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.