Just got back from vacation in Puerto Rico. It's not over.

I was super excited to go after what I'd heard about Puerto Rico, especially since I'm taking my mom who has never been out of the US. I'm Puerto Rican, but I'm from Chicago and have never been.<br><br>That's not to say the island didn't impress me either. I was amazed by the beauty of the island and my mom's face lit up every time we went anywhere.<br><br>But the lingering chaos from the hurricane is not over. I'm in no way trying to dissuade anyone from traveling there or visiting. Puerto Rico is a wonderful place with a rich history, incredible food, and the nicest people I've ever met. I'm not going to try to get specific, since it's been a while since I left, but I can try to answer any questions about it. I mostly want to share my experience now that I've been back in the states for a while and immerse myself in being back home.<br><br>Getting There: Checked in no problem. No delays.<br><br>Getting Around: No problems, though we had a car. We did take Uber a few times. I drove Uber in college, and I did not realize that being Super Uber could make such a big difference. One Uber was a new driver, and she took us on a route I wouldn't take without GPS. The Super Driver Uber we had took a route that was half the time and distance.<br><br>Safety: Never felt unsafe. We stayed in a Sheraton in a major city. Mom's never been to Latin American or a Spanish-speaking country, so my mom was a bit culture shocked being surrounded by the sounds of Mariachi music, Spanish, and the hum of the city. As a resident of Philadelphia, I'm a city girl and am pretty street smart. Never felt unsafe.<br><br>Power: This was what was the biggest problem for me. Some restaurants and major businesses had power, but a lot did not. You'd have to ask the waitress whether anything was open, because they would put every single option on the menu even if they didn't have the ingredients. I know some places have power, but the area we stayed in didn't have power. I'm sure some places you stay in have power, but it's a gamble.<br><br>Water: Never had an issue with water. We drove around the island so perhaps the areas we stayed in had power and water. But I still brought water with me. No issue with the water in the hotel or restaurants.<br><br>Food: The food was incredible. We ate one meal in a restaurant that was more expensive, but it was the best meal we had. My mom had appetizers that had been fried and my sister had a local dish that was basically soup and some rice. I don't know if it was the food quality or how they were cooked, but it was obvious that they didn't have power. The fried food was store-bought and the soup was store-bought chicken. I'm sure the restaurant is doing their best. We ate that way everywhere. But the food did not disappoint. We mostly ate at local restaurants at night, but the meal we had was at a upscale restaurant that was run by a local chef. It was incredible.<br><br>Excursions: We mostly went on basic excursions that didn't require much setup. We visited a lot of the historical sites that were just buildings and some museums. One museum didn't have power, but they still were open and the employees were all so welcoming and happy to see us. We did an activity that required minimum setup, and it was perfectly fine. <br><br>My main concern wasn't safety or them being welcoming, since I already knew that the Puerto Rican people are the kindest, warmest, and most genuine people in the world. My biggest fear was taking money from locals that really needed it. I wanted to be sure that the money we spent there was going into the local economy, and not some rich American person who was running a shoddy business in the dark.<br><br>The reason I don't think Puerto Rico has fully recovered is because of the tourist book we were given. The tourist book that we received had information in it from 2017. I understand that it's a big undertaking to make a whole new tourist book, but a lot of the businesses that were listed were closed. We went to a lot of places that were listed in the tourist book, and they were either closed or no longer in business. The local people we met told us that they aren't a lot of help. It was a small setback, but a big deal that they didn't have any regular resources.<br><br>I didn't take many pictures of the damage, but my cousins who live there said that there are certain areas of the city that are desolate. A lot of the locals have moved to other cities and states in search of work and a better life. They tell me that some cities are dead, there are no businesses, no restaurants. They told me they will be a while in recovering from the hurricane. I'm sure what my cousin said is biased, but I can tell that things aren't back to normal yet.<br><br>I'm not here to dissuade you from traveling there. I did have an amazing time with my mom. But I wanted to hike a lot and stay in bed and breakfast places as well as get a nice meal somewhere. We got one our of the three.<br><br>Please, if you're planning on going. Go. The island is so beautiful and the people are so amazing. I've never met such genuine, nice people in my life. I've traveled to many places in Europe and Latin America, and it's a totally different vibe that I can't put my finger on.<br><br>But be aware of what you're getting into. And do your research. I did a ton of research before we went and was still surprised by the lack of power and water. I knew what to expect with the major businesses being closed.<br><br>I just want to make sure you guys know that Puerto Rico is still in the process of recovering. I want them to be able to repair so badly. I want to go back and get a meal at a locally-owned restaurant that can put out great food and drinks. I want to go to a be and breakfast and get a home-cooked meal. I want to be able to one day have their power back and they will be able to get back to normal, or maybe even better than they were before.<br><br>I know Puerto Rico will recover. I know they'll get there. But I don't know when.<br><br>We also went to a lot of their historical sites and museums. The employees were so happy to welcome us, even though they had no power. The museums were so well done and put together, and the people working there were passionate about sharing their history. I think Puerto Rico has a lot to offer. They have a rich history, a rich culture, and an island full of beauty.<br><br>It's not over yet. I hope one day that will be true.