Closing: Conclusiong for 2010 CariPac Summer Internship Program

So after almost a month of being back home Im finally writing a closing post. I know Ive been putting this off for so long now. I guess I really wanted to go off with a bang. And then there is a part of me that doesnt want this blog to go off even though I know my journeys in Puerto Rico are over. Those 28 days on the "Island of Enchantment" were some of the most exciting, fun, and amazing days of my life. Everyday was an adventure and this blog was my record of that. Now that my time in Puerto Rico is over I find it hard for me to put all this behind.

Of course that is only one way of thinking about all this...

During my time on the 2010 CariPac summer internship program I learned a wealth of knowledge, experienced things I never thought I would, made lifelong friendships and overall had an awesome time. As I mentioned earlier everyday was an adventure and a learning experience. The main purpose of the trip was to share information about agriculture between the islands of the Caribbean and the islands of the Pacific. I believe the program was very successful at this. Not only did this trip teach me so much about Puerto Rico's agriculture sector and agriculture's role in our world it also made me rethink my thoughts on agriculture in general. After this trip I have an increased awareness of the importance of agriculture in everyday life.

Another great part of this trip was the experience we received on every field trip. Everyday we experienced a different side of agriculture in Puerto Rico. From milking cows to roasting coffee beans we did it all. I was amazed at how much this island has to offer. I have never seen so many sides of agriculture in one place. When it comes to the things we did my favorite activity of the trip was making the cheese and ice cream from the milk we milked from the cows in Lajas. Learning the process was really cool and useful. The worse part definitely was the animal science practices with the piglets (sorry piggys!). And then there were the non agricultural experiences. All the surf sessions I had in Rincon and the final one I had in San Juan. I will never forget how good the waves are in Puerto Rico (it really is WORLD CLASS).Then there were all the festivals. The live Puerto Rican music. The nights out in town. It was all so good and so fun. And of course I cant forget the food. While we did have our taste of local cuisine it was the eat outs that were so memorable. I hate to admit this but most of it was Chinese!! LOL!

The best part of the trip was being able to meet the six other islanders and being with them for the entire month!!! Staying in a place six strangers was almost like the Real World on MTV. Of course our world was more PG 13 and contained way less drama. The truth is that we all got along so well and everyone was extremely generous and kind. Whenever someone needed help we were all there to give a hand. This year the interns came from American Samoa, Pohnpei, Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands, Guam, Paulau and the US Virgin Islands so we had a variety of cultures mixed together. All very similar islands scattered across the Pacific and Atlantic. Even though we came from different parts of the world we all seemed to come together like a family. Also I cant forget to mention the proctors who were there for us everyday. Everyday they showed us around Puerto Rico and told us all they knew. Jessica, Abner and Luis!!! Our three Puerto Rican guides made it all happen and took extreme care of us!! I will never forget you guys!!

In the end this trip turned out to be way more than I expected. I never would have imagined that we would do all that we did in those 28 days and Im sure all the other interns feel the same way. While it was tough at some points it was all worth it in the end. Overall I feel like this trip has taught me so much!! Not only have I learned a lot about agriculture in Puerto Rico and the Pacific but I have also gained lifelong friendships and experienced things I never wouldve if I didnt take part in this program. In the future I hope I can use what I learned to help others and share with the world the importance of agriculture.

Last but not least I want to give a final thank you to all the people that made this trip happen. The interns, the proctors, the organizers and all. This is probably the best experience you can give anyone and I am forever grateful for letting me take part in this! Thank you all so much.

Day 28: Departure Day - final day in Puerto Rico

Today was our final day in Puerto Rico :(



It was tough saying goodbye but at the same time I was happy that everyone would be able to go back home and see their families. All of us were ready. Just as tough was leaving the island. After spending 28 days here I really got used to this place. While part of me wanted to be back home another part of me wanted to stay. Of course that wouldnt be possible.



So we all left one by one on our different flights. Some of our flights werent boarding for a couple hours. So after Hertin and Foster departed we decided to stop by a nearby beach and have one more time out in Puerto Rico. I got one last surf session which was probably the best on this trip so far and after that we headed to one of the largest malls to go have something to eat. It was really nice!













After that we headed back to the airport and one by one we all said our final goodbyes.



To the proctors and interns:

Im really gonna miss all of you. Overall you guys were some of the friendliest and coolest individuals I have ever met. After spending so much time together I kind of feel like you are all family. So once again thank you everyone!! You all are the best and my trip wouldn't have been what it was without you all!

