What do you like the most in Puerto Rico?

The best part of living in Puerto Rico is that you are living in the United States of America,  protected by all its benefits and security with a Latin flare.

btw,
people from the USA living in P.R. are not ex-pats. they are all citizens

The weather and people

sandrarduncan wrote:

The weather and people

AGREE!!!

The people, culture, weather, food and cost of living.
BTW, I am an expat because my family, although having most recently  lived in the USA, were from Ireland and before that they resided in the Garden of Eden. But if the Garden of Eden was in Puerto Rico, the apple was  a guanabana and the snake was an iguana, I am not an expat but  a full-fledged Boricua.

frogrock wrote:

The people, culture, weather, food and cost of living.
BTW, I am an expat because my family, although having most recently  lived in the USA, were from Ireland and before that they resided in the Garden of Eden. But if the Garden of Eden was in Puerto Rico, the apple was  a guanabana and the snake was an iguana, I am not an expat but  a full-fledged Boricua.

Whoever wrote that book had it wrong, it was an Iguana and a Guanabana!

What do I love about the island?  1. The people, which is a good thing because I'm married to a Borinquen.  2. The weather. Even the rain here is friendly.  3. The food. Even though a lot of it is salty or fried, if it's authentic it's going to be big on flavor.

Cost of living here isn't cheap when it comes to utilities or food.  Food is very expensive in some areas I live in arecibo and green leaf lettuce is 5.99 plus tax.  We came from New Hampshire with the second highest electric rates.  So we past about the same here. However there is lots of talk about increasing the water and electric rates to help the debt crisis.  Plus sales tax is now more then 12%. We had no sales tax in New Hampshire. So it all boils down to where your moving from. I heard the cost in California for water is insane

What I love most about Puerto Rico is that I really feel at home here. I am New York Rican and have always thought of myself as a Boricua and being here in this beautiful land just rectifies the fact that this is where I belong. 

The land, the people, the food and music, what more can I say.

Maybe I should not be posting on this subject, but here it goes.

I was born in PR, and lived there until I was 20. So language, culture, food and everything else is natural to me. I also have several relatives including my brother, son, 2 grandkids, cousins, uncles, and some of my childhood friends still in the island.

So to me, moving to PR is coming Home to roost and live the remainder of my life.

My wife is a mainlander (Gringa) who do not speak Spanish, but she is crazy enough to follow me to the island. She picked the house we are buying and the location, I merely pointed the general area and came up with the cash.

I don't need a job so the financial situation is not a problem, we are healthy and can always fly to the mainland for treatment if need be. A part time job is something I may consider as a consultant as a way to keep my mind occupied. I plant to do a little farming in my 1 acre of land to lower food bills and also to just enjoy the local foods and vegetables that I grow. I may construct an additional 2 floor house in my land to rent via AirBNB or VRDO, the wife likes to entertain and we could always use some extra cash. Also the property will be there for our famiies to use or sell after we are gone.

So to me, the language, the culture, the food, the people, the warm weather, the pace of life, the unassuming way of life and many other factors all attract me to come back to my island.

Yes, mine, but I will share it with you all.
Come join us in the island, I will catch up with you as soon as my house in MA is sold.

When I traveled and lived in the Andes of SA I realized that the best geographic location for me was where you can grow coffee. It seems to have the right location for temperature and moisture. When I visited Puerto Rico I realized that here is where I could find that location. The unexpected benefits were that not only was it near lots of water, which the Andes lacked except for rivers, but the people were really nice in a laid back in a bit of a kooky culture of a mix of Taino, Spanish, American. So not only did I come across a once coffee farm but a beautiful colonial house reminiscent of another South American feature along with all the other aspects i mentioned. We grow part of our food and know where to buy at a good price when needed. We can emerge ourselves in remnants of Indian  and Spanish culture sprinkled with European along with a fairly dependable US like infrastructure without having to deal with residency issues. I think Puerto Rico even with its financial issues has a lot to offer especially if you are not financially dependent on the Island/government.

sandrarduncan wrote:

Cost of living here isn't cheap when it comes to utilities or food.  Food is very expensive in some areas I live in arecibo and green leaf lettuce is 5.99 plus tax.

