It’s our last day in Puerto Rico and Jose will be joining us for the day and evening before we leave tomorrow.
This generous man who we barely knew other than his occasional visit to Waterfront Bistro where Michelle works, a chance meeting on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands where we danced the night away with him and now we were staying at his home for the last few days wants to take US out to see more sights of San Juan! Jose is very proud of his Puerto Rican heritage and the beauty of this island.
Jose is a very passionate man and a Nationalist and spoke with tears in his eyes of his desire for Puerto Rico to be free of the U.S. , to have their own government. As a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico is governed by the U.S. but just like the Virgin Islands, the people do not have congressional or Senate representation. Only a delegate in the House of Representatives called a ‘Resident Commissioner’ with limited voting privileges. Interestingly, the territories can vote in the the presidential primaries yet they can not vote in the presidential election. ( I know a lot of part-timers on St. John make it a point to be home in the U.S. in November in an election year!)
We make our way back to Jose’s home, freshen up and the girls and I make a nice “thank-you” dinner for Jose. Again, with tears in his eyes he expresses his joy at having a “full house” and dinner at his dining room table…..something he hadn’t done in years since his children are grown and have moved. He said he felt like we were ‘family’🥲
We sit and chat for awhile then Jose asks Michelle what her plans are for her future. She has already expressed her sandal business is not her passion but means to an end. He asks her to expound.
Michelle then goes on to describe her vision board. Her vision for herself was to create a learning space for the community and also retreat for tourists to focus on herbalism, yoga (she is a certified yoga and Zumba instructor) and dance classes. A body, mind, spirit type of thing. It would be self-sustainable—growing food, having solar and water pumping.
Jose then goes on to ask her where she was thinking having this retreat. She told him she actually had been looking at Puerto Rico since it is such a lush territory, she speaks Spanish, loves the culture and even drew a picture of what she was thinking. It would be an area that was on a hillside, wooded but not a forest. Fertile ground, not too close to the ocean (soil is not conducive for planting) but still close enough for people to travel to to enjoy the beaches and swim since the ocean has its own healing properties.
I was watching Jose’s face as Michelle described her vision to him. He was smiling and nodding his head up and down and asked her if she had looked on a map of Puerto Rico. She said she had but couldn’t remember all the areas by name. He asked her if she had looked at a town named Barranquitas. Her eyes lit up and she said, “Yes! Yes! I do remember that name and thinking I should look further into that area.”
Jose then says, “ I think I can make part of your dream come true. I own over 10 acres of property on a hillside of the town with a small stream running through the land. There is a small, old home my mother had convalesced in during her later years ( it was a summer home) while she was battling cancer. No one has been at the place in years! I don’t know the condition of the property and no one in my family wants it so…..YOU.CAN.HAVE .IT!!!”
😮😮😮😮😮😮😮 Whattttt???!!!
Michelle was dumbfounded, Molly and I just looked at each other and once Michelle found her voice, she said, “ I’m not going to sleep with you”, half-joking but half-serious. Who gives property to someone they barely know? Evidently, Jose does.
He went on to explain that the property was just sitting there and no one was using it. He admired Michelle’s work ethic, her drive, her vision and he just wanted to be a part of it. Of course, Michelle would be responsible for the taxes once it was in her name and the one caveat would be once the center became open his family would be allowed to stay for free.
Let’s just say it was hard for any of us to sleep that night. Had that just happened?? Do dreams come true?
Later that August, Michelle went with Jose to see the property:
**** the next year, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico causing widespread destruction, almost a year without full utilities and 2,975 people died. Over 200,000 Puerto Ricans left for the mainland, some temporarily but many permanently. The economy still has not recovered.
There have been many setbacks and it will be awhile before Michelle will see her full vision come true. But I believe this gift wasn’t given without someday seeing it fulfilled!🥰
Traveling Rose in St. John 