Day 8-14: ToroVerde, Bayamon, Shopping and then Back to Orocovis

Sorry I havent updated in a while, I was without an internet connection for the last few days. But lets get you updated on whats happened the last few days.

Days 8-9: consisted of ToroVerde which was pretty lackluster. The day was rainy and the ride on the zipline lasted less than 2 minutes, NOT worth the $45 ticket price. The view from the zipline was fantastic but I still dont feel like it was worth it. The actual zipline was too slow and too short. I went with my cousin Ramon. We took pictures with the sign.



Sadly I wasnt allowed to bring my camera with me so there are no pictures from the actual zipline :(

I spent these nights at my Aunt Wandas house, where my cousin Lizzy (Lizbeth) and Pito are living now. It was a weird experience. Neither one of them said a word to me the entire time I was there. It was the first time on my visit here where Ive felt just slightly uncomfortable.

Days 10-12:

I went back to Bayamon to stay with my Aunt Ada. She is a wonderful woman. We went out to eat, I had Triomofongo (I think thats what it was called) with shrimp and I did alot of shopping with my cousin Jessica and her daughter Amanda. <3




I bought tons more shirts and 3 pairs of jeans. I spent most of the days playing with Amanda. We dressed up multiple Barbie dolls, tickled each other, watched TV and took funny pictures.

Aunt Ada gave me lots of presents including jewelery, shoes, and a PRADA wallet! Mostly I stayed in the house because it was raining all of the days I was there and because I got a little sick. My throat was itchy and I felt very tired.
The days were fun and very girly.

My Aunt Ada fixed my hair almost everday and told me not to cut it anymore. haha. She gave me lots of pictures of my dad when he was younger and also some old postcards from when he was in the ARMY.




Day 13:

I am back in Orocovis at my Uncle Ramons house. Will update with more details and pictures later.

Day 7: Longaniza and CocoPina

I am still at my Uncle Ramons home. Today we drove around Orocovis. The views were amazing. I cant even begin to describe them. Try to imagine the most beautiful mountains ever and then lots of pretty little house tucked nicely into the landscape, lots of trees with fruit growing on them etc. etc.




Absolutely beautiful.

We went into town to get my Uncle Ramons radio fixed. While we were waiting we ate Longaniza (sausages) and Tostones and bought some Cocopina, a kind of coconut candy made with sugar, coconut and pineapple. I realize that I keep talking about food, thats because the food here is delicious. I will be asking my Aunt Lucy for recipes before I leave and my Uncle Ramon has already promised to buy me lots of candy for the trip home. I will be well stocked when I get back to Massachusetts in the fall.

Tonight, I plan on watching The Roots, a movie series my Uncle has. I also plan on getting a good nights sleep because today we also drove to a place called ToroVerde. After reading about ToroVerde in the newspaper and visiting today, we decided that we would go back tomorrow to spend the day there.

ToroVerde, is conveniently located here in Orocovis. ToroVerde (green bull) is an ecotourist adventure park. What makes it great is that it is home to the longest zip line in the world! This is what I will be doing:



Doesnt that look like so much fun? I cant wait.

This is the description of the 'tour' I will be doing straight from the website:

The Beast Tour
Ever wonder how birds feel flying freely across the sky? This tour allows you to experience it firsthand. You'll be flying in the same position birds do with a special harness securely holding your chest and waist. With a 4,745 feet length(1.446km) we're sure you'll find this ride exhilarating, although is the biggest Zipline in the world.

The Beast
Cable Length 4745 feet
Cable Speed Medium
Max Height 853 feet

Day 6: Shopping in Orocovis

Yesterday we went into Orocovis. This is by far the most beautiful place Ive ever seen. The mountains are breathtaking. This could easily be the most beautiful place in the world. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the layout of Puerto Rico, Orocovis is located in the center of the island. It is often called "the center and heart of Puerto Rico."





This is where my father was raised and this is where my Uncle Ramon lives. The day started out with driving into Orocovis for my uncles doctors appointment. While he visited the doctor I decided to finally buy something. Since Ive been here I have not spent a cent. Yesterday made up for that. I ended up buying 7 new shirts and 5 pairs of earrings. It seems strange but the clothes here seem much prettier than in the States. haha Anyway, I liked everything in the stores I visited that I really had to restrain myself. The HUGE sale the stores were having didnt help either. I wanted to buy everything in that store.

