Rion is a video editing genius...behold:
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Tidbits of Life
The Newbies:
On March 25th, 38 fresh, clean and smiling new volunteers walked off the plane stepping on Belizean soil for the first time. We have been anticipating the new group, swapping blog posts, and emails from our pen pals within the new group. As you may or may not know our group is all still here (all but one who left during training). Still 40 strong. We have been brainstorming over the last couple months on how to make sure this new group is like us. We initiated strategy 'Insure New Group's Awesomeness' as soon as they got off the plane. More than 38 of our group and the second years came out to greet them at the airport. We all crowded onto the waving platform and with each plane some whistles and cheers went out as we glanced to Jamie (the knower of all and master training leader) who would shake her head until at last their plane landed. Even though we all knew they couldn't hear we were all in a frenzy screaming and reshuffling to get the best seats to yell for the newbies (several of us, including myself found standing on the table to be the best seat). Some of the new kids even took pictures of us cheering. We then literally ran downstairs to get the best seat to greet them out of customs. You could taste the anticipation. Each one walked off, with civilians sprinkled between, to a cheering crowd...so loud customs came out to tell us to 'take it easy.' We had a chatty bus ride, delightful dinner, then until 10:45 we all mingled on the third floor of the garden. This new group is great, everyone talked to everyone and we even got some new instruments to add to our peace corps band, another ukulele, trumpet, and guitar. Welcome class of 2010!!!!!!!
On March 25th, 38 fresh, clean and smiling new volunteers walked off the plane stepping on Belizean soil for the first time. We have been anticipating the new group, swapping blog posts, and emails from our pen pals within the new group. As you may or may not know our group is all still here (all but one who left during training). Still 40 strong. We have been brainstorming over the last couple months on how to make sure this new group is like us. We initiated strategy 'Insure New Group's Awesomeness' as soon as they got off the plane. More than 38 of our group and the second years came out to greet them at the airport. We all crowded onto the waving platform and with each plane some whistles and cheers went out as we glanced to Jamie (the knower of all and master training leader) who would shake her head until at last their plane landed. Even though we all knew they couldn't hear we were all in a frenzy screaming and reshuffling to get the best seats to yell for the newbies (several of us, including myself found standing on the table to be the best seat). Some of the new kids even took pictures of us cheering. We then literally ran downstairs to get the best seat to greet them out of customs. You could taste the anticipation. Each one walked off, with civilians sprinkled between, to a cheering crowd...so loud customs came out to tell us to 'take it easy.' We had a chatty bus ride, delightful dinner, then until 10:45 we all mingled on the third floor of the garden. This new group is great, everyone talked to everyone and we even got some new instruments to add to our peace corps band, another ukulele, trumpet, and guitar. Welcome class of 2010!!!!!!!
On the bus to meet them!!
We brought our A-game. This was the 19th haircut I've given...and my favorite.
Waving deck.
Their plane to destiny
Some of the welcoming committee
A few of the new guys!My other pictures didn't turn out...Belizean sun was too bright :(
From the Newbies to the North
Leaving the trainees to, well, training we were off to visit the north. We've never been past Belize (Belize City) and since we had a few days to kill until our flight (and didn't want to spend another 80 some dollars in bus fair to go down south again) we finally went to visit Kev and Coy & Melissa.
We had such a relaxing mini vacation with the undesputed best hosts in Belize... Coy and Melissa. Kevin was right when he said, "Visiting Coy and Melissa is like an all you can eat buffet for your soul." We had Coy's amazing vegetarian chili with huge cokes. They practically give cokes away up north. 1.25 for half a liter bottle, 62 USD cents for 500ml! We chatted about poverty, shared funny stories and learned how to greet people in Zambia (Melissa did the peace corps in Zambia before she married Coy). In the morning we did self directed yoga in their 'La casita' or the 'small house' like a screened in porch. We helped out with their chess tournament, ate some BBQ then it was off to Kevin's.
Kevin lives in the amazing village where there were vehicles in every driveway. Three returned peace corps volunteers married sisters and all live in his village. I also saw a huge trampoline WITH the mesh saftey walls! We got to meet his friend Clarie, who was awesome and might visit us down south! Before we got on the bus to hang out with Adam for our last night Christen met us at the best seviche place for a huge $10 plate.
