Puerto Rico is a little piece of paradise on Earth where summer came to stay. All year round, we have beautiful sunny skies and perfect beach weather. Living on a tropical island – especially on the coast – you are constantly surrounded by beautiful tan people. For other islanders however, being tan is an unattainable desire. You spend your life walking around looking paler than Casper! Here are some of the struggles of being a light-skinned islander.
1. Getting nicked named “La Jincha”
When all of your friends are tan and you are the only pale vampire in your group, you instantly earn the nickname, “la jincha.” They make fun of you whenever you wear shorts by putting on sunglasses because you’re “too shiny.” Worst of all, EVERYTIME you take pictures with said friends the camera flash bounces off of your skin and you just end up looking like a white blob which of course only intensifies the mockery.
2. Trying to find a high enough SPF
Sunblock is a pale girl’s best friend! The higher, the better. Unfortunately, sometimes the SPF in the local shops are too low which means constant reapplication, which gets in the middle of all the beach fun. Unfortunately, if you don’t reapply, the consequences are not pretty.
3. Turning into a lobster
The consequences of not finding a high enough SPF is starting your transition into becoming a lobster. While your friends get shades darker after spending minutes in the warm sun, you turn red even with just the sun gleam that bounces off the sidewalk on a cloudy day. If you do get sunburnt, – you most likely will– that means that you have to slather yourself in sticky Aloe Vera for a couple of days hoping that the pain and the peeling won’t be so bad.
4. Peeling for 2 Weeks
After the sunburn comes, the dreaded peeling and reptile skin begin. It’s itchy, it’s uncomfortable, and you leave trails of skin flakes (gross, I know) wherever you go. Worst of all, you can’t go back to the beach until you finish peeling, otherwise you’ll get another super uneven sunburn. The struggle is real.
All in all, being “La Jincha” can be a bother, and you might never achieve that sun-kissed glow you’ve been reaching for, but you have to love the skin you’re in because we are all beautiful no matter what shade our skin is. Embrace what you were blessed with. Go out there covered in your highest SPF and live your best and palest life.