This is my first time doing something like this. Not traveling itself -- I've been travelling since I was nothing but a fetus (I mean this quite literally: my mother went on a trip to Mexico while she was pregnant with me) -- but travelling outside of the Continental United States is entirely new to me. I've been up and down the Atlantic Coast too many times to count, and I had the pleasure of seeing the famed Yellowstone National Park for the first time a few years ago. Signing up for this Alternative Break Program trip was sort of a spontaneously-non spontaneous venture. I had heard of volunteer expeditions being used as an alternative to a traditional vacation before, but it wasn't until this year that it really sparked my interest. Now, I've flown from the comfy-cushy norm of Orlando, Fl to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Soon, I'll be in Toa Baja working on disaster relief efforts (also something I have never done before). I'm looking forward to this week ahead of me. At the present moment, I'm filled with the expectation of getting to learn new things, and I hope to feel closer to a culture I've only heard of in stories from family members. ¡Well, bienvenidos! Let the journey begin.