August 2 Anticipation

Spending hours at the airport gave me time to anticipate the coming experience in Puerto Rico. Having spent a week in "la isla de encanto" many years ago, I knew what to expect in some ways....the terrain, the size of San Juan, the tropical climate. But as the years have past and I have come in contact with different Puerto Ricans of our York community, I have many questions regarding the language, perspective, and attitudes of the people of Puerto Rico. ....
Why are many of my advanced students and even other Spanish-speakings adults so challenged to understand many Puerto Ricans that they encounter in classes or even in the supermarket? Is the Spanish so different from that of the classroom or of other countries? What are the attitudes of Puerto Ricans towards mainland Puerto Ricans and towards mainlanders in general? How do they perceive us? And, how do we even refer to ourselves? ....americanos, gringos, norteamericanos? Just what is the politically correct term?
And how special to anticipate the expected beauty of El Yunque and the beaches. My brief experience and pictures of the island inspired another look at Puerto Rico. And then there is Ponce. For years, I have taught a little lesson on Ponce through a video of a Puerto Rican boy and his grandfather. Finally now I will visit Ponce!
So the time waiting for planes and pilots was spent with great expectations of the coming days.