I plan to plant a lot of lettuce, my property has a Hydroponic greenhouse. Lettuce grows in 30 days and can grow it year round. I would love to get $3.00-$4.00 a head for it but that is not going to happen at other than specialty stores. Either way my cost is likely around $0.10 a head, PR provides the sunlight. Bigheads and no dirt or sand!!!!!

Simple....
1) friends & coworkers
2) weather

While my husband & I are not relocating to PR until December of this year, we are looking forward to it. As California residents, just about any state with the exceptions of Hawaii or New York are much less expensive, so cost wasn't the primary reason but was a factor. 

The location is perfect as a home base, easy enough to fly back to the mainland or Central & South America.  Not to mention it's part of the US, so massive amounts of paperwork are not required. No currency conversion needed.  All the perks of the US infrastructure in a tropical environment? Yes Please!

The people,  warm, friendly and laid back.  After the hectic pace of Silicon Valley, it will be nice to settle into Island Time.  I'm Mexican American from California so the culture is very similar. I also lived in New York for a number of years and fell in love with the music & the food. (Marc Anthony & Arroz con gandules but not necessarily in that order)

The climate: My spouse is Scotch/Irish from Minnesota. I guess California wasn't far enough away from the cold winters of his childhood so off to PR we go! I'm a beach lover,  I'll be surrounded by some of the most beautiful beaches and almost every day will be a good day to go to the beach.  We are both scuba divers and will enjoy diving without being in a dry suit.

Act 20/22 was the icing on the cake. 

We will be moving to Cabo Rojo soon and can't wait! We do plan on shipping some items on a small container.  Can't wait to make new friends and enjoy this next chapter in our lives.

thanks, Frankiepoo,   I'm tired of hearing my self say US CITIZENS are NOT EXPATS.... no one seems to get it.

mrp

We're moving WHERE? wrote:

thanks, Frankiepoo,   I'm tired of hearing my self say US CITIZENS are NOT EXPATS.... no one seems to get it.

mrp

Do you ever post anything other than repeatedly telling everyone that US citizens are not expats? It's getting old. Maybe you don't intend it, but you come off as rude and harsh. And, perhaps you are forgetting that people who move to Puerto Rico from countries other than the US are expats.

I am still a US citizen but I feel like an expat as I speak Spanish and I live very much like a boricua. Furthermore US citizens who move to more remote areas of the world and who retain their citizenship are considered expats so I do not understand the issue or the importance of the issue but either way I was moved to make a comment. My US 2cents worth.

I really do not care about technicalities, I was born in PR, which became a treasure of War and was taken over by the US. While legaly not a country, to me it is still a separate country. No amount of protesting that I am wrong is going to change that.
I even served in the US Army for close to 10 years which is something not everyone has done.
So I am an Expat because I am currently living in the mainland. Once I move back to PR I will be home and no longer an Expat.
Don't really care if anybody agree, at the end of the day, what I feel and believe however thecnically wrong, is what counts to me.

ReyP wrote:

I really do not care about technicalities, I was born in PR, which became a treasure of War and was taken over by the US. While legaly not a country, to me it is still a separate country. No amount of protesting that I am wrong is going to change that.
I even served in the US Army for close to 10 years which is something not everyone has done.
So I am an Expat because I am currently living in the mainland. Once I move back to PR I will be home and no longer an Expat.
Don't really care if anybody agree, at the end of the day, what I feel and believe however thecnically wrong, is what counts to me.

Well said fellow Expat!!! 

Lets get back in topic.

I like the beauty of the island, the fact that if you stand too long in one place you start growing roots and leaves, it is a fertile land, Lush Mountains, no large predators, beautiful sea, warm weather year round, the language Spanish which is one of the romantic languages. The Taino, African cultures and DNA mixed with the Spaniard culture and DNA, which creates a very unique race of people that is friendly and have a heart, pride and humility combined. While the people are friendly they are always ready to kick somebody's Butt in the blink of an eye if disrespected.

We welcome everyone and make friends with everyone, but be warned not to disrespect a Puerto Rican, that is the red line one never cross.

