Puerto Rico: Hurricane Relief Session 1, 2026
June 26, 2026
As the sun rose, the rooster crowed at six in the morning. The clock was set. In just thirty minutes, we had to get dressed and meet in the dining area to eat breakfast. With bright eyes and chirpy attitudes, we indulged in a nice breakfast consisting of french toast, eggs, sausage, and the refreshing fruits of the island. We had our rundown for the morning, explaining the agenda for the day. Then, we piled into the vans. The hour-long ride to Old San Juan was filled with music, lively chatter, and large expectations. When we deboarded, we were met with the blazing sun, and our tour guide, Alvin. Our journey began, and we learned about Old San Juan, its history and its rich cultural diversity. Our tour began with the heritages: a series of statues dedicated to the island’s core values. We explored forts crucial to Puerto Rico’s affairs as well. On this tour Alvin explained to us how Puerto Rico earned its name, its meaning being “rich port” which was given because of its abundance of resources. The tour concluded, leaving us all exhausted but with a lot to ponder. We used this momentum to head towards our lunch spot. Here, we indulged in a traditional lunch of rice, beans, an assortment of meats, and platanos. With full bellies, we walked to calle La Fortaleza, where we shopped for souvenirs. After this, we rehydrated with paletas of many flavors. This concluded our time in Old San Juan, and we piled into the vans again to complete the journey home.
After a fourty-five minute break, we headed to the beach for some downtime. We played volleyball, sunbathed, and chatted with locals. To finish off our day, we returned to the Big Yellow House. Right before dinner, we continued exploring connections in our large group. For dinner, we indulged in grilled chicken, salad, yellow rice, a nice dinner roll, and a complementary cookie. After dinner, we participated in a few icebreakers that helped strengthen our bond as a team. To end the day, we sat at our dining table, and had our evening meeting. We discussed Puerto Rican culture and history, observations we made throughout the day, and our reflections on these topics, they enriched our knowledge of the island. We ended the meeting with our itinerary for tomorrow’s agenda, and were left to enjoy the hour left of downtime to hang out with newfound friends and relax.
By: Yeiris, Halima, Rachel, Emmanuel
