Boram X, San Juan PR

Welcome to Boron in the Americas X in San Juan, Puerto Rico!

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It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Tenth Boron in the Americas Meeting. Since its beginning in 1988, the Boron USA Workshops (formerly BUSA, now Boron in the Americas or BORAM) has served to provide a specialized forum for scientists whose interests and studies involve boron and its compounds. From the outset, it has been a magnificent forum for sharing and exploring ideas and techniques in the research that has become our passion, boron chemistry. In addition to scientists from industry, academia and government, the BORAM format provides an opportunity for students and postdoctoral researchers to present their work and to interact with others in the field. These meetings are less formal and more interactive than are larger meetings. This year BORAM X will be held at the Caribe Hilton Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico from August 2 to 6, 2006. We are looking forward to seeing you here so that you can experience the excitement of boron chemistry in paradise. We are committed to making this meeting a most enjoyable and informative experience for everyone. Bienvenidos – John A. Soderquist

About Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is 100 long by 35 miles wide—but don’t let these measurements fool you. Close to 4 million people live on the “Island of Enchantment,” with more than a million in the greater San Juan metropolitan area alone. It is a vibrant, modern, bilingual, multicultural society, one that has been molded by Spanish, African, Indian and U.S. influences. Residents of Puerto Rico have much in common with their fellow Americans in the continental United States, yet they retain a decidedly Hispanic heritage.

Both Spanish and English are the official languages, the local currency is the U.S. dollar, and no visas or passports are required to enter Puerto Rico from the United States. Mail is sent through the US Postal Service at the same rates as on the mainland.

The climate is as close to perfect as it can get, averaging 83°F (22.7°C) in the winter and 85°F (29.4°C) in the summer. In other words, it’s always summer! The trade winds cool the coastal towns and the temperature decreases as you go up into the higher mountains.

Puerto Rico is in the Atlantic Time Zone, but does not observe Daylight Savings Time. The island uses standard U.S. electric current. European appliances require an adapter.

There are no customs duties on articles bought in Puerto Rico and taken to the U.S. mainland. Major credit cards are accepted at most businesses, and ATMs connected to major US and international networks are easy to find.

Business hours are similar to those on the mainland, 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM weekdays (the siesta has pretty much disappeared). Most stores are open Saturdays, and all of the larger towns have shopping malls that are open evenings and Sundays.

Taken from www.gotopuertorico.com