NORTHFIELD — Between the lush foliage of the El Yunque jungle and the busy streets of San Juan, a group of Pioneer Valley Regional School students got a taste of the world outside of rural Franklin County.

From Feb. 16 to 22, 17 students visited Puerto Rico, where they took in the area’s rich history and multicultural people, with influences from its Indigenous people, Africa and the colonial era.

Pioneer Spanish teacher Vanessa Brewster said the trip was a chance to invite students to learn about the world beyond Northfield. For those who took her class, it was a chance to get real-life Spanish experience, and for students who may have taken another language, it was an opportunity to explore a new culture they haven’t learned about.

“We try to simulate the experience all the time, but you can’t really beat the real-life experience,” Brewster said. “It’s really valuable in this little world bubble we live in to experience other people, beliefs and worldviews.”

Working with EF Tours, students were able to explore San Juan, the island’s capital; spend time in the El Yunque National Forest, the only tropical rainforest in the United States’ national forest system; and enjoy some leisure time on the territory’s beaches.

Another way to immerse oneself in a culture is through its food, and Brewster said the students got a chance to directly involve themselves in the process through a class where they made mofongo. The traditional Puerto Rican dish has plantains as its main ingredient, which are supplemented with fried meat and chicken broth soup.

Senior Class President Cooper Bullock said the trip was an experience of a lifetime and taking in the island put the territory’s national role into perspective. And, of course, spending time in the Caribbean Sea was a bonus.

“It allowed me to deepen my understanding of the culture and to begin to understand the challenges they face, in particular, the question over whether it should become an admitted state or its own free country,” Bullock wrote in an email. “Plus, snorkeling and swimming in the bioluminescent bay in La Parguera will be an experience I will never forget.”

Chaperone Aimee Brown echoed Bullock’s thoughts.

“The trip was an incredible opportunity for students to experience the culture and history of the island from the people who live there and know it best,” Brown said.

In the face of Hurricane Fiona in September 2022, Brewster thought the trip was in danger of being canceled. While EF Tours can limit service projects, she said she made connections in Puerto Rico to enable future trips.

“[So we can] go back in the future in a more meaningful way,” Brewster said, adding it can be a “mutually beneficial experience.”

“They are so intertwined with the United States, and here in Northfield, kids know very little about Puerto Rico,” she added. “It felt crucially important, especially with Holyoke being such a large population of Puerto Ricans.”

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.

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