I love my island, yes it have many problems, but there is no other place in the world I would like to be. The friendliness of the people, the tropical weather, the beautiful beaches and gorgeous mountains. Even when we are away, the island have a big place in ours hearts.

Looking forward to retire and spend our days exploring all the beautiful places PR have to offer.

No,  I am not rude and of course I realize people moving from other countries are expats   but it effects YOUR  relationship with your new home if you look at "them" as foreigners... If it offends you then please use the correct adjectives to identify yourself.

We're moving WHERE? wrote:

No,  I am not rude and of course I realize people moving from other countries are expats   but it effects YOUR  relationship with your new home if you look at "them" as foreigners... If it offends you then please use the correct adjectives to identify yourself.

You are not?
Constantly correcting people you do not agree with?
Are you in some kind of crusade?
Do you think it makes you popular?

Being safe as part of the USA.   As an immigrant from Italy,  my father would never take his money out of the US or buy property out side the US.  Those of you too young to remember.. Many expats lost everything when Castro took over Cuba.   But here we are the best of both worlds!!!! BANKS FDIC insured, property safe, fruits and vegetables healthy, stores fully stocked  and all we need is a plane ticket to go back "home"

We're moving WHERE? wrote:

Being safe as part of the USA.   As an immigrant from Italy,  my father would never take his money out of the US or buy property out side the US.  Those of you too young to remember.. Many expats lost everything when Castro took over Cuba.   But here we are the best of both worlds!!!! BANKS FDIC insured, property safe, fruits and vegetables healthy, stores fully stocked  and all we need is a plane ticket to go back "home"

I rather have my island back. Do that, get a ticket and go "Home".
Your constant corrections are not making you friends and are not helpful to the people that want to move to the island. You are giving us a bad rap.

My opinion is that basing anything on comparisons always puts something, someplace or someone at a disadvantage. Life is so much easier if we can just experience the experience as it presents itself as an experience. It is always a point of perspective and we all have a different perspective and will not or cannot see anything exactly the same. I will accept anyone's experience as valid. They may be clinically crazy but it is still their experience and I will have my own experience without buying into theirs. living in Puerto Rico where I choose to live has the formula that I can live with very well to meet my specific interests. Some like the Northwest. Some the west coast and some like the central mountains. Of course we want to convince others that we made or make the best choice and there is a sense of safety in numbers but again it is all based on a personal perspective. I would spend a lot of time trying to convince others that my way was the best and fortunately i have learned to keep my personal vision personal and let others have theirs. I do find myself trying to influence others by example and maybe that is no different than ranting but I think it is easier to live with as a social being. I like this post as I get an idea of how others view living in Puerto Rico and of course I slip back into the comparison of my perspective but I would like to think of it as observation rather than a judgement. If someone is ranting on a street corner about how we are all going to hell well I just wish him/her the best on their journey and hope that they wake up from their self imposed prison. thanks for letting rant.

I am a truly believer that the glass in always 1/2 full instead of 1/2 empty. You make your own happiness in life, there times you have to makes choices in live that you may not like but it is up to you to make the best out of it.

Beautifully said. Thank you.

Yes, very well expressed, Mrkpytn!

Adlin 20,

    Very well put. If you are given Lemons, make some lemonade!!! Take everyday as a blessing. You could be somewhere worse and believe me, I have been, so enjoy life to the fullest because you never know when it will end.

Tonie

Agreed ReyP. Once you lived away from a country for many years you must reacquant yourself and get used to different traditions and way of live. Mainland or US territory doesnt matter is still a differentcway of live. Si yes expats is correct regardless of where you were born or live

Family, 90% of my family is in PR. Miss Sunday's visiting family and shooting the breeze and just going to the beach any time of the year!

Lsantana wrote:

Family, 90% of my family is in PR. Miss Sunday's visiting family and shooting the breeze and just going to the beach any time of the year!

Yup! One of the reasons we are looking forward to retire in the island and reconnect with the family.

Christine wrote:

What do you like the most in Puerto Rico?

The weather, the people, the food.

Christine wrote:

What seduced you when settling and living here?

Not what, who! My Boriqua wife! She's the best that ever happened to me and moving to the island is a close second!