Coming Home: Ivy’s Trip To Puerto Rico
To continue with our theme of travel over the holiday period, Blackwarren Art Director Ivy Beth Gladstone chronicled her trip home to Puerto Rico this month. Here are her experiences!
Day One
The nerves alone were already in motion as the night before was settling in, knowing that I was about to be going back to my home country. 3 AM hits, and my partner and I are half groggy and anxious to say the least simply heading to the airport. We made it past security; our throats were dry as we made it to the corresponding gate awaiting our first plane to arrive. We board the Airbus. Less than 2 hours later, we landed in FL to catch our layover. Even getting to the new designated gate was stressful. My legs were not cooperating and I needed assistance to get to the gate. We made it, and the flight was delayed with the prompt not even making the appropriate changes.
Despite this, we finally boarded. 2 hours and 6 minutes later, the plane landed back in my home country, Puerto Rico. It had been 7 years since I had last been home. I had originally moved away back in 2016 to pursue a better-paying job than what I had. My lovely island had gone through so much. Seeing after all that time, some things had changed. Small things, a new sign, some more graffiti on the walls, some franchises changed places, but still feeling like nothing has changed…on the surface. Being back at my old house though—
That was something I would have never thought would get that bad. There were other plans before I was going to see my father and brother originally. I had wanted to keep it as a “one day before leaving”, that day being Friday. Sadly, not all plans work out even when there was prior planning and notice. So, my partner and I had to settle in staying our first day overnight at my old house, coming home to a house that got freshly painted on the outside, but not much done on the inside. My father was very happy to see the both of us. That made me happy too. I had not seen him since he visited NYC to see my grandmother in 2018.
Coming in, you can’t tell until you really looked around. My father had placed SO MANY juice bottles all over the kitchen counters, just so they would be barriers for the cats that live here too. Nothing is fully maintained or properly cleaned. It really feels like part of him can’t deal with a lot anymore, my brother being the bigger part of everything. Severely autistic to the point that he cannot verbalize anything of actual communication, with heavy aggressive mood swings, he depends on medication to control him. Being here and seeing the state of my old home, and how scared and depressed my father is, just hurts.
One of my best friends came over in the evening to take my partner and me out for a drive. Being able to see Old San Juan again was great. The heart of the metro area was still blooming with clutter and tourists loving to visit. Seeing my part light up and we drive there under the night sky, the lights were all brilliant and wonderful. Christmas was in full bloom in San Juan. “Paseo de la Princessa” a very lovely area that translates to “the princess walkway” was a sight to be seen. Festive lights I had not seen for years glowed on the sidewalk, attracting its people. Artisans, food, music, all out there to add to the fun of it all.
Now, late, I try to rest wondering what’s going to be for the rest of these days. I have a lot on my mind, and all I feel are tears just wanting to run down my face.
An emotional homecoming for Ivy to be sure, but there’s more in store for our intrepid hero! Come back soon for even more.