Tourist for a Day!

As I got ready for my undercover espionage, I wondered if I would be able to pull it off. I dressed in typical tourist attire with my low cut converse, white bahama shirt, denim shorts and a beige baseball cap. I switched my brain from Spanish speaking mode to English. I was ready. I decided to go to Old San Juan and explore. I walked through the streets and would ask strangers for directions to the nearest restaurants. Some were very helpful and actually took their time to help me but others would help me but with a certain tone in their voice, as if I was bothering them. Then I went to Wendys (the one in Plaza de Armas) to order some food. As I ordered, I could see some people staring at me. I assumed they were from here since I could overhear them talking in spanish. They thought I was a foriegner. I also noticed that I wasn't the only tourist there. There were some families in the establishment, all of them American. I could see people looking at them with their brows furrowed. It was as if they wanted them to leave as soon as possible. I could relate to them since I have been in that position as well. I can conclude from this experience that Puerto Ricans are not too keen on having "gringos" on our soil. We are aware of our colonial status and every time we see a tourist, we are reminded of it. Every time I would talk (as a tourist) with a "native", I could sense that I was the last person they wanted to talk to. They didn't want to help me and I understood why. I wanted to scream out that I was one of them, to not be fooled by my appearance and accent. I felt different and I did not like it. After all that the population of Puerto Rico has been through last year, seeing tourists vacationing here, having a good time, focusing on their own pleasures and not caring and ignoring all the struggles and hardships that we went through, all the hard work that we did to go back to "normal", makes our blood boil. Tourists are aware of the disadvantages the island has gone through and yet they don't do anything to help us or appreciate the labor and perseverance of the people here. In conclusion, this experience taught me how isolated a tourist can feel in a foreign land and although I do know the reasons why I was treated the way I was, not every tourist is aware which can make them feel strange and confused. I think that if tourists were more aware about their surroundings and the peoples status in the country they are visiting, they could be treated differently and maybe actually take action and try to make a difference. I guess you could say that for a tourist, ignorance is bliss.

I chose this collage by Grete Stern because I felt like I was alone and isolated in my own home while doing this activity