The familiar orange trucks of the south are replaced with sugar trucks up north.
Fixing Clarie's computer
Kev's palace
Coy and Melissa's house
The chess competitors
I get handed this picture...but I don't know any of these people.
Baw ha ha ha!
Greg getting a run for his money
The busses up north have inspirational quotes above every seat, and sometimes flashy lights that go to the music.
Second Wedding in Silver Creek
I was ready for this wedding. The parents asked me if I was going to help at Brendon's birthday BBQ. The day before I made the decision to wear my freshly made ketchi dress. Would I undoubtedly feel awkward, huge, and make sure all eyes are watching me all day...yes. But the potential for integration was too great to let my avoidance of awkwardness prevent me from wearing it. Hense the greatest day in my village began.
I woke up early with the rest of the ladies in the house. Cleaned the house and the latrine and was off to the creek to do my wash by 8:00. It was already warm and I knew it would be a hot day. The rocks and creek were covered in tiny lavender flowers that continued to fall on my wash and in my blue soap powder which was a lovely contrast. About halfway through my wash a dog runs down the path and eagerly laps up water. He meanders around, snaps at a bug, sniffs around then frolics back up, tail wagging off to his busy doggy life.
When Mrs. Cecilia and Lynette come down Cecilia is frightened by a 'top' which is a crab. She stumbled upon it while she was looking for the broom they keep at the creek to sweep the leaves and flowers so the creek, 'looks nice.' Yup they sweep the creek to make sure it looks nice, you know for the ducks. I love my village. Nim li top. The big crab.
Back at the house I sit in my dress, practice feeling normal, and text Greg (who's at a baptism in PG). After about 45 minutes Margarita flits in (I told them that I was going to wear my dress) and her eyes light up when she sees I'm wearing it. Saturnina hangs up her clothes and then sticks her head in my house and says it's time to go. She hangs Seaford from her forehead and Sheldon runs around us as we walk to the house. As we're walking up lots of the students come up saying that they like my dress. I get a little nervous as we walk up to the door of the cocine. We walk in and all the ladies (30-40) freeze and look up at me. I ask in Ketchi, "Beautiful dress?" the ladies giggle, or nod in approval, some saying, "Mas chabil!" Very beautiful. I go right to work patting corn torillas, much to some ladies surprise. All the preschool and standard V&VI mothers know me kinda well now so I get some small talk with them. I hear a lady talking to my host mom Ms. Cecilia in Ketchi and I hear xkeveen (my village name). In ketchi she says I can bake. My host mom tells her that, "oh yes she can bake, wash at the river, and speak ketchi." I smile as I fix the edges of my tortilla. The general consensus in the village is that I speak ketchi now. I don't. But, I'm trying. So after making tortillas for 2 hours they began passing out bowls of beans. Everyone just sat their bowls by them on the floor or table until all the ladies got some. Then we silently broke for lunch, each grabbing a few of our fresh tortillas. After lunch we started forming circles around the big bins of waha leaves the ladies tore all morning. Soon a few men bring in HUGE tin pales (I could easily bathe in one) full of fresh masa. I sit on the floor and we start to make the poch. I did this last time so I was an old pro. I chatted with the ladies in Ketchi about how I do not have kids and we did this until there were 3, four foot diameter, bins filled with poch. I watched the hard process of preparing pigs feet (the men were busy this whole time slaughtering and butchering 9 pigs for the wedding). I will not go into detail here...but it did involve popping off the toe nails with a knife. Old ladies came and sat next to me throughout the day, one told me, "it is good that you wear the dress." Everyone asked where I got it and a preschool mom said that she just thought I was another maya lady until she saw my face later! By 4:30 I was exhausted and happy and made my way home with a quick stop at the shop to show Christina my new dress.
I was ready for this wedding. The parents asked me if I was going to help at Brendon's birthday BBQ. The day before I made the decision to wear my freshly made ketchi dress. Would I undoubtedly feel awkward, huge, and make sure all eyes are watching me all day...yes. But the potential for integration was too great to let my avoidance of awkwardness prevent me from wearing it. Hense the greatest day in my village began.
