ELI Puerto Rico 2017

March 25-26, 2017

The ELI group from the University of Delaware arrived to Puerto Rico ready for their Latin American adventure. After taking time to get acclimated to their new surroundings and settled into the Big Yellow House, most felt at home with the hot and humid climate. First up was a tour of Old San Juan. The group enjoyed learning about the interesting an extensive history of the island dating back to the native Taino Indians who first inhabited Puerto Rico. We also got our first taste of traditional Puerto Rican food. After walking the vividly colorful streets of Old San Juan it was time to get some rest as we looked ahead to our community service projects in Villa del Rio.

On Monday after a good night of rest and a hearty breakfast, we arrived at the community. We were greeted by community leader, Johnny, who told us a little bit about their history and the project we would undertake at el Centro de Refugio. After many good conversations, a lot of hard work mixing cement and some great coffee we are preparing for our final full day of work on Wednesday. We will then head to Fajardo where we will continue to enjoy the natural wonders of Puerto Rico, including beautiful beaches, National Park El Yunque and the Bio-luminescent Bay.