How Do Puerto Ricans Describe Themselves

Puerto Rico is a small island (100 length x 30 width) situated in the Caribbean. It is the smallest Antillean in the Mayor Antilles and the biggest in the Minor Antilles. It is located in Latin America making the people Latino and ‘cause to our language is Spanish we are also Hispanic It is a country of only 4 million people with a Commonwealth State contract with United States. It can be said that we live on what I considered the best both worlds, because we can represent us as unique country, but also we can depend on the U.S.A. Our island is filled with beautiful and flora and fauna, traditions and cultures around the world, and beautiful and intelligent people. We are considered the most happy country in world.

Nilka and her friends at "El viejo San Juan"
 (August 2015).

Being considered a puerto rican in my opinion is feeling proud about your heritage therefore not being embarrassed or afraid to say out loud with out a care.  Making exaggerated gestures with our body specially our hands, using the phrase “¡Ahy, bendito!”. When you travel you will always recognized another fellow puerto rican and wave and say Hi without actually knowing who he is. Watching boxing and get frustrated when the puerto rican is losing. When you travel to different  country and seeing our flag on a side of a building or on the streets and feeling pride. And the most important one, clapping when airplane lands safely.

Nilka with her cousin and parents at the Puerto Rican parade
in New York (Summer 2011).

One of the favorite traditions is “Las Fiestas de la calle San German” not because the drinking, because of the art and artisans displays out on the streets and the highlight of historical figures and monuments. Food is really important in our culture rice with beans and chicken, “bacalao” with potato salad, and “tres Leches” is part of our native plates. “Bomba” and “Plena” are our genres of music, but Salsa, even thou is from Cuba, was adapted to us and now we have indeed important singers internationally. My favorite part of our culture is the diversity of races mixed to create what is called a puerto rican. In that diversity three races shine above all which are Spaniard, African, and “Taino”.

Nilka with her cousin and parents at the Puerto Rican parade
in New York (Summer 2011).

The word puerto rican can simply means something different to people. This classification is what a study in UCLA said “The perfect genetic combination” meaning the puerto

ricans are genetically perfect. I will always will feel pride on my heritage and will try to represent my country the best I can and make her proud. I’m “Boricua de pura sepa” for life.

A little piece of me!

Nilka, Nilza, & Alexander on Nilka's 4th Birthday in Pre-Pre.

Nilka's High School Graduating class (2014).

      So you might want to know and need some important facts about me so you can understand better my blog. My name is Nilka T. Melendez I'm currently 19 years old soon-to-be 20 and one of my long time goals is traveling the world learning new cultures and traditions. My parents, Alexander Melendez and Nilza Carrasquillo, are both puertorricans born and raise as am I. I have travel almost all North America and the Caribbean and I'm dying to travel to South America and the Old World. 


       
   
      I studied for 15 years in Carvin School, Inc. (preschool - high school), where I developed my love for genetics and also took after-school classes where I learned French and Portuguese. After graduating high school I started my sub graduated studies in UPR Cayey Campus, then transferred to Rio Piedras campus where I'm currently studying. Career goals? Well as of right now I'm majoring on Biology on UPR Rio Piedras Campus and I'm thinking of taking Physics as second concentration, my plan is to attend to University of Florida to get my masters degree on Medicine than obtaining my Ph.D. and M.D on Geneticist on Yale.

Swimming with dolphins at Atlantis hotel,
Paradise Island, Bahamas (Summer 2011).

       Interests, likes and dislikes? I like a investigating, scary, horror, comedy and romantic theme movies and TV shows. I live to watch Supernatural, Scream Queens, American Horror story, Once Upon A Time, Bones, F.R.I.E.N.D.S., and CSI: Miami and Las Vegas. Currently my favorite actors are Johnny Depp and Meryl Streep. R&B, Jazz, Rap, Alternative, Classic Rock and Hip Hop are my favorites genres in music, my favorite singer is Justin Bieber even though people criticizes me. I garden the spices and vegetable that are cook in my house for all the tree meals, I have come to believe that home garden's spices provide a better taste to food.

Smiling on the way to the university (September 24, 2015).

   
 



   


      Also I absolutely love animals and kids, I plan in opening a low cost animal hospital for stray and domestic dogs and cats. Volunteering is my life I love to see peoples happy faces when I help them, it fills me with joy. I usually volunteer at PR GA and "Fondos Unidos". My fave color is purple, red, and black, I'm fluent in English and Spanish, but I also speak Portuguese and French. I hope you like reading my blog, feel free to comment and review. Thank you!