Internship blog at the Museo de Historia Antropologia y Arte de la Universidad de Puerto Rico - Danielis Morales Villegas, Week 3

 Week 3: July 20 - July 21

Danielis I. Morales Villegas

Short but meaningful 

Thursday, July 20, 2023

This Thursday I spent a calm couple of hours at the museum answering calls and helping around at the reception desk. I left my shift early because I had to meet with the executive director at the local library where I will be hosting my community outreach Storytime. Returning to a place that feels like a second home was refreshing. Being at the library reminded me of all the valuable lessons I learned while volunteering there. This visit was particularly special because it allows me to give something back to the library. As such, I took my time choosing a meaningful book. I was going to choose one about a young, Puerto Rican kid who moved to New York City because I can relate to it now more than ever. Nevertheless, I opted for a familiar book El Flamboyan Amarillo (The Yellow Flamboyan) by Georgina Lazaro. The book explores the story of a young boy and his mother who decide to plant a Flamboyan, but are surprised by their tree when it is not the color they expected

 

CONTEXT: This type of tree is extremely common throughout the island's landscape and it is almost considered an informal national symbol. It is also important to mention that Flamboyans are predominantly red, but there are some yellow ones.

 This book is special because my mother read it to me throughout my childhood. In fact, I will be reading my own copy of the book. That story and its images are engraved in my mind, and I still smile a little whenever I see a yellow Flamboyan. 

Friday, July 21, 2023

Fridays are usually slow days for the museum because very few people take classes these days. So for the most part, this day was filled with small reception tasks and phone calls. That was until noon when I had to help Lisa prepare for an educational tour of the museum. We were receiving a group of second-year university students learning about museums. But there was one issue, this museum is only partially open because we are between exhibits. We have only a small makeshift exhibition room. The truth is, the larger exhibition wing has been in legal limbo for years and is stuck in a state is disuse and incomplete construction. Like many things on the island, the museum is compromised by a lack of funds and bureaucratic efficiency. Nevertheless, like many things on the island, the museum prevails. By helping Lisa set up our educational/ didactic carts, I saw how can she adapt to the museum's limited resources to produce an enriching and educational experience for our guests. 

On a final note, the museum is on institutional leave this week so that is sadly all I have for now. But see you next week!