As I make my way through Week 3 of my field research here in Puerto Rico, I find myself nervous that time is starting to slip away. Week 4 begins on Monday. In terms of my "work" here, I've attended three protests, documented and acquired data on the police brutality at El Capitolio, assemblies, and the movements at both UPR and Escuela de Artes Plastica. I've gone to several art museums. I've made contacts within both the art and academic worlds here. I've interviewed five people, with five more scheduled over the weekend and the beginning of next week. And more exciting than that, I've started to hone in on more specific research questions and areas of interest. I've found myself using the terms "manifestation" and "investigation" to describe the work I'm doing. I've been able to hold my own in terms of discussing the issues present within the movements and struggles here on the island (though unfortunately, not in Spanish). Ultimately, I've made real progress here with my intended purposes. As each day passes, I realize how important it is to study these issues here. Only here can I have access to the information and networks necessary to begin to understand the complexity of these struggles and the lives implicated in the struggles.
And it hasn't been all work and no play, I've had a blast too. So, let's count down some of the wonderful happenings from the last week and a half...and then you can enjoy some of the pictures...
1. Exploring Old San Juan, Escuela de Artes Plastica, Nacional Galeria, and record shopping with Calin.
2. Attending the protest at the police headquarters in reaction to the violence at El Capitolio.
3. Watching two, not one, World Cup games with Carlos and Noelia and their lovely friends.
4. Turning a Sunday night into Manic Sunday at Cafe 103 with Magaly, Jorell, and Egie.
5. Watching Sunday night turn into Monday morning with Egie and Ralph at Cafe 103, while drinking a few too many combobreakers and still talking shit about drinking Egie under the table.
6. NOT being inundated with nationalism, narratives of independence, and fireworks on the 4th of July.
7. Deciding that Arthur simply must come visit and making the proper arrangements for it to happen.
8. Snowball Sampling from UPR professors and other activists in the movement.
9. More lovely and entertaining dinners with my family here. Thanks to Magaly's incredible skills in the kitchen. Thanks to Mario's ability to flip pancakes. Thanks to Jorell's kitchen assisting skills.
10. Conquering the war against mosquitoes...and sleeping soundly without their feasting upon my flesh.
11. Conquering bus transportation, at least to Old San Juan...but not back, yet.
12. Discussions with my family here and their lovely friends about any number of interesting topics: Reptile people, Time Travel, Gentrification, Linguistics, Authority. And then comparing them always to LOST and Battlestar Galactica.
13. Exploring the campus of UPR with Carlos, meeting his colleagues, having a delightful lunch from "the vegetarian people", learning that they have light switches here on the island,and conducting two fantastic interviews.
14. Taking the day off, every so often, to enjoy the beach.
15. Experiencing the ups and downs of internet access, including the moment when all of us were able to access wireless and Mario's hilarious chat suggestions.
16. Feeling like something between a tourist and a resident.
As I said early on, I fear that time is starting to slip away. I start my 4th week on Monday. I'm already nostalgic. I'm already missing the people. I'm already missing the food. I'm already missing the language and the dirty words I've learned. I'm already missing the streets I walk daily. I'm already missing my family here. While I undoubtedly know I'll be back soon, I hadn't expected to feel quite so "at home" here. I hadn't expected to not feel homesick.
When I talked with Jennie Ann on the phone earlier, she recounted the details of when I made the decision to study here. We were sitting in an overpriced hot tub at the Caribe Hilton. We were scheduled to leave the island that day, on my first trip here. And I said, "There just has to be a way for me to stay." While I said these words enjoying the privileges of being a tourist, I had no idea the wonderful experiences that I would gain from spending my summer here.
And onwards, I travel into the second half of my field work and time here, while I scratch a mosquito bite and raise a toast of Medalla to the wonderful friends and family I've made here.
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| Puerto Rico July 1 to July 9 |
"Now the ocean speaks and spits and I can hear it from the interstate. And I'm screaming at my brother on a cellphone, he is far away. And I'm saying nothing in the past or the future will ever feel like today." -Bright Eyes
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