This summer, I was fortunate enough to spend two weeks in Orocovis, Puerto Rico. No, it wasn’t for a vacation; it was for a super fun service trip with five CUNY students and five SUNY students! CUNY Service Corps Puerto Rico is a Governor Cuomo initiative for students to work with non-profit organizations to aid in the reconstruction and revitalization efforts of communities across the island damaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Orocovis is known as the “Heart of Puerto Rico” for its location in the very center of the island. It is a mountainous region and slightly isolating, but there is no better way to get to know ten complete strangers. In the first week, we began working at our work sites aided by our Heart 9/11 organization team members. I was placed on the most physically demanding team: the distribution team. We were responsible for counting the necessary wood and zinc materials, organizing it, loading it onto trucks, and unloading it onto roofs. After the first day, I went through a lot of self-doubt. However, by the second day my thoughts of “I’m not strong enough for this. I’m the weakest link. I’m disappointing myself and my team,” quickly turned into “I’m getting stronger. I’m learning how to support my team in the best way possible. It’s okay not to be superman and to ask for help.” The Heart 9/11 team members were all from Puerto Rico and very few spoke English so not only did I have to overcome physical challenges, there was also a language barrier. The team taught me so much, including some Spanish. They were as excited to learn English from me, as I was to learn Spanish from them! Before the week was over, the distribution team turned into a supportive family.
On the weekend, we headed to San Juan to meet with the rest of the CUNY Service Corps members and participated in cultural activities. We attended a Bomba dance class, visited historical sites in Old San Juan, and met with a professor from Puerto Rico. But I couldn’t wait to head back to the mountains. I was eager to get back to work with my friends, see the gorgeous scenery, and of course listen the to the coquÃs.
The second week was very eventful and everyone switched teams. I helped paint a mural to honor the culture of Orocovis and tell the story of Heart 9/11 in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. I helped finish building a porch with the head carpenter, removed zinc panels from a damaged roof, and learned to cut wood to install as support beams of the walls. It was shocking to hear that the family we were helping were still living in their home as it was being reconstructed basically from the ground up. Not only did they have no roof, but the walls needed to be rebuilt as well.
I was able to connect not only with the homeowners and the Heart 9/11 team, but other locals as well. My favorite experience was talking with a woman named Irina. Although we didn’t speak the same language, we communicated near perfectly through facial expressions and minimal knowledge of each other’s language. She showed me devastating videos of her home during and after Maria. Then, we really bonded through showing each other pictures of our dogs and succulents. Before I had to leave, she came back with a giant succulent for me and refused to let me go without it. In the best two weeks of my life, I learned not only to remove, measure, cut, and lift wood, but also to put aside self-doubt. This trip allowed me to adapt to new environments, learn how to work with a variety of people, and effectively communicate in order to achieve a common goal. As I left for the airport, I was told “you will always have your second family here,” and I truly believe that. Puerto Rico will always have a piece of my heart.
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