Near the stores where I shopped my Uncle pointed out the church (inglesia) of Orocovis. I took a picture of the exterior not the interior. I didnt know until we were leaving that I could have went inside.

After my Uncles appointment we drove by my dads house. This is the home where he grew up and the home of my grandfather Juan Sr. My dads cousin lives next to the old house and told me that my dads house is waiting for him to live in it again. If my dad ever wants to move back he has a house! I think I may take that offer. This place is wonderful.



I also got to see the school my dad went to. Being here really makes me feel like I understand my father better.

I find it hard to understand why he would leave this gorgeous little town in the mountains. Experiencing this place and its people and culture makes me wish more and more that my dad could be here. I would give anything to see his expressions and hear him describe and explain everything to me in his own words.

After touring Orocovis we stopped by my Aunt Wandas house, her daughters live there now but it was also home to my father at one time as well. After Wandas house we went back to my uncles house for lunch. We had Bacalou (fish, onions, tomatoes).



In the afternoon my Uncle cleaned out his swimming pool and we swam for a while. Then we settled into the living room after a dinner of Garlic chicken and Plantains and watched The Bachelorette (mostly because Ive been keeping up with the series and found a version in English). I think they enjoyed it. During the commercials we switched to a basketball game between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic (I think it was a championship game) and Puerto Rico won so that was even better.

The day was pretty wonderful overall. This place is gorgeous and I understand now my fathers warning, "you're not going to want to leave." Orocovis is absolutely incredible.

Day 5: Leaving Bayamon and Entering Orocovis

Today started with going to church. I knew that my Uncle Ramon would be coming to pick me up so I packed my things and headed to church with my Uncle Orlando and his family. It was very interesting. I actually understood a good bit of what was being said. The written pamphlet helped alot too! haha During our little breakout session the pastor asked me to describe something and then my cousins jumped in and said "ella habla ingles! (she speaks English)" and they left me alone after that.

After the church service we bought some Piragua, I had the creme flavored one this time and we picked some fruit (cant remember the name right now but it was delicious!). Then my cousins, my neices and I took pictures of our tongues because the piragua stained them. It was really fun.



As soon as we got home my Uncle Ramon picked me up and we headed to Yunque (the National Forest!). It was gorgeous. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.





After we tooks lots of pictures at Yunque we met up with my cousin __________, Ramoncitos sister. Then we stopped at one of the local food stands and bought some food (rice, beans, pork and plantains!).

After eating the food we headed back into San Juan to walk around a bit. We tried to feed the birds but they wouldnt take the food, I guess it makes sense since they are most likely being fed TONS of food everyday by tons of visitors. haha

We took some group photos and I met my cousin Ramoncitos girlfriend. She was very nice and very pretty. We went to see the Governors house and bought some candy (my favorite kind!). After our walk we started the 1 hour long drive into Orocovis (the center and the heart of the island also the hometown of my Dad).

Now I am here and I cant wait to see it in the daylight. We are high in the mountains. I can hear the Coqui and its time for bed. I will be staying with my Aunt Wandas kids starting tomorrow, but for now I am spending the night in my Uncle Ramons house.

Day 4: Family Tree and San Juan Ferry

Today I woke up early because I thought we were going to San Juan in the morning only to find out we were going in the afternoon. So I watched cartoons with my neices. I tried to talk to my Uncle and I made a timeline of my dads immediate family. Turns out my dad is 1 of 11 kids!

My grandma (dads mom) Carmen was married 3 times. She had 3 kids from her first marriage (Sara, Dalia and Gregory), then 3 kids from her second marriage (Juan -my dad, Orlando and Wanda) ---this explains why my dad said he was the youngest and why everyone else said he was the eldest kindof. Then my grandmother had 5 kids in her 3rd marriage (Marebel, ?, ?, ?,?). That makes 11 kids total.

Carmen left Puerto Rico with her 3 older kids (from the 1st marriage) and left my dad, Orlando and Wanda here in Puerto Rico. I dont know why yet. She re-married and had more kids. Now I understand why my dad could never answer me when I asked how many siblings he had, I dont think even he knew how many. Please forgive my very bad drawing of our family tree.



