YOU GUYS. WE LEAVE IN JUST OVER A MONTH FROM TODAY. FOR REALS. THIS IS REAL.
At tonight’s meeting we’re going to talk about a whole bunch of important stuff, but I’m going to reference some videos to help you pack. I wrote a post back in November about packing. Here’s the link in case you want to look back at it.
This post is short and sweet. It is a list of a few videos to help you think about how you are going to pack.
My biggest suggestion? PACK LIGHT. Of all the travel I’ve done in my life, I’ve never regretted packing light; however, there were more than a few times that I regretted having so much stuff (AKA lugging a giant suitcase up a tiny, old staircase and thinking “Why did I bring all of this?”)
NOW is a good time to start thinking about what you’ll need and what you should bring. Start writing a list. Change it as you come up with new ideas. Be thoughtful and think about bringing items that serve more than one purpose. And do some research. There a million travel hacks. Everyone’s needs are slightly different so think about what yours are and then do some googling. Another great resource? Your super awesome chaperones. Collectively we’ve taken many, many trips and might have some ideas for you!
So on a scale of 1 to 10, how excited are you that our trip is less than three months away?? I know that all of the chaperones are pumped!
As you know from the itinerary, our trip is packed with lots of exciting excursions filled with history, nature, culture, and fun. The next series of blog posts will help give you some more information about where we’ll be going and what we’ll see. We (your chaperones) strongly encourage you to do some of your own research about Puerto Rico, too, so that you really get to experience the trip to its fullest potential.
Much of our first day of the trip will be spent traveling; however, there will be time for some Puerto Rican fun. As you can see on the agenda you received from Explorica, the first day, in addition to traveling, we will see the Museo de Casa Blanca, La Muralla, and La Fortaleza all in Viejo San Juan. Keep reading for more information on these exciting destinations!
Museo de Casa Blanca
The Museo de Casa Blanca is all about history! Construction began on the house in 1521 to serve as the personal residence of Juan Ponce de León and his extended family. So, let’s back up a second because you’ve probably heard about him in a social studies class before...but who was he?
Interestingly, Ponce de León died before ever being able to live in Casa Blanca, but it continued to serve as residence for his family for the next 250 years. In addition to housing the Ponce de León family, it was also the first military structure on the island and over the years also housed numerous militaries including those of Spain and the United States.
Today the house, although no longer in its exact original state, serves as a museum highlighting the history of Puerto Rico.
What'sLa Muralla? Quite literally, it’s an almost 400 year old wall. Yep, a wall. But in reality it’s so much more than that!
La Muralla spent nearly 200 years under construction and is 45 feet wide and as high as 40 feet in some sections. This massive wall helped protect Puerto Rico from foreign attacks throughout history. Today the wall provides a sense of history and a beautiful background for Viejo San Juan.
La Fortaleza On our first day in Puerto Rico, we will also visit La Fortaleza. Check out this video to learn more about it.
All in all, our first day in Puerto Rico is going to be full of history and gorgeous sights to see. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to have my camera ready! Keep researching Puerto Rico and keep your eyes open for our next blog post!
