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.
Kevina and Greg,
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful blogs. With Pictures! Your dress is fantastic, and I loved the picture of Greg playing chess - he looks so thoughtful! I admire the way your whole group of 40 decided to have a strategy of making the Newbies Totally Awesome. It is like on the ship when we get a new crew - the older crew - sets the tone. You guys are an ispiration.
I loved Kaylyssa's visit stories and QA, and the wedding story and the newbies experience - I just really love your blog. You guys Rock! Love always, keep em coming, love Dad Hughes
I love the hair cut! It looks really good all shaved with a spiky top. Even Greg cuts hair. It's so nice having you and Greg home. I think both of your mother's goal is to fatten you guys up! I could actually feel each of Greg's ribs!
ReplyDeleteYou look so beautiful in your Ketchi dress. It suits you and by looking at the kitchen picture the other ladies wear them quite often too. I can't wait to come visit and wear my own Ketchi dress.
Love, Mummy xo
PS; Your flour tortillas are super great! And I love my commal! My crepes never tasted better using my commal.