Traveling to San Juan
Filled with anticipation and excitement, we reached the airport at 9am for our senior service-learning trip to Puerto Rico! From reuniting and soaking in the fact it was our last trip together, we marched on to get on our flight. Upon landing to Puerto Rico at around 2pm, we headed straight to San Juan Community Library where we had the privilege to help Connie, the Executive Director of the library.
San Juan Community Library
Upon entering the building, we were pleasantly surprised with all the cute kittens and cats running around! As we entered leaving a trail of “Awws” and “They’re so cute,” we all gathered around the tables in her library. Connie introduced herself, and in those short moments of meeting her, she exuded true human passion and emotion towards the significance of all of our roles in aiding the library. She started off debriefing us on the help-needed in the library, and with a pause, she pointed to the Puerto Rican history section.
San Juan Community Library is the only lending library in the capital city where people can actually check out a book. Back home, especially at this age of technology, we tend to neglect the number of libraries at our disposal. Connie was brought to tears as she shared with us that through books history is preserved and depicts the truth of what led us to the point we are now. Her passion towards the library, even with working there since the 1980s was admirable and resonated with all of us. We all gained a new appreciation for libraries as a whole and the importance of making sure their doors stay open.
After her heartfelt talk with us, we got to work with vigor. Some of us used brooms to clean the cobwebs on the ceilings, others raked leaves, and most helped clean and reorganize the shelves of the outdoor paperback section for a nice fresh look. Connie’s attitude and humble demeanor really made the heat and the few spiders we came across all the worthwhile! Towards the end of the service, she told us we could take home any book that appealed to us! Her love towards fueling the youth’s motivation to read was evident as she told us how proud she felt of her youth section. As we were wrapping up, she surprised us with cold waters and a well-known Puerto Rican dessert, Quesitos, as a reward for a job well done. After taking a beautiful group picture, Alenlly thanked Connie for the cause she’s fighting for. She thanked Alenlly and gave her a hug. Her sincerity resided in Alenlly and all of us.
Dinner in Old San Juan
Following our time at the library, we took a well-earned victory lap to the hotel to check in. We each received our room assignments knowing that with whoever we would be roomed with, there was only fun times ahead. Truly, the service at the library was only the beginning. Our formal journey of the enchanted island began as quickly as our arrival to the hotel with a ride to Old San Juan. Phones were out as we took pictures of every building, ocean view, and, of course, the fort we passed by on the way to Old San Juan. Jumping off the bus, we would be just one more group picture away from Charlie’s Old San Juan restaurant, and it was a meal well worth the wait. Everyone got their meal of choice and left the establishment happy and full of mirth. We were ready for what was ahead. Indeed, what was next would culminate yet another wonderful day with the Ryan Nece Foundation. Hopping in the bus yet again, we were on our way to a beach entrance a small distance away where we would meet a group with a powerful mission: Siete Quillas.
Siete Quillas
The leaders Rosa, Karen, and Ida met us at the bus and discussed all the aspects of the leatherback turtles and their nesting habits. They explored all the amazing factors needed in the populated San Juan area for the leatherback turtles to come back, as well as how population control of the jellyfish needs to be maintained since they can easily become overpopulated. The turtles are experiencing possible extinction due to the hostile environments created by microplastics and pollution.
The team at Siete Quillas showed us what baby turtles look like, along with their eggs, and explained all the important protocols such as avoiding flash and using red light. They went deep into detail about the anatomy of the turtles and the intricacies of what it takes for them to lay eggs and go through fertilization. We learned cool facts, like how temperature can cause gender changes in hatchlings. The leaders then walked with us around the beach to see if any turtles were spotted, though unfortunately, none were at that time. So, Rosa went around and showed us the carefully marked spots where eggs from turtles Debra and Nelly had been laid. Then, came stories like one about Scratchy, a turtle who was born on the beach and eventually returned roughly 10 years later to lay her own eggs, displaying the biological reasoning behind this behavior.
They also explained the importance of why holes on the beach should be filled: Turtles can potentially get stuck, become stressed, and even pass away. This and other factors may cause them to leave and lay eggs in the ocean, where it could be fatal for the baby animals. As we explored the beach, we found a deep hole and made a game out of filling it. With teamwork, we were able to do it. The passion of the leaders and their dedication to informing the community was clear.
Wrapping Up
We did this for about an hour before eventually walking back and returning to the bus. Back at the hotel, we reflected on our highs and lows of the day, exploring the library and the sacred connection between Puerto Rico’s turtles and its history, beautifully intertwined. The next morning, we had found out that one of the turtles had returned to lay eggs and we unfortunately missed it!
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