The Journey So Far

What have I done so far?







-I've been slowly mastering the Puerto Rican public transit system.


-Met some very fascinating individuals who have been ridiculously hospitable.
-Learned that movie theaters in the states are a complete rip-off (its only $6.75 here!... and you can actually purchase popcorn and drinks and the like without taking out a second mortgage on your home)


-Spent many a night researching various low-temperature physical phenomena.
-Seen the first amendment in all of its glory: candle-lit strikers displaying their frustration with the University of Puerto Rico's administration.
-Black light and paint party!
-Found the need to shower multiple times a day.
-Beach (with blue water!)


-Gone to Old San Juan and sat on the famous wall that once completely surrounded the city guarding it from colonial invaders.
-Starbucks


-Began reading Einstein's "Relativity"


-Spent some time with the cats that run the streets of San Juan like the squirrels of Haverford.
-Discovered soccer (futbol) on TV!
-Seen a soccer game (PR Islanders Vs Austen, Tx).


-Fixed my room around multiple times.
-Found a beautiful place to watch the waves break.


-Watched the waves break.


-Learned that I inherently posses some trait that makes me desirable to much older Puerto Rican women.
-I have seen what I will look like in 50 years (he was riding a bus to San Juan).
-I mistake someone for my father every three seconds.
-Pasta-burrito!


-Mangoes
-Spent hours wandering around the mall aimlessly.
-Been called "New Yorican" more times than I care to admit.
-Sat on the corner playing my harmonica.
-Learned that if someone sits on the ground they actually become invisible to everyone else... except of course to the police.
-Made a nifty shelf from a few bunk-bed latters.


-Tried and failed to explain the wonder that is Haverford to people who probably do not care to listen.
-I am humbled everyday by the amazing amount of bilingual people here.
-So many bright colors.

-Purchased a Spanish-English dictionary at a bookstore that vaguely reminds me of Selma Hyak's bookstore in the movie Desperado.


-Told someone that I love them when i had only intended to say "pleasure to meet you."
(for all you Spanish buffs- "te encanta" rather than "encantada")
-Tried to replicate a Chipotle burrito in my own kitchen.


-Don Quixote statues...wow
-I have been referred to as "Wolverine," "Zorro" and "Jacob Black" on many occasions.






-Everything is floral: wallpaper, chairs, lamps, etc.
-Tried kinepas (which is probably spelled wrong) for the first time.
-Hugged a giant frog.


-Learned that the stereotypical Puerto Rican as seen in West Side Story equipped with a bright shirt and flared pants actually has some basis in reality.
-and I have enjoyed every second of it... more or less :)

Monday, May 31

Slightly Cheesy Introduction

Call me Joseph. I am a proud student of Haverford College in Pennsylvania. Through Haverford's Multicultural Scholars Program and Professors Alexander and Feldman (Jeff TF), I was able to secure an internship with a Professor of Physics at the University of Puerto Rico. This blog is a means for me to share my experience on this beautiful island.

Oh and please excuse the cheesy Moby Dick reference, I figure every good adventure should start off with an extremely short sentence which introduces the main character (wow, I'm the main character) and sets up a casual relationship between the protagonist and the reader.

Anyway, I hope this blog is enjoyable and enlightening- profound may be asking a little much.

This past week has definitely been an experience for me. I managed to make a friend before landing in PR. On the plane, I sat next to a sweet old lady who was eager to tell me about the wonders of the island. She explained that she had moved to PR from New York many years back and she sympathized with my looming language and identity crises that I was to face shortly.

Professor Vicente (Carlos, as he prefers to be called) met me at the airport and took me around giving a short but informed tour of parts of the island. Upon arrival I still had no housing plans so Carlos and I explored my options. I chose the more humble of the two options in order to get a more "real experience." By humble of course, I mean to say that I chose the option with no air conditioning, a slight mosquito problem and one washing machine complete with a trail of confused ants (perhaps some unfortunate person had lost a cookie in a terrible washing machine mishap).

(The entrance to my apartment building)

The apartment has 4 bedrooms 3 of which are surprisingly vacant when one considers that they each have at least 2 sets of bunk beds. My room on the other hand, has only one bed and the moldy smell is actually kind of subtle! (unless of course you get your nose too close to the mattress, which tends to happen at critical relaxation times).


I was very happy to have my own kitchen which has been put to very good use. I stocked up on rice, beans, pasta, Ramen (chicken and beef), and cereal (Honey Bunches of Oats, if you're curious) and thankfully I have yet to get tired of the menu. I manage to cook happily around the leaky kitchen roof and am adequately nourished.



I've been meeting with Carlos for about 2-3 hours daily manipulating data from previous experiments (more on the nature of the experiments later) and trying to accumulate as much knowledge on the subject as possible. After those meetings I am free to venture off on my own and explore. I intend to take advantage of this freedom. Let us see what PR has to offer!