Are you ready for the Holidays? I have been traveling for the last month or two, and so preparing for the holidays has not been easy. I have worked in courts in San Diego, California, New Orleans and Jena, Louisiana, Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada, Phoenix, Arizona, and Houston, Texas, just to mention a few.
Therefore, after months of hard work, my family and I are finally planning a well-deserved Xmas vacation in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the Pearl of the Caribbean!
I am a native of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, one of the largest cities on the Island. Puerto Rico, as you may know, was hard hit last year after Hurricane Maria practically destroyed the entire Island. Many people died during the hurricane and afterwards, as a result of the lack of medication for many patients of cancer and other chronic diseases.
I visited in March, 2018, and I cried every day I was there. I had never seen Puerto Rico in such bad shape and had never ever seen the desperation I saw in the eyes of the poor and the elderly. It was obvious to me that it would take many years for Puerto Rico to recover from the devastation Maria had caused, especially in the mountainous regions in the center of the Island, and in Vieques and Culebra, two island municipalities off the eastern coast of the mainland.
There was a sense of loss and sorrow throughout the Island. Even in my hometown of Mayagüez (located on the Island’s west coast) which was not hard hit in comparison to other municipalities, there was lots of damage and many areas still with no electricity and no running water six months after the hurricane. The Metropolitan Area of San Juan was in need of lots of repairs, as electricity was still not completely restored in most of that zone. Some of the most luxurious and famous hotels were closed until 2019.
When I retuned again in July of this year, to my surprise and delight, there were visible signs of recovery all over. The cruise liners were docked at the ports where thousands of tourists were back walking the streets of Old San Juan, shopping and contributing to the local economy. Hotels were full and local businesses were thriving. It was certainly a wonderful thing to see.
Now, as I prepare to return for my first Christmas holiday in San Juan in many years, I am dying with anticipation of my trip. I am looking forward to spending time with my family and enjoying the warmth of the sun, the white sand, the spectacular beaches, the lively music, our delicious food, and our unique blend of cultures.
If you have never visited my amazing island of Puerto Rico, make it a point to do so at least once. I promise you won’t regret it. As I say whenever anyone asks me about the place of my birth and my youth, it is a magical place worth exploring at least once in a lifetime.
I can asure you, there is nothing like spending the Holidays in Puerto Rico. Happy Holidays!
The Traveling Interpreter 