Monday, May 27, 2013

Fondo de Mejoramiento – San Lorenzo
5-22-13 WOSO Commentary

Last Sunday my wife and I enjoyed immensely Fondo de Mejoramiento’s trip to San Lorenzo in which we visited the plaza and the surrounding historical buildings. We were greeted by the Mayor’s representative and the Plaza tour was by an architectural student from the Politécnico undertaking a study of this unique plaza. Although Ana Paulina did not grow up in San Lorenzo, her father lives in San Lorenzo and she is the granddaughter of Fe Leonor Borges, a music teacher for whom the excellent historical museum is named after.

The museum has excellent exhibits in six rooms covering the Taino’s, the municipality’s history, its economic and architectural developments, as well as San Lorenzo’s leaders in religion, the arts, music (Chayanne is from San Lorenzo), politics and sports. It is a small museum, but well organized in a very pleasant building. My only constructive criticism is that as often happens throughout Puerto Rico, the exhibits are only in Spanish. This lack of English descriptions is ironic since many of us identify San Lorenzo as a municipality that for many years voted for the statehood party, regardless of huge victories in favor of the Commonwealth party. Also ironic is that the present Mayor in his third term is from the Commonwealth party.   

San Lorenzo is known as the Samaritans and prides itself in the assistance and hospitality its people offer visitors and those in need. Its population of approximately 42,000 is spread out over a huge area of green hills.

One feels the sense of pride in its people and so it was not surprising to read in Sunday’s El Nuevo Día that its high school was one of three schools in Puerto Rico receiving the award of excellence.

Next week we will be going with Fondo de Mejoramiento to Cerro Punta, the highest peak in Puerto Rico, and the following week to Coamo. Please call 787 759 8366 if you would like more information on these and other tours. These tours are a great opportunity for those who want to practice their Spanish and experience the real Puerto Rico.


Bilingualism is a two way street. Que tengan un buen día y hasta la semana que viene.  

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