I woke up early with the rest of the ladies in the house. Cleaned the house and the latrine and was off to the creek to do my wash by 8:00. It was already warm and I knew it would be a hot day. The rocks and creek were covered in tiny lavender flowers that continued to fall on my wash and in my blue soap powder which was a lovely contrast. About halfway through my wash a dog runs down the path and eagerly laps up water. He meanders around, snaps at a bug, sniffs around then frolics back up, tail wagging off to his busy doggy life.
When Mrs. Cecilia and Lynette come down Cecilia is frightened by a 'top' which is a crab. She stumbled upon it while she was looking for the broom they keep at the creek to sweep the leaves and flowers so the creek, 'looks nice.' Yup they sweep the creek to make sure it looks nice, you know for the ducks. I love my village. Nim li top. The big crab.
Back at the house I sit in my dress, practice feeling normal, and text Greg (who's at a baptism in PG). After about 45 minutes Margarita flits in (I told them that I was going to wear my dress) and her eyes light up when she sees I'm wearing it. Saturnina hangs up her clothes and then sticks her head in my house and says it's time to go. She hangs Seaford from her forehead and Sheldon runs around us as we walk to the house. As we're walking up lots of the students come up saying that they like my dress. I get a little nervous as we walk up to the door of the cocine. We walk in and all the ladies (30-40) freeze and look up at me. I ask in Ketchi, "Beautiful dress?" the ladies giggle, or nod in approval, some saying, "Mas chabil!" Very beautiful. I go right to work patting corn torillas, much to some ladies surprise. All the preschool and standard V&VI mothers know me kinda well now so I get some small talk with them. I hear a lady talking to my host mom Ms. Cecilia in Ketchi and I hear xkeveen (my village name). In ketchi she says I can bake. My host mom tells her that, "oh yes she can bake, wash at the river, and speak ketchi." I smile as I fix the edges of my tortilla. The general consensus in the village is that I speak ketchi now. I don't. But, I'm trying. So after making tortillas for 2 hours they began passing out bowls of beans. Everyone just sat their bowls by them on the floor or table until all the ladies got some. Then we silently broke for lunch, each grabbing a few of our fresh tortillas. After lunch we started forming circles around the big bins of waha leaves the ladies tore all morning. Soon a few men bring in HUGE tin pales (I could easily bathe in one) full of fresh masa. I sit on the floor and we start to make the poch. I did this last time so I was an old pro. I chatted with the ladies in Ketchi about how I do not have kids and we did this until there were 3, four foot diameter, bins filled with poch. I watched the hard process of preparing pigs feet (the men were busy this whole time slaughtering and butchering 9 pigs for the wedding). I will not go into detail here...but it did involve popping off the toe nails with a knife. Old ladies came and sat next to me throughout the day, one told me, "it is good that you wear the dress." Everyone asked where I got it and a preschool mom said that she just thought I was another maya lady until she saw my face later! By 4:30 I was exhausted and happy and made my way home with a quick stop at the shop to show Christina my new dress.
Yup that's me in the big orange dress!
Making poch with the ladies.
Ground corn, formed into a mound on a waha leaf, then folded into a neat rectangle.
Eating caldo at the wedding
Our Standard III & IV kids sure do have a green thumb!
Cahoon leaves make perfect shade tents! Machettes...Can't garden without em!
Running of the Maya
Every year they do the 'Running of the Maya' from our neighborhood ruins Lubaantun through San Miguel and Silver Creek.
Reading the pamphlets about Maya Day they threw out for us
Cahoon leaves make perfect shade tents! Machettes...Can't garden without em!
Running of the Maya
Every year they do the 'Running of the Maya' from our neighborhood ruins Lubaantun through San Miguel and Silver Creek.
Reading the pamphlets about Maya Day they threw out for us
Our house after redecorating for Kaylyssa.
This chicken actually tried to fight me when I put him out.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Baby Sister Visits...7 days with Kaylyssa
Kaylyssa...my baby sister.