My dad was raised by my Uncle Ramons mother. So technically my dad and Ramon are cousins but since they were raised together they are like brothers. My cousins say that Ramons mother (our Grandmother!?) was the nicest lady ever. She loved my dad, Orlando and Wanda like they were her own kids. Apparently she always sent presents to my cousins on their birthdays and holidays. She was a wonderful women from every story Ive heard about her. She died about 8 years ago. I wish I could have met her.

Like I said when my dad left Puerto Rico ~27 years ago they all expected him to come back for the funeral but he didnt. Apparently my Uncle Orlando was 11 when my dad left and he cried and cried and cried. He always wondered where my dad was and when my Grandmother died he was sad and suprised that my dad didnt show up. I told them that we probabley didnt know about it, since we moved around so much.

This women raised my dad like he was her own son. I love her for that.

My grandma Carmen is still alive and either living in Massachusetts or Milwalkee. My cousin told me that my Uncle Orlando tried to talk to her once through my Aunt Sara but that she never wanted to. She sick apparently.

My aunt Sara and my Uncle Greg live in Massachusetts about an hour away from where I go to school. I plan on meeting them in September. I found Sara in one of my online searches for my dad and talked with her for a few weeks before she stopped answering her phone and redirecting/not returning my calls. She did this to my dad as well and after talking with my cousin this is exactly what happened to my Uncle Orlando.

The way my cousin described it. My Uncle Orlando just wants to hear her voice. He doesnt want anything from her, he doesnt want to make her feel bad or ask questions. He just wants to hear his mothers voice and let her know that hes alive and doing okay. I think this is what my dad wants as well.

I can understand not wanting to talk because it might be hard for her to explain why she left the 3 of them in Puerto Rico and took the other kids but I think she could at least let my dad, my Uncle and my Aunt hear her voice. Maybe its good she wont talk to them. If it went badly I think it would upset them all. ....

Ive begun to notice similarities between my Uncle, cousins, my dad and I. The best one so far is that we all bite/chew our nails. I saw my Uncle doing it and asked what nails were called in Spanish. When he told me the word I told him I eat my nails too! Then his wife (my aunt) laughed out loud and called us family. Apparently my cousins all chew their nails too. That makes my Uncle, my Aunt Wanda, my cousins, my neices, My dad and I the same. Now I dont feel so bad for doing it, apprently it runs in the family. They all said "Rivera!" haha

It amazes me how much my Uncle Orlando looks like my father. I showed my cousins and my uncle my dads old ID and a few of the pictures I have of him and my cousins think they look like twins. Its true. I will post pictures so you can decide for yourselves. My dad is the one in the Drivers License picture and my Uncle Orlando is the one on the couch.




After talking about the family tree for a bit we got ready to go to San Juan. We drove to a boat dock and bought tickets to take the ferry across to San Juan. It was quite an experience. Ive been on boats before, but not in the ocean, and not a public transportation boat!

It was really hot so it was sweaty but fun. We walked around some of the shops in San Juan, but could only take so much heat that we sat down and bought some fresh oranges (chinas!). They were green and orange and brown on the outside. I hardly recognized them as oranges but the vender peeled them and sliced the top of them open for us so we were able to drink the juice and eat the fruit inside.



It was delicious. After the oranges we went back to the boat station and waited for the boat/ferry to arrive and take us back to the car. I got money out of the ATM and bought some bacalao. It tasted like frybread with garlic. Delicious!



We took the boat back across and drove home. Now I am on the couch in the living room (sala) writing this. My cousins computer is still down so I wont be able to post for a while.

Tomorrow my Uncle Ramon, my cousin Ramoncito and my Aunt Lucy are picking me up to go to the Pulque (National Forest of Puerto Rico and the ONLY rainforest in the US).

I want to go shopping. I feel like I need to shop. I need to buy trinkets (cosas) and new clothes (ropa.

Day 3: Meeting Ada

Went to meet Ada today. On the way we bought some (fruita). It was delicious. When we bought it, my cousins and my neices were very excited and grabbing it as fast as they could. I had no idea what it was or how to eat it until one of my cousins handed me the fruit and told me to eat it. It was the most delicious thing Ive ever eaten. The texture is like nothing Ive ever eaten. It feels like goo or slime or something but it has tiny fibers in it too. We ate the fruit while driving to Adas.



When we got to Adas house I didnt know what to expect. My dad and my Uncle Orlando both thought she would cry when she saw me but she didnt. She gave me a big hug and took us to her bedroom where we sat on the bad and talked. When I say talked, I mean she talked with my Uncle Orlando and my aunt about random things.

