Puerto Rico Service-Learning Trip: Day 4 Recap

Exploring the Beauty of Puerto Rico: El Yunque National Forest

Our morning started at a crisp 8:30 a.m. All students were directed to meet in the lobby, after sitting together for a very wonderful and nutritious breakfast in our matching Ryan Nece Foundation T-Shirts. The bus arrived and our charismatic tour guide guided us to the El Yunque National Rainforest.

Our favorite part was learning about the peepee trees, which has flowers with a yellow liquid inside, which he believes resembles the rich culture in history of Puerto Rico and what has made this trip so lively in the first place. Being able to make an impact in our community and getting to understand the culture behind it is very meaningful to us.

The first thing we did when we arrived at the El Yunque National Rainforest circa 10:30 a.m. was visit Mount Britton Tower. It was a mile hike upward, and we were met with a breathtaking site of the entirety of Puerto Rico. Finishing our hike, we stopped at one more tower before going to a fantastic local spot for lunch. Our next stop after lunch was the river. Many took the opportunity at the river to swim and cool off after the busy morning.

After loading the bus, we had a long drive back to the airport, concluding a great trip. We thanked the Ryan Nece Foundation staff and exchanged photos in our group chat. Ms. Melissa said she is working on one last service opportunity we can do together in late July before we all journey into our next steps!