I made a decision to travel this summer and take part in the REU internship at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez. I have always dreamed of seeing the world, and after signing up for the REU I could only imagine what adventures I might partake in over the summer. I have worked with people from around the world and I feel blessed to share the discoveries and adventures of this experience with those I’ve met along with the Ciencia Puerto Rico community. My experience thus far revolves around exploring the island and learning about my research with many friends.

Coming to Puerto Rico has been exciting because of the memorable experiences and wonderful people. The first place I ate on the island was a restaurant called El Meson, and this is my favorite fast food restaurant on the island. I also enjoy eating tostones, yucca and mofongo. My graduate student Nobel has shared his favorite places around the island, as well as showing me the culture of his home country Columbia. As a part of this he treated Alberto and I to dinner at his house and made breakfast for us. He also introduced me to different Latin American dances and festivals.

My research is worthwhile because it is hands on and innovative. The pharmaceutical industry is switching to a new process and the research I conduct will be valuable to pharmaceutical companies. The professors and graduate students are helping me make the most of the opportunity by teaching me about different aspects of the research.

Over the course of the weekends we have been able to see many popular sites around the island of Puerto Rico. These include visiting crash boat, the city of Ponce, Rincon, Cabo Rojo and gozalandia. To top it all off I’ve been taking salsa classes with some of the other interns, I have been able to do so many things since coming to the island of Puerto Rico and I am grateful for each and every one of them.