Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Imposing Decency: The Politics of Sexuality and Race in Puerto Rico, 1870-1920,
Eileen J Suárez Findlay - This brassy, bold historical reading of Puerto Rico feminism
is rooted in Puerto Rico's working-class sexual revolution during the turbulent years
of the American colony.
Modern practicalities of the island's political and cultural position have meant that, for
three or four generations now, many Puerto Ricans have grown up bouncing between main-
land US cities and their beloved Borinquen. Even those who stay put assimilate by proxy:
young people in a wealthy San Juan suburb may wander the mall past American chain
stores and chat about Hollywood blockbusters, while their counterparts living in the uni-
formly Puerto Rican neighborhoods in New York or Chicago may have a day-to-day exist-
ence that more closely resembles Latin America. This makes the full scope of their bilin-
gual and multicultural existence difficult to comprehend for outsiders. Many Puerto Ricans
are just as comfortable striding down New York's Fifth Ave during the week for a little
shopping, then spending the weekend visiting the
friquitines
(roadside kiosks) with their
families at Playa Luquillo.
From Rincón to Vieques, visitors will find Puerto Ricans to be incredibly friendly and
open; they like nothing better than to show off their beloved Boriken (the island's Taíno
name).
Annually, five million visitors to Puerto Rico supply the economy with approximately $1.8 billion. More than one third of these
tourists are made up of cruise-ship passengers.
You'll also note that, despite their obsession with American cars and big shopping com-
plexes, Puerto Ricans are much more into genuine experiences than material things. A fa-
vorite island pastime is to wade into warm beach waters just before sunset - beer in hand
and a few more in the cooler - to shoot the breeze with whoever else is out enjoying the
glorious spectacle of changing skies. The next day, there's a good chance the afternoon will
be spent standing around the grill (again, usually with a beer in hand) and savoring the
scent of a favorite family recipe. Bank executive, schoolteacher, fisherman or even visiting
gringo - it doesn't matter who you are, as long as you share an appreciation for how good
life can be in Puerto Rico.
And despite the fact that so many people who live on the island have such close econom-
ic and familial ties to the United States, there's a very certain sense that life at the pace of
the island - slower, more relaxed - is also more meaningful.
Informative website
www.boricua.com
bills itself as the website for Puerto Ricans by Puerto Ricans, but anyone with more than
a passing interest in the island and its worldwide diaspora will find plenty of hidden nuggets here.
