How could I not forget your kindness, empathy, and compassion. You were the awesome teacher who allowed me to share my deepest feelings when you allowed me to journal my thoughts about my secret that has been haunting me for years. Yes, journal writing is and always will be an effective strategy to get anyone to express how he or she really feels. In fact, I really believe that it helps one express his or her social-emotional issues such as stress, anxiety, fear, and depression. It is the best bibliotherapy ever created.

Do you know where Miss Runfio and I decided to travel this year on my summer vacation? Let me give you a hint! It is an island in the Caribbean Sea called La Isla Del Encanto. If you have not guessed by now, I am in Puerto Rico. Today, we plan to drive to Juan Diego Falls to see the great and spectacular waterfall. We left early in the morning from our R&B in Arecibo Puerto Rico. If you ever decide to come to Puerto Rico, I advise you never to put your confidence in the GPS, because it would definitely take you up and down the steep mountainous roads to your destination as a short-cut to where you want to go.

When Miss Runfio programmed the GPS when we began our trip, it failed to show us the main route, which would have been Route 111. Although it is a longer drive to your destination, it is the safest route to take. We finally arrived at the Juan Diego Waterfalls. It was spectacular! It is a hidden waterfall in the rainforest, it is like tropical magic. Not only one, but 3 cascades make up the Juan Diego Falls. You could even go hiking by the side of El Yunque. We took lots of pictures while being close up to the main waterfall.

Traveling through the rather small roads on our way back to our R&B, I noticed that small merchants would set-up their tents in order to sell such goods as fruit, sea food, pastries, fried food, and souvenirs just before the big tourists attraction events such as the Caves of Camuy, El Moro of Old San Juan, Parque De Bombas in Ponce, and the Glowing Fish near Mayaguez.

Mamita and I wanted so badly to stop on the side roads to buy the famous Coco frio. So we finally stopped on a rather rainy day and the merchant was so kind as to greet us in Spanish. Do you know that everywhere that we visited in Puerto Rico, people spoke a Spanish dialect that was much different in the United States. In fact, it was so much faster and the people there assumed that you could speak and comprehend Spanish the same way they did, When we returned to our R&B at night, I could hear the daytime sounds of dogs in the hot sun barking and during the night, there was lurking grillo (cricket) that never stopped chirping during the night.

The next morning I went to eat breakfast at the Buen Cafe in Hatillo Arecibo. Mamita and I could not wait to sip Coco Frio, because when we bought it was warm and the hombre who sold it to us used a hatchet to cut it open from the top. Here is something to know about Puerto Rico: The electricity from time to time powers off; residents in the pueblos put their washers and dryers machines outside on the front or back porches of their houses; there is little or no street lamps for night time driving:and finally there are speed bumps in most of the neighborhoods without each down that we visited; do not rely on the GPS, because it will take you through the steep valleys and hills as a short-cut to the major pueblos throughout Puerto Rico, For instance, we could have taken the major high to Ponce, but the GPS on our way there gave us only one route, which was for 20 miles up and down the steep valleys and hills for about 1,000 miles of elevation.

On our way back home on Route 111, which is the main and safest route. While we were driving I could not wait to taste the Coco Frio that was being cooked in our refrigerator for a few days now. A Puerto Rican girl friend of my mom told her to buy and taste Coco Frio before leaving the island. While sunbathing on one of the beautiful beaches located in Hatillo, I actually saw huge coconuts on top of the 50 feet palm trees behind me. They looked just like the one that we had purchased. You see the delicious coconut juice is right inside these

Mr. Blair, I will never forget how you made me the happiest girl in the whole wide world when you came up with the ingenious idea of having us make creative buckets. The positive notes were a game maker when you had us encourage each other with words of admiration and praise. I love the book, entitled, Have you filled my bucket. I never forget that as human beings we all have an invisible bucket that we have the choice either to build up with words of affirmation, or tear down or destroy with unkind and negative words.

I am feeling quite sad today since we have only a few days left. My mom wanted to go to Arecibo Lighthouse National Park. So we got up in the early morning to go to this national park that was filled with information about the history and culture of the Taino Indians and African slaves that were forced to come to Puerto Rico during the slave trade. Did you know that there were pirates who hid their treasures on the island? influences during slavery during the 1600’s. This park had so many attractions for visitors and tourists.

The night before our departure to the United States, we finally tasted the Coco Frio that had been cooling for 2 days in the refrigerator. It had a great coconut flavor, but there was not a lot of coconut juice. We both had about 5 short sips and it was all gone. Tomorrow, we will take out the rest of the coconut to get the creamy white Coco Blanco that is inside this huge coconut.

The next morning, I woke-up to discover that our R&B, apparently there was a broken water line in the bathroom under the sink. I woke up in the early morning and in my trepidation water was gushing in all over the floors of our apartment. In my trepidation, I yelled and screamed to tell my mom to wake-up because there is an emergency diluvio (flood) in the apartment.

She quickly woke up to call Olga, the landlord to notify her of the emergency. There was no way to shut off the water line from the bathroom, so she shut off the main water- line from outside the apartment. Olga and her husband, Ignacio brought over a small mop and bucket with a squeezy to dry up most of the water. Their son,Hector came over to repair the busted hose by buying a new one at Home Depot.

Life is good, even if bad things happen to us, our faith is being tested by God, and His Word declares in Romans 8: 28 “That all things work together for the good for those who love the Lord and who are called according to His purpose.’’ I am so glad that during our fiasco, no one got upset or angry. We all came together as a productive and positive team. We thanked and praised the Lord for traveling mercies over the highways, by-ways, and for taking us through the dangers seen and unseen throughout our 8 days of lodging and traveling throughout Puerto Rico. Also, I want to thank Him for the air conditioner and fan that never failed. This trip has been the most beautiful of all despite the extreme hot heat and humidity. The many beaches, tropical rainforests, mountains, flamboyant and palm trees, hundreds of species of plants, flowers, animals, insects, and people were a delightful, interesting, and joyful experience for me and my mom.