Day 27: Final Presentations & Last Night in Mayaguez

Today was our closing day!! The last task of the interns was to do our final presentations!

The presentations took place at the same place where we oriented, the law school. The day started out with a brief summary of what we will be presenting by Sally and then breakfast. After breakfast we began with our individual presentations.





For our individual presentations we gave information about ourselves, our home, and the agricultural information of there. It was really interesting learning about each others islands. It wasnt until now that we learned and shared so much on our different islands. Everyone had some very interesting information and we all learned so much. We also told of what our worst and best experiences on our trip and it was really funny hearing all the different thoughts! After the individual presentations we took a quick break and had our group shot taken by one of the universities press photographers.













After a short break we continued with our group presentations. For the group presentation we were required to give a brief description and our thoughts on each of the activities from day one to the end. We all were given a week to talk about and we all told of what we learned on each visit. For our conclusion our group decided to have an open forum in which each intern shared their thoughts about the trip and their final thank you's. We all ended by giving a big thanks to all the organizers and proctors. This concluded our presentations.







After the presentations the proctors and organizers gave their last words on the trip. They all shared how happy they were with the success of the trip and that they hope we will take what we learned hear back home to teach others. After final thanks we ended by doing a quick survey on the program and lastly we were each awarded a certificate of completion. Once that was done we said our final goodbyes to the Sally and Angel and concluded the days presentations and final scheduled activity!

























With that done we headed back home to do laundry and then we got ready to go out to town to visit the Mango festival which was taking place downtown. This was our last night in town and we all had a great time. We were treated to local food and beverages and were also able to browse some of the artwork and crafts from the local artist and vendors. The night concluded with some excellent Puerto Rican music. The performance was packed with energy and it really was a great way to conclude the night. After that we left for home to pack and get ready for tomorrow.













We all leave for San Juan tomorrow morning to the airport where we will all say goodbye to eachother and go our seperate ways. Im really sad that we will be leaving Puerto Rico but Im also ready to head back home! Im really gonna miss everyone!!

Day 26: Working on Final Presentations

We spent the whole day (and night) working on our final presentations!!







Tomorrow is presentation day and our final scheduled activity for the 2010 Caripac Internship Program in Puerto Rico! Lets go Interns! :D

Day 25: Ornamental and Poultry Project at Barranquitas and Aibonito

Today we visited an ornamental nursery called Cali nurseries. This ornamental nursery has many varieties of flowers used for landscaping, holiday gifts, decorations, etc. After we toured the different facilities and types of flowers grown at Calinurseries, our guide showed us the process of creating potting mix, potting flowers to sell, and the process of propogation. Finally, our guide explained to us both the successes and challenges of his ornamental nursery. For example, despite the bad economy, he is still able to be successful by scaling back his nursery operations. After the nursery we left for our next visit.











After lunch, the group went to the To-Rico Chicken processing plant to observe the process of packaging chicken in the plants facilities. Unfortunately no cameras were allowed in the facility because of security reasons so I was unable to share any photos for this. Bummer
:(



brief description of the visit (for security reasons):

"Before the group could go in, they had to dress up with gowns, hairnets, and boots for sanitary purposes. The guide explained that packaging chicken requires extremely clean conditions and because of this visitors and workers had to be properly dressed. The temperature of the facility must always be at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below to prevent the growth of bacteria and the facility itself can be describes as cold and full of noisy machinery. There were hundreds of whole chickens hanging from hooks and moving in a smooth and orderly fashion :P The chickens are cut and the pieces are separated and packaged for the market. Packaging consist of vacuum sealing prevent the growth of bacteria.
As the group moved on, they observed that the chicken parts such as hearts, livers, and gizzards are removed and separated because these parts are a high risk for infection. Finally, they were informed that before chickens are slaughtered, there is much attention given to making it as humane as possible. For example, before chickens are slaughtered, the lights are dimmed to keep the chickens calm. And at the moment before slaughter, chickens are stunned with electricity so they wont feel anything. Despite these measures, it was still an experience for the group watching the chickens being processed and packaged."

Just to let everyone know I didnt go inside of the facility! After my incident on the EEA-Lajas animal farm I didnt want to risk it so I opted out on the tour. The information is from the interns.

Todays visits concluded our fieldtrips for the rest of our time here. The remainder of the week will be spent preparing for final presentations!