I’ve already been in Puerto Rico for almost 3 weeks and my journey has been filled with fun activities and will continue to be for the rest of my 6 weeks stay. During one of my free days, I went to a Beach in San Juan called “Isla Verde“. A very lively beach packed with people enjoying the hot sun and the warm blue water. It was such a nice moment to relax in front of the crashing waves and hearing the breeze coming from the ocean making the palm trees dance.
On my way to the beach, I experienced an interesting cultural shock. Drivers in Puerto Rico are quite different from up there in Canada. I was about to cross the street and literally had to jump into the traffic hoping they would stop for me. Where I live, there are usually designed spots for pedestrians to cross the streets safely where cars would give way to pedestrians. Quite terrifying at first, but you learn to appreciate the little differences in culture once you are there.
Another nice experience I lived was having dinner with Bill & Renee and some members of their family. It was a great opportunity to meet new people and also practice my English in real life situations. The food was also delicious and the guests were super nice to talk to!
One of the most well-known attractions of Puerto Rico is the San Sebastian Celebrations that take place the third week of January in the Old San Juan. During that festival, people dance to live music in the streets and can enjoy typical puerto rican delicacies. Definitely a must-do activity if you are visiting the Island of Puerto Rico. I will for sure try to experience it myself if I come back here.
Next week, I will do something called bio bay which consists of a kayak tour to observe bioluminescent microorganism in the water. I will also discover the diverse and unique biodiversity of the island during the tour. I can’t wait to experience this opportunity that I am really grateful to have!
- Oliver
