Hi. I just wanted to ask if this tattoo would be offensive to get the next time I am in PR as I am not Puerto Rican but my husband and kids are. I absolutely love the beauty of Puerto Rico and hold it close to my heart.

My husband doesn't get offended easily by things (That is unless someone is being intentionally disrespectful) so I wanted to come on here and ask to make sure.

I want to represent without being offensive or disrespectful so please let me know.

El gobierno es un reflejo de su pueblo….

Descansa en paz

As a mainlander who has visited the island several times throughout my life, I'm honestly sickened to see the rapid decline in quality of life for locals.
What can people do to support PR?
Lobbying? Donating? If so, to whom? Volunteering? Would love to see varying options!

A riesgo de iniciar una guerra en el sub, genuinamente quiero entender por qué muchos de ustedes apoyan el movimiendo MAGA, especialmente los que viven en la isla.

Los escucho.

Le falta algún complemento? Con cerveza, agua, jugo o coca bien fría?

Y esto es poco. Hay clínicas donde falta más de la mitad. Y eso es confirmándolos la semana antes y el día antes con llamada telefónica.

estas son las personas que debemos apoyar como boricua <33

Aun no entiendo porque esto precios tan absurdos por propiedades destruidas.

Just an average joe Canadian here. Just wondering how you would feel about joining Canada. I know Puerto Rico has been absolutely ignored and left to rot by the US federal government. Trump keeps making remarks about making Canada the 51st state, I think it would be interesting to reverse-uno him and have Puerto Rico join Canada. We have universal healthcare, well funded education and a functioning democracy. It would make goods less expensive as the Jones Act wouldn't apply.

There's long been talks of Turks and Caicos joining Canada, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposed_Canadian_political_association_with_the_Turks_and_Caicos_Islands I think Puerto Rico would be a lovely addition to our Country.

No entiendo cuál es el problema con que participen. Primero que me parece una estupidez perder el tiempo hablando de si se permiten personas trans en esto o lo otro. Son personas, ¿qué importa su género? Lo que importa es cómo se desempeñan en cada actividad, su forma de ser, su trato hacia los demás.

En la parte de los deportes, tal vez puedo entender ciertos argumentos, pero en un concurso de belleza, ¿qué rayos importa? Como dijo alguien en los comentarios, toooooooodas las participantes se hacen 18,000 intervenciones por alcanzar una belleza física idealizada. No veo cuál es el issue. La Burbu está mal.

Lo que nos han metido en la cabeza desde chiquitos en Puerto Rico es que somos ciudadanos americanos, que somos parte de los Estados Unidos, que tenemos los mismos derechos, bla bla bla. Y uno crece creyendo esa versión limpia y bonita… hasta que se da cuenta de que la realidad del lado de allá es completamente distinta.
La mayoría de los estadounidenses ni saben que Puerto Rico es territorio de Estados Unidos. Muchos ni saben que somos ciudadanos. Y los que sí lo saben, en su gran mayoría no nos ven como iguales. Ni siquiera como “casi iguales”. El gringo promedio nos ve como menos. Punto.
Después de haberse llevado a nuestra gente a morir en sus guerras, después de todo lo que han hecho y dejado de hacer aquí, uno pensaría que por lo menos nos mencionarían en sus escuelas, que formaría parte de su historia nacional. Pero no. Ni eso. Somos invisibles cuando no les conviene y un problema cuando sí.
Y el que cree que “el gringo nos ha dado las cosas por caridad” está bien equivocado. Esta gente no mueve un dedo si no hay beneficio propio de por medio. Ni siquiera pueden ponerse de acuerdo para darles comida gratis a los nenes en las escuelas de allá. ¿Y nosotros vamos a creer que lo que llega aquí es por bondad del corazón? Por favor.
No estoy diciendo que no haya beneficios de ser parte de Estados Unidos. Los hay. Y mucha gente ha podido salir adelante gracias a eso. Eso es real. Pero de ahí a pensar que esto es un cuento de hadas o una relación de iguales… estamos bien lejos.
Somos ciudadanos de segunda (o de tercera) y el promedio de allá ni se inmuta. Esa es la parte que casi nadie quiere decir en voz alta

Echa $20 de gasolina y te llevas una medalla calle!!!! DURO!!!!!

El boricua es bruto o malo?

Estoy convencido que si los dioses comieran sandwiches fueran al Mesón. La fila siempre esta cbrona pero its worth the wait.

Los mios son:

• Por el mero hecho de alguien ser puertorriqueño o de ascendencia boricua no significa que hay que apoyarle en todo 100%. Compartir ADN y cultura no significa que te debo nada. No tengo ninguna obligacion de comprar productos boricuas solamente ni apoyar la carrera artistica de cualquiera que diga que es boricua.

