Puerto Rico Series Prelude (Citizen of The World)

Courtesy of Renée Rodriguez Photography

Hello all. I was blessed to return from a trip to Puerto Rico. This is my second time to La Isla del Encanto (The Enchanted Island), a nickname that is well-deserved. I will get this out of the way, since I get asked this every time that I say that I’m visiting PR: no, you don’t need a passport to go there.

The first time that my family and I came was about a year and a half prior to Hurricane Maria passing through. My heart broke, when I heard that news, but was happy to see that the island is coming back, albeit very slowly. It was compelling to see some of the remaining damage. While some things have changed, something that stayed the same is how warm and welcoming Puerto Rico has remained this time as it was our first time. Now that my son is older, it is a richer experience, since he was really able to engage in and with our various experiences. My sincere hope is that, for the rest of his life, he will carry fond memories of this trip.

While some of what I say could be labeled as “travel writing,” this is not my primary intent, as there are much better writers than me that specialize in this style. In conceiving this series of pieces, I am approaching them from a “citizen of the world” perspective. If you have read my inaugural piece, “Hello World,” I mentioned some about my travels and stressed how I approach my trips as both traveler and student. I feel this now more than ever, especially with trying to pass this approach onto my son.

I will save the deep commentary for those people that are much more versed and capable than me. However, my hope is that, with the upcoming Citizen of The World pieces that you’ll walk away more informed on Puerto Rico, will consider traveling to, in my opinion, one of the most underrated travel destinations and that you, yourself, will be a citizen of the world.