San German, Puerto Rico
By Carlos Aviles
29 May 2008
What city do you live in? What neighborhood?
I live in the town of San German. It is located in the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1511, but due to constant attacks by pirates and buccaneers, the town was moved to its present location in 1573.
I live a mile and a half from the center of town, near enough to get there in two minutes, but far enough to have some privacy, which you know how it gets if you live in a small town.
The second oldest university of the Island was founded in San German. So the town has this mixture of small rural atmosphere, mixed with the excitement of university life. It has its share of pubs and bars, rock cafes, one art gallery, two museums, and an experimental theater house. It also has close to five very good restaurants and steakhouses and a Spanish Tasca that serve tapas, good wine and once in a while surprises you with a dose of hot flamenco.
What are some adjectives that describe your neighborhood?
The fact that is an small university town gives it a certain hip flavor, mixed with the peace and quiet of a rural town. Its many old buildings are responsible for that colonial old world feeling, like you're in the Mediterranean coast of Spain.
How long have you lived there, and what brought you there?
I was born in San Juan, the capital and cultural center of the Island, but I went to college in nearby Mayaguez. There I met my wife which was born in San German.
When I came back from New York an opportunity to work here presented itself and I did not let it pass.
I have been living here since 1992.
What is your favorite thing about this place? Your least favorite?
The peace and quiet. It is a great place to rise kids. It has excellent schools, it is near bigger metropolitan areas, it has two good hospitals,and it's close to the beach.
Everybody knows each other which is great, but it is also the thing I hate the most. So I got mixed feelings about that. After living all my life in big cities and studying in The Bronx, you can't blame for that.
Do you feel that you belong there?
I certainly do. I have this idea that one belongs to were one lives. So yes, I feel sangermeño. Also the people are very warm and make you feel at home in about a month after you are settled.
What is the most common misconception about where you live?
Outside of San German people have this idea that to live here is boring, that there is nothing to do. Not true. You got to have zero creativity to get bored here.
What is a special fact about your city that you have to live there to know?
It has a very interesting an colorful history, something that it's not well known outside the academic circles but here, that history it's part of town life everyday.
What aspect of your city do you secretly love?
I love the fact that it rains a lot were my house is. It's a micro weather thing, but I do love rain a lot and, very frequently it rains at home in the afternoons.
Anything else you'd like to add?
In the last ten years we have been getting more and more tourists. I guess that our little secret is out, which it's cool because the kind of visitor we get appreciates the good and simple things of life.
4 responses
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Vidyavati Chandan gave props (14 Dec 2008):
congrats!!
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:Eduardo Martinez said (23 Dec 2008):
Felicidades!
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Gustavo Orensztajn said (30 Dec 2008):
Muy linda historia. Me dan ganas de ir alli.
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Mary Kay Doktorski said (8 Jan 2009):
Hello Carlos Aviles! This is the honest truth. The day issue #19 of jpg arrived, I sat down with a cup of coffee. I read your story and gazed at your photographs. I feeling of resonance came over me at once.
The photographs spoke to me as if I had "arrived". My Husband and I are moving to San German!!
Thank you for your inspiration!!
