· Traveling to culturally significant locations: 6 points - Class of 2027

 

I traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico with my family this past spring break. The trip was originally thought to be one of relaxation and tanning, but it turned into an extremely valuable, history-filled trip. To immerse ourselves into the culture, we participated in a walking food tour in Old San Juan where our tour guide was Pablo, a 21-year old student at the University of Puerto Rico. Pablo informed us on so much history of the territory, from the lasting effects of the Spanish-American war to the impact the United States has on the government operations. Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines were the countries that the United States got control of following the Spanish American war after the Treaty of Paris, marking the United States as a global super power. Puerto Rico had been under Spanish rule for 300 years prior to the defeat. This was very evident in the design and influence, especially in Old San Juan which looked very similar to some cities in Spain. The United States imposed a new political structure and turned it into a large sugar producer because of the surplus of sugar cane on the island, introducing modern-day slavery. The US also instituted English language curriculum into the schooling. In the midst of "Americanization", Puerto Rico retained much of its rich Latin culture which I was able to enjoy while visiting. We also ate traditional Puerto Rican cuisine, such as Mofonogo, guava and cheese pastry, Pina coladas, and Puerto Rican coffee beans. With each restaurant on the tour, new history and rich culture was shared with us. For instance, mofongo is a very hearty dish which was created as the only meal many workers would eat in the day while harvesting sugar cane or other outdoor work. The meal consists of mashed plantains with beans and some kind of meat. The large serving was all many were able to eat during the day. From exploring Old San Juan and learning more about the history, this trip served to be an extremely culturally significant location that has retained its culture in the midst of suppression by the United States. 

By,

Lindsey Sanders