After our meeting, we got lunch at the community center and met Wandi. Adriana then led us on a tour of Catano, Guynabo, Rosalina (a charter school), and the community. During the tour, she shared the history of these areas and explained the hardships that residents face. Later, we returned to the Caras Center to start our reforestation efforts. We met with Victor, who started as a student intern and now works at Caras full-time. He explained the importance of white mangroves and how they protect the coastline from natural disasters like erosion, hurricanes, and tsunamis. Our group helped weed around the mangroves. Through this experience, I learned how environmental initiatives can play a major role in protecting the community from climate-related disasters.
On Tuesday, my group and I spent the first half of the day in the wetlands working with Victor and Guille on more reforestation efforts. We helped tag and assess the state of the emajaguilla trees, which are also important to the local ecosystem. In the second half of the day, my group and I visited the charter school Rosalina to see the initiatives Caras made there. We sat in on a sixth-grade, seventh-grade, and special education classroom. One activity involved planting with the sixth graders as part of a reforestation effort. In the special education classroom, we observed a calming breathing exercise created to help students regulate their emotions. I liked how Caras made our team ask questions to the children and interact with them. Hearing their perspectives helped me understand how impactful these education initiatives are. Later at Rosalina, we helped plant more.
On Wednesday, our busiest day, Adriana picked us up at 8:30 AM. We met with two students who were in university, working towards getting a social work degree. One of them explained to us how one of her requirements was how she had to clean a house, and that she knew someone in the community who was facing difficult circumstances. We went to the house, and I didn’t know what to expect. I thought we would be doing some light cleaning, like vacuuming, washing dishes, taking out the trash, etc. However, the situation was far more severe than I thought. The home had clearly not been cleaned in a long time, showing how overwhelming daily tasks can be when someone is dealing with both serious mental health and financial issues. We spent the first half of the day trying to make the space more livable. I scrubbed the walls, swept and mopped the floors, cleaned the baseboards, and attempted to work on the bathroom. As I cleaned, it was hard not to notice the conditions around us, like the insects everywhere and the deteriorating walls and tiles. It was physically exhausting and overwhelming. Despite this challenge, the experience taught me how important access to mental healthcare is, how people need a supportive, strong community around them, and why it’s important for nonprofits like Caras con Causa to operate and serve struggling communities. It reminded me that service learning was about understanding the challenges people face and working to help them. For the second half of the day, my group and I were in meetings. Our first meeting was with Michael, where my group and I presented our current research and a tentative plan. His feedback and insights were extremely helpful for refining our final deliverable. After that, we hopped onto a virtual meeting with Anthony and Ariana, who work for Caras. They showed us how they track metrics related to awareness, donations, and engagement. This information was extremely useful for our group because it helped us understand how nonprofits evaluate their impact and measure success, and we were able to see what they needed to work on. After returning to the hotel, my group and I decided to spend some time at the beach after such a long and demanding day.
On Thursday, Adriana picked us up and took us back to the Caras Center, where we met the seniors. We did Zumba and stretching with them and then played bingo together. This was one of the most enjoyable experiences of the week because it allowed us to connect with community members in a fun and relaxed environment. Afterward, we helped serve the senior lunch buffet-style at the community center. Before leaving, we said goodbye to Wandi and the other Caras employees and took photos together. It was a bittersweet moment because the week went by so quickly. After we came back to the hotel, my group and I went to a bomba class, a traditional Puerto Rican dance style. It was a fun and engaging way to experience the culture.
On Friday, we had an excursion day. Adriana drove us to El Yunque, where we hiked and swam in the lake. After we grabbed lunch at a restaurant, I was able to try the famous mofongos, Puerto Rico’s most popular dish. After lunch, we went and relaxed at the beach.
One cultural expectation I anticipated before coming to Puerto Rico was “island time.” Island time refers to a slow-paced, relaxed, flexible social approach to time because it prioritizes social connection and enjoying the moment. In the mainland United States, there’s more of a focus to adhere to strict deadlines and maximizing productivity. My expectation was met during this trip. For example, we often spent longer periods at lunch, and the itinerary was sometimes changed depending on circumstances. Originally, we were supposed to visit El Yunque and spend time at the beach on Wednesday, but the schedule was adjusted, and the trip was moved to Friday instead. I appreciated the flexibility and enjoyed this change because it allowed us to focus on completing our service work earlier in the week and enjoy our final days on the islands. A challenge that arose for me was adjusting to the heat, humidity, and physical labor. I was not used to working outside for long periods of time in hot conditions. Additionally, the lunches we ate were often heavier meals than I typically eat, which made me feel tired afterward. To overcome these challenges, I made sure to drink enough water throughout the day, take breaks, and drink caffeine to maintain my energy. I also learned to be more flexible when things didn’t go according to plan, and my group and I were able to adapt quickly.
One in-class reading that was most relevant to my time here was “What is Experiential Education” from the Association for Experiential Education. The reading explains that experiential education is about the idea that learning occurs through direct experience and is then followed by reflection, leading to a deeper understanding and growth. This concept aligns with my experience in Puerto Rico. Throughout the week, we were participating in environmental and education efforts, engaging with the community, and seeing the challenges people face. A moment that this relates to is when my group and I helped to clean the home of someone who was struggling. It was a difficult and overwhelming experience, but it helped me understand the realities behind many social issues. This reading also mentions that experiential learning involves uncertainty and risk, which was true for many moments during our service work. Being placed in a new environment with unknown situations pushed me to think critically, adapt, and reflect on how community support systems are crucial.
Overall, this experience in Puerto Rico was both fun, educational, and beneficial. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to do this. I enjoyed exploring with my group, trying new foods, meeting new people, and immersing myself in this culture. Coming here also let me connect deeper with Caras con Causa and see the challenges that the community faces. I am excited to continue working on this project and apply the insights from this experience towards our final deliverable.