Workshops, Weddings, and Preschools OH MY!
Computer Workshop:
Greg with the 6 guys and a crowd of onlookers
Greg is doing weekly workshops with some youth and young men in the village. We are amping up, trying to get internet and a real computer lab by the end of our service, we'll see! He taught them how to instal programs, run virus protection and how to play the flash games. The training is meant to be for people who will run/assist in the lab. He'll cover how to partition a hard drive, restore, and fix computers (basic repair) over the next few sessions.
Installing antivirus software
Greg does house calls: Greg at my teacher's house showing her husband how to scan his flash drive.
She tells me her kids fight for the computer now!
Comprehension Workshop in Belize City:
Trinity Methodist School
Gathering myself before I start...
Tools of the trade; books, shop paper, and markers
On right: teachers practice visualization by drawing a passage I read
10 teachers and a non teaching principal...lucky
Gotta love documentation
Wedding and Engagement Party:
In ONE Weekend
23 five gallon buckets of corn were ground for poch
The afternoon before the wedding, making poch.
The rings the godparents buy, and the house ready for reception
We were more involved in this wedding than any other that has happened in the village (this being the 6th wedding here in our 1.6 years). The groom was my teacher's little brother and the godparents of the wedding were our host parents. We were involved like family and I was able to solve some lingering mysteries about the routines and traditions to a Maya wedding.
Greg putting the finishing touches on Pablo's tie
The morning of I went over and helped pin the veil in place. Greg was sent for to tie the tie (this is the only occasion they wear one...well, that and death, so it is not a skill many have). My preschool teacher laughed when I told her this, explaining