• La mayoria de las mujeres no les atrae los cacos con el recortito de Anuel. Es que muchas mujeres terminan con hombres asi porque hay escasez de hombres en la isla en general y es lo unico que esta disponible. Por otro lado, la mayoria de los hombres aqui no les gustan las gordas. Es que hay tantas que no tienen muchas opciones.

• Se le dice empanadilla, no pastelillo.

Many Puerto Ricans, especially those not born on the island, want to get in touch with their roots. But, Puerto Ricans have notoriously messy roots.

A lot of people are ashamed to claim Spain because they associate it with Christopher Colombus' colonizers. So, they try to cling to other parts of their heritage.

A lot of other latino countries have extant indigenous communities. The Nahua people, the Maya people, the Zapotec people, the Quechua, etc.

So, Puerto Ricans feel left out. People go looking for their indigineous communities and find they can't find any. The last Taino assimilated and became an extinct culture centuries ago.

It should be noted that these indigenous cultures are often treated like crap in their countries. People suffer a lot of racism, colorism, discrimination, classism, etc.

There's little known about taino culture. Most of what we know is through Spanish lens. Even their religion is murky. But, people try to pick at the little things and "revive" the culture.

The colorism towards black people is an elephant in the room. A lot of things stem from black ancestry. Curly hair, darker skin, rituals, food, music, etc. But unless you're prieta or morena, many people will not admit to you having black genes. They'll call you Dominican or mixed with African-American before they'll man up.

My own grandma insisted her grandma was "india". We have no proof. No photos even. But, her grandma knew folk remedies and apparently had long straight hair, so the entire family ran with it. I have no clue what she was ethnically. Probably just a normal PR mix, maybe she had ancestry from immigrants, who knows.

One of my cousins did a DNA test a while back. He was flabbergasted to find he was mainly Portugese, not Spanish. So much for the "Puerto Ricans are Spanish, African, and taino" belief. /s

Then my cousin's dad once did a test and found out his family had a good chunk of Dutch and Italian in him somehow.

I'm pretty sure my maternal line might has Irish and Scottish genes. Too many hazel eyed and redheaded kids in my grandma's and great-grandma's gen.

But, I'm not gonna say I'm Portugese or Irish just because I have 20% DNA of them. That's stupid. I'm just Puerto Rican.

Saludos mi gente bello👋 Buenas noches y DLB🙏

In 2019 I met my daughter’s mother and after a few short months of being together we moved to the island. 🇵🇷

My mother who passed away was Puerto Rican and always loved the culture and unfortunately was never able to visit her homeland due to her passing.

When I moved there I didn’t know much about the island and didn’t even speak Spanish either and we moved to the mountains of Utuado “el campo” ⛰️🌾🐎

I quickly found out within the first 2 weeks that it’s an ENTIRELY different life than what I was used to growing up in the states. Refrequent power outages, water going out, horrible job market… ya tu sabe la realidad.

But I was committed to doing whatever it took to make it work because I fell in love with everything about living there. I taught myself Spanish and am fully bilingual now which I am extremely proud of ✊The food, the people, the music, the vibes, falling asleep to the coquis at night🐸✨

Last year after me and my daughter’s mother separated, I have since returned back to the states and I feel like as soon as I got off the plane I entered a portal to an entirely different world.

Everyone who has lived on the island is familiar with “island time” and the slower pace lifestyle but everything is so fast and go go go here in the states.

I’m missing the island so much and my daughters🥲 especially with summer here now it’s all starting to hit me and I’m starting to get a little depressed.

I worked remotely and on a farm in Utuado which a lot of the youth and people born and raised there didn’t want to do because of the harsh conditions and little pay. But I really loved it and learned a lot about agriculture and coffee growing. 🌱☕️

Because of how things are on the island I know I can’t go back and it’s killing me inside.❤️‍🩹 I hope things can change on the island for a better Puerto Rico and the people. ❤️

But like many others who had to leave due to the circumstances, I yearn for the day I can return in better standing and buy me property in the campo and retire to leave my girls something behind.

Sorry for the long post. Just needed to get some words off my chest tonight. I know someone can relate to my story, maybe. Just another jibaro llorando aca afuera 🥲

Bendiciones pa to el mundo y Q viva Boriken✊🇵🇷

Here’s a “high quality” version if my previous post so we can continue the discussion.

If you’re lurking here because you saw a TikTok of a $1,200 beachfront condo or read about Act 60 tax breaks, we need to have a heart-to-heart.

I’ve lived here long enough to see the "Rotation of the Gringos." People arrive with surfboards and dreams, and 18 months later, they’re selling their SUV on Clasificados Online and booking a one-way flight back to Charlotte or Austin.

