Student Writing: Puerto Rico

Author: Bahia Gordillo

Location: Culebra, Puerto Rico

After a long six-day passage, we finally arrived in Puerto Rico. On one of our shore visits, we went to Culebra, a little island with a few cars and people waking around in the streets. Our group walked to Flamenco Beach, which is one of the top ten most beautiful beaches in the world. The sand was really white, and felt like sugar. The water was so clear, that even in deep water we could see the bottom. I was having a lot of fun swimming and talking with my friends, but I began to miss my parents and I felt a little homesick. I decided to walk alone to where the food vendors were.

As I was sitting on a bench, playing with a stray black cat, something caught my attention. It was a song, a song I knew, “No hay nada mas dificil que vivir sin ti” by Mana, that my best friend had dedicated to me a few days before I left. Tears started to fill my eyes. My parents listen to a lot of songs by Mana, and it brought back some memories. I stopped playing with the cat and followed the sound. I came to a little shop selling Puerto Rican food. I stood there for a while, enjoying the music. After a couple of minutes, the guy working there asked me if I wanted to buy anything. I must have looked strange to him just standing there quietly.

I told him in Spanish that I just wanted to listen to the music. He smiled and said he also loved Mana, and had met him in person. The man allowed me to choose another song from his iPod to play on the big speakers. For almost an hour, I forgot where I was and what I was doing. It was the best feeling to remember my childhood and moments with my best friend and parents. That man didn’t know how much I appreciated what he did. Not only did he let me play my favorite songs, he gave me a pina colada to complete my wonderful day.