News Clips: NHS Chicas Take Puerto Rico
Norwell High School's AP Spanish class of six girls ventured to Puerto Rico on April 30th to exercise our ability in speaking Spanish.
The first day, we traveled into the inner city of main island to see the amazing art work on the walls. The city constantly asks artists from around the world to paint awe-inspiring murals of modern themes to brighten the aesthetic of the city in exchange for food and living space.
The next day, we traveled to breathtaking sites like El Morro in Old San Juan, a fort constructed to protect the island from invaders in the 16th century. The streets of Old San Juan were lined with colorful buildings painted teal, peach, pink and orange. It was not surprising that these houses along the water go for around 4 million! The crystal blue water captivated us all--we could not believe that the water was the Atlantic, the same brown ocean we see in Scituate. The city was also filled with adorable coffee shops and antique stores. As a tourist destination, Puerto Rico also had many stores where we could buy souvenirs for our friends and families. That night we ventured to the Laguna Grande in order to see the bioluminescent life in the lake. We needed to kayak in the dark through a forest in order to get there.
Our second day in Puerto Rico, we went ziplining through one of the rainforests on the island. The view was breathtaking from the treetops. After, we went to the Yunque forest for a quick hike down to a waterfall where tourists and residents swam in to escape the heat. Finally to end the day, we went to Luquillo Beach to rest from our long day and eat at the Kioskos, a long chain of over 100 little restaurants to choose from. The next day was dedicated to rest and relaxation. We had our own boat charter us out to a private island where we were greeted with white sand and clear water. After, we went on a snorkeling adventure in 48 feet deep water that was in between the boardwalk columns.
Our last night on the island included “salsa dancing" at the local Marriot. There, the Norwell girls tore up the dance floor with our attempts to salsa. Although it probably wasn't the prettiest sight, we all had so much fun! The next day we got to sleep late before we had to leave for the airport. After a wonderful breakfast by the water, we boarded the bus and flew home. I am so happy we went to Puerto Rico. It was so crazy to speak with locals in Spanish, having them understand what I am saying and vice versa.
Photos Courtesy of Sahana Bail
