Puerto Rico

What does it mean to be Puerto Rican? It's abuela in her bata and beaded chancletas making enough arroz con gandules to feed the entire block. It's owning several banderas to dance and decorate la casa with. It's empanadas sold on the street for a dollar, begging your mamí for a dollar to buy from the coco stand after school, it's family bonchinche and watching novellas and Caso Cerrado on a humid afternoon. We are descendants of warriors, Taíno Natives, who respected the fertile island. It's sipping on a strong coquito or piña colada after a long day at work, browning arms after picking the yucca and plataños for tonight's meal, seasoning the freshly killed pet guisao with adobo and sazón. It's a feeling of the coqui song resonating in your heart, the island tugging you back to the homeland, and never wanting to leave Puerto Rico ever again.