My little sister came out for her spring break to experience ALL of Belize. This was done, in seven days, with great success. She is the first visitor we've had and therefore the first to fill out our 'Post-Visit Questionnaire.' But before that much anticipated Q and A, I will delight you with some of the top quotes of the week:
Kaylyssa enjoying a 'shilling bag'
Ants
"There's an ant in my bed." -Kaylyssa with marked concern in her voice
"uh huh." -me, no concern in my voice
"There's an ant in my bed." -Kaylyssa with marked concern in her voice
"uh huh." -me, no concern in my voice
-Few moments of silence-
"There are many ants in my bed!" -Kaylyssa with a sense of panic in her voice
"How many?" -Kevina still no concern
"um...2." -Kaylyssa in a small voice
"That's not many. Go to sleep." -Kevina
"There are many ants in my bed!" -Kaylyssa with a sense of panic in her voice
"How many?" -Kevina still no concern
"um...2." -Kaylyssa in a small voice
"That's not many. Go to sleep." -Kevina
Kaylyssa in her cage...apparently infested with 'many ants'
"I've lost all my modifiers." -Greg
in response to Kaylyssa corections to his sentence structure
"If by orange fanta you mean a round or Pirate's Retreat, then yeah." -Kaylyssa
"I heard you but my ears don't listen." -Erica
(6 yrs old) after she brought back three pounds of flour and no powder when they wanted one pound flour and 1/3 cup powder!
"Excuse me sir but you need to stop that dam research."-Kaylyssa
in reference to reasearchers for a dam and their distruction
First Visitor Survey!!!
Dates of Visit: March 6-13 2010
Itinerary: Day 1 Belmopan, Day 2-3 Placencia, Day 4-5 Silver Creek, Day 6 Punta Gorda, Day 7 Belize City
Visiting our old host family...Alyssa and Kaylyssa.
Our host dad and Frances who plays for the 'Italian' kids football team!
Typical view out the bus window, eating cahoon cabbage with the Coh's
Walking to visit villagers and Margarita showing Kaylyssa how to pat corn tortillas.
A very happy Brandon...he said everything about Kaylyssa was beautiful!
My school sang her songs!
We helped out with the preschool Flag Day parade
Weather: Alternately beautiful and way too hot!
Money spent: about $180 USD not including airfare
Souvenirs taken back: 1 Guatemalan blanket; 1 cup cacao, roasted, ground, and mixed with water; 1 heart-shaped magnet that says “Belize” (for my friend).
Classic Engrish
Something that surprised you: Oh, so many things. The bus station bathrooms, “Please do not make your child stool on the floor,” the entire James bus system, THE WORD “CHINY,” the shyness of the children, the niceness of strangers, saying “goodnight” instead of “hello” after dark, how the country felt like 10 countries crammed in one.
Something you learned: There are different ways to live than the American way! It was a very general but profound lesson, which manifested itself in pretty much every area of Belizean life. Look for it!
Showing Alberta how to use their new camera Kaylyssa brought them.
Washing at the creek.
Mrs. Choco showed Kaylyssa how to make Cacao drink.
I was a slave driver...I made her make tortillas at every meal to practice!
Saturnina even let us carry Seaford around in the La'pop
Something you wish was in America: Definitely the glass bottles recycling system. Also the easy-going attitude and informality of Belize. And the lack of winter, please-thanks.
Favorite part: If I’m being honest, it would be the 2 relaxing, beautiful days in Placencia! The ocean was unbelievable, the food was great, and it felt like we were the only people there a lot of the time (this last part will probably will not hold true for all seasons).
Hardest part: When my sister thought it would be a good idea to take a 16-mile roundtrip bike ride to some ruins 2 towns over, from the hours of 12pm to 2pm, in Central America, over hilly dirt/gravel/rock roads. I would not recommend this to other travelers; however, I must say it was character- and thigh-building. The hardest part was NOT anything bathroom-related I am glad to say! Also, the ruins were pretty awesome once we got there.
Right before she killed me for taking her on this death march.