Its times like this I wish I understood and could speak more Spanish. I feel like Im missing out on alot because I cant understand or answer questions. I feel like once people know I cant speak Spanish they ignore me and talk to my Uncle or my cousins. Its very frustrating.

Anyway. Ada was wonderful. She is beautiful and the entire time she and my Uncle were talking she rubbed my back. The way you know you are comfortable with someone is when it feels perfectly natural for them to be rubbing your back. haha

I took pictures of Ada and her dog.



When we left Adas my cousins took me to some of the food stands near San Juan where we eat Pincho and I got to drink my first Coco Frio (a fresh coconut) and a legit Pina Colada.



The pincho was awesome. This may be my new favorite food. The coconut was okay. The water inside had a tiny bit of flavor but mostly it was tasteless. There was alot of water in it though so I couldnt really finish it. It took awhile. My cousins ordered a Pina Colada that tasted delicious. There was some Karoke going on near the stand we were eating at so it was nice having entertainment with our dinner. haha

We stayed there for a while eating then we came back home to sleep. I got the bed to myself that night. Yesterday Karla (my neice) slept with me which made me feel better about taking up an entire room just for myself. My uncles house has 3 bedrooms. 1 bedroom is for his wife and him, the one Im in is just for me and my 4 cousins and 2 neices are sharing the other one! I dont mind sharing the bed, but I think they would feel bad if they hadnt given me the room so I havent said anything.

Ive been getting tired very early. I think the time here is 1 hour ahead of Eastern time so I shouldnt be getting tired at 9 here because in MA thats only 8 and in AZ its only 6!!!! It must be the heat.

The temperature here has been about 95 degrees constantly. The shutter/windows/walls I described earlier help this a little but not much. When I sleep I have a fan on me the entire time and I wake up sweaty every morning. The shower in Orlandos apartment only has cold water but its fine because everytime I take a shower (which has been 2-3x a day) its a welcome change in temperature.

Thats it for today.

PS: My cousins computer died so Im typing this on my own computers notepad and will post when they get a new computer and when we find internet access again.

Day 2: Playa, Coqui y Caminar

I slept very well last night. I think Williamstown humidity and heat has prepared me well for the Puerto Rican days/nights. I woke up this morning, showered and watched cartoons with my neices. It was a show called "Lazy Town" en Espanol. We decided to go the beach again today because it was sooo hot.

So before we left we eat fried platanos con churrasco.



It was so delicious. So far Ive loved every single thing Ive eaten here.

Went to same beach as yesterday and spent most of it looking for shells and burying people in the sand. I think the best part of the day today was the helado de coco. It was perfect in the heat. We caught alot of cobitos (crabs?) and left the beach when we got hungry.




On the way back we bought a pizza from one of the local "shops" near the road. We parked in a residential area and ate it. Then while my older cousin was talking with some of her friends, my other cousin and I went for a walk around the block. Then I helped my cousin wash the car outside and realized that the noises I was hearing around me were the Coqui, Puerto Rico's special frog. It was really exciting. Ever since I was little I always dreamed of coming here and hearing them. Those frogs were one of the only things I knew of Puerto Rico.

Today was pretty normal. We went to the beach and it was wonderful. No complaints. This really is the life. haha

Not understanding the majority of whats being said around me is starting to get to me. They speak so fast, its hard to get more than a few words out of the sentence that I can translate in my head. I think that because Im listening and trying to translate in my head they think Im very quiet, and they keep asking if Im enjoying my self and if Im okay.

I need to start speaking Spanish soon! If anything this trip is going to really solidify my yearning to become fluent in Spanish.

I think I can also give a beginners comment on the architecture. All of the houses have these shutter-like things on the sides of the houses. It gets so hot here that it really helps with airflow.



They are hard to describe but after touring my Uncle Orlando's home and seeing it on all the other houses in the neighborhood we walked around in I think I can say its pretty standard in every home. They work wonderfully, very helpful with airflow and cooling off the rooms.

It was a really good day, thats really all I have to say. It was like yesterday. I feel like I belong here. I really wish my dad was here, it gets a little overwhelming at times and I just feel like this experience would just mean the world to him and his family. Its one thing for me to come here and answer the questions but it would be so much better if he were here to speak for himself.

Tomorrow Im going to meet my Aunt Ada.

My father says she will cry when she meets me.