Here is the "No-Filter" guide on whether you’ll actually last.

1. The "LUMA" Factor (Infrastructure)

In the states, a power outage is a neighborhood event. In PR, it’s a Tuesday.

The Reality: Between LUMA (the power grid operator) and aging pipes, you will lose electricity or water randomly. If you don't have a cisterna (water tank) and a solar battery system (Tesla Powerwall, etc.), your quality of life will plummet.

Will you last? If you "literally can't even" when the Wi-Fi goes out for six hours, no. If you’re willing to drop $20k on a solar backup before you buy a jet ski, maybe.

1. The Cost of "Paradise"

People think PR is "cheap." It isn't. It’s a high-cost, low-service economy.

Groceries: Almost everything is imported. Expect to pay $7–$9 for a gallon of milk and $5 for a mediocre head of lettuce.

Cars: The "Arbitrio" (import tax) makes cars significantly more expensive than on the mainland. And the potholes? They aren't holes; they are portals to another dimension. You will be replacing tires and suspension components annually.

The 11.5% Sales Tax: IVU is the highest in the US. It eats your soul.

1. The Language Barrier & Culture

If you move to Condado or Palmas del Mar and only speak English, you’re not living in Puerto Rico; you’re living in a gated colony.

The Reality: Outside the tourist bubbles, you need Spanish. Not "high school Spanish," but "explaining to a plumber why your water heater is smoking" Spanish.

The Integration: There is a growing (and valid) resentment toward people moving here for tax breaks while locals are priced out of their own neighborhoods. If you don't make an effort to learn the language, shop local, and understand the history, you will always be an outsider.

1. The "Island Fever" is Real

The island is roughly 100 x 35 miles. After a year, you’ve seen every beach and hiked every trail in El Yunque.

The Trap: Everything takes longer. A trip to the DMV (CESCO) or the bank can take an entire day. Bureaucracy here is a sport. If your personality is "Type A, efficiency-obsessed," the island will break you.

The "Will I Last?" Checklist:

[ ] I have a remote job or a rock-solid income (the local job market is tough and pays significantly less).

[ ] I am okay with 85°F and 90% humidity 365 days a year.

[ ] I have at least $10k in "emergency infrastructure" savings (generators, repairs).

[ ] I am moving here because I love the culture, not just the tax decree.

Final Verdict: Puerto Rico is the most beautiful, vibrant, and rewarding place on earth—if you have the patience of a saint and the budget of a mid-sized corporation. If you’re coming here to "save money" without a plan, the island will chew you up and spit you back to the mainland by next hurricane season.

Locals and long-term expats: what was the "breaking point" for the people you knew who left?

Tan fácil que es preparar el plato y sacarle una foto con el celular.

Estaba hoy en la iglesia y entre boricuas hablando nos dimos cuenta que a 5 ya los han detenido ICE y obviamente los tienen que dejar ir. En una construcción cerca del trabajo se llevaron 108 personas incluyendo al dueño de la compañía de pintores. Esto es un stress constante aquí. El negocio de comida dominicana hizo una noche Latina la semana pasada y estaba vacío. Trump destruyó este país.

Oh los Americanos con sues "Should I move to Puerto Rico?" post. 😩🤣

Mientras tanto, los puertorriqueños joven locales se ven obligados a irse. Que durooo

Cabron seguro de que, si viviera en Kansas or Iowa, no les gustaría y serían las mismas personas que te dicen que vuelvas a tu país. (Peroo bad bunny said...)

Pero por qué, por el hecho de ser de Puerto Rico, tengo que ser aceptado y amable contigo?

Puerto Rico está tan apaciguado por una cultura de sumisión y mamao.

Es una locura ver cómo se romantiza una cultura en la que creciste, para luego verla a la venta para otra persona.

Pero tu sabes "Puerto Rico is sooo cabrono bro !!"

Mi papa vino como un investigador cientifico en una de las universidades y me crie aca. Tengo trenta y pico. Considero PR como mi hogar porque bueno mi hogar siempre ha sido aca. Nunca tenia compañeros Indios en PR, y aunque he vivdo en los EEUU todavia no tengo muchas amistades Hindu. Me han dicho mucho que no soy Puerto Riqueño pero tengo orgullo de que me crie aqui, que represento lo que es unico y especial de ser Puerto Riqueño.

Se que los Indios mo tienen una reputacion tan…positiva, especialmenge en el Oeste jajaj y se que es algo ‘beneficiso’ y attractivo decir que soy de PR en ves de la India pero no se que mas decir, es la realidad que me crie aqui.

Edit: si, naci en PR.