Funny story: So in Placencia, the vacation spot on the coast, Kevina, Greg and I shared a tiny hotel room with 2 single beds. I had the bed next to the door and their bed was hidden on the other side of the bathroom that took up most of the tiny square room. We had a long fun day and, turned in pretty early and went peacefully to sleep. Around 2 or 3 in the morning, I was woken up by a vague sense of light and sound. I sleepily looked around and noticed the door to our hotel room was open. "Kevina or Greg must have needed to go get something," I thought. Then, immediately, "Wait! Why would they EVER need to get or do ANTYHING...OUTSIDE?!" I bolted up and to my horror, the bathroom light was on. I peered over to the dark area of Kevina and Greg's bed. I studied the shapes in the bed. There it was, conclusive evidence: two distinct sets of legs attached to two distinct bodies. My heart started pounding as I realized there was--somebody--in our bathroom. Since I am apparently completely reasonable and smart in such an emergency, I developed the following scheme: I would stare at the bathroom door until it opened, and when it did I would give the intruder a withering stare. In doing so, I would silently inform him of his mistake and cause him to leave. The bathroom door swung open. A tall, white, youngish, somewhat pudgy man in boxers emerged. We locked eyes. I delivered my withering stare. He returned my stare blankly. He started forward and began to climb into my bed---wait, what?! My stare had not worked! He is totally sleepwalking, or drunk, or insane! Oh my god! I squealed, "Hey!" and started smacking him with two limp-wristed, girly hands. "Aah!" My struggle woke up Greg and Kevina. Greg flew out of bed to my rescue, only instead of speaking or doing anything normal at all, Greg started flapping his arms like a giant rooster and belting out the most ungodly, wordless roars I have ever heard. Imagine, if you will, any dinosaur noise from Jurrasic Park. Now you have imagined some of the sounds emerging from Greg. Meanwhile, Kevina was also highly distraught to see a strange man apparently trying to sexually harm her baby sister, and she started leaping from bed to bed, floor to bed, all around the room like a flying monkey, and screeching "Get-the-f-out! Get-the-f-out!" in a high-pitched voice. (She was blocked from any further action or assaults by Greg's flapping rooster arms.) Finally, Greg lunged toward the intruder and pushed him warningly. The intruder fell over kind of on top of me and further onto the bed. I looked at him as he wordlessly stared up at Greg with saucer eyes. He seemed frozen, incapable of comprehension or action. Greg lunged again, this time picking him up by his arms and shoving him outside into the hall. Greg slammed the door, turned around and said pleasantly, "Hm! I wonder why I freaked out so bad?"
Epilogue: The bathroom reeked of alcohol. We think the guy was most likely drunk AND sleepwalking. Greg said in retrospect that he thought he was shouting "Wrong room! Wrong room!" as he roared, but Kevina and I confirmed that he did not actually utter a single English word. The intruder also never spoke a word. We don't even know if he spoke English. The interaction was apparently between two primal male brains: one in alpha dog fight mode, the other frozen between fight and flight.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Remember to lock the door to your hotel room!
Sisters. We are very close.
Honeymoon picture!
Celebrity spotting: The Honorable Dean Barrow, hanging out eating pizza and going for dips in Placencia!
Other Peace Corps Volunteers you met: Ryan, Andy, Erica, Adam, Peter, and a couple whose names I forget that we met on the street(Taylor and Zander). But my favorite PCV was probably Piglet.
Illnesses or injuries: None! I came home with 3 rather terrifying-looking welts of bug bites and a small patch of sunburn on one shoulder. No upset stomach, no headaches, nothin!
Thoughts on your visit: I'm glad I got to see both a vacation spot and village life, AND some of the bigger cities (Belize City is pretty scary but also interesting and awesome). I wish I had had more time, one week is not enough! Two weeks would be a perfect length. I can't wait to go back and see more!
Advice to the next visitor: Relax and go with the flow: it’s Belize! It’ll be fine. Do not expect to be comfortable the whole time. Bring a sweater and have it accessible whenever you get on a fancy-looking James bus (i.e. not a school bus). You can leave your book packed, because the view out of the bus/the people inside the bus is often entertaining for entire bus rides. If Belizeans get their hands on air conditioning, they turn it up to 11. Be very suspicious if Kevina suggests a “bike ride.” Drink and eat whatever is offered to you: it’ll probably be delicious. Don’t promise everyone you know souvenirs because they’re not that easy to find.
Xunantunich Ruins
Plum tuckered out in paradise
Thanks for being a good sport!
We love you Kaylyssa!
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