About this Site

As many of you already know my name is Magaly Rivera, I was born in Puerto Rico.

I often get asked, "How did you get started working on this web site?"

It all began in 1994.

At the time, I was living in Illinois and taking a geography class. We were assigned a research project. We had to choose a country and present a report.

At first, I considered picking something "exotic", a place I didn't know much about. But then something shifted.

Who better to tell the story of Puerto Rico than me?

I am a native Puerto Rican. I had lived its culture, its rhythm, its beauty. And yet, I realized there was still so much more for me to learn and rediscover.

So I chose Puerto Rico.

I poured myself into that project—researching, writing, exploring. When I submitted it, I received a 100% and a note from my professor congratulating me on a job well done.

From a School Project to the Early Web

In early 1995, I decided to take that same report and turn it into something new.

At the time, the web was still in its infancy. I was learning HTML, experimenting, curious. The first version of my site was simple—a single page with basic content.

No styling. No interactivity. Just information.

But something unexpected happened.

Emails started coming in. Hundreds of them.

People thanking me. People asking for more. People telling me how helpful it was to find real, authentic information about Puerto Rico.

And just like that… I kept going.

That one-page experiment became what is now: Welcome to Puerto Rico! — the oldest continuously operating website about Puerto Rico.

More Than Travel

Over time, my website has grown beyond a traditional travel guide.

It now includes:

• Culture and history
• Cities and geography
• Personal reflections
• Real-life insights about living on the island

Because Puerto Rico is more than a destination.

It's a place with depth, complexity, beauty, and challenges. And I've come to appreciate how important it is to show the full picture, not just the postcard version.

I would like to thank to Mr. Jose Pietri from Hewlett-Packard of Puerto Rico and Professor Peter Y. Johnson from the Technology Institute of Illinois for allowing to use the photos from their respective web sites and complement the collection of photos that makes this web site unforgettable. In addition, I can't forget Proyecto Coqui in Puerto Rico for providing photos and sounds of our beloved coqui. Thank you!

From Passion Project to Profession

Building Welcome to Puerto Rico taught me much more than the island's history and culture. Over the past three decades, it became my laboratory for learning information architecture, user experience, content strategy, search engine optimization, accessibility, and, more recently, AI-assisted content creation.

Those experiences ultimately led me to a career in Product Design, where I've spent more than 25 years helping organizations create intuitive digital products used by millions of people.

I also enjoy writing about product design, artificial intelligence, Puerto Rico, and personal growth.

Explore more of my work:

• Articles & Essays
• LinkedIn

Stay Connected

Thank you for visiting Welcome to Puerto Rico. If you found this website helpful, I'd love your help sharing it with others who are planning a trip or want to learn more about the island.

Follow along on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Pinterest or or simply share a link to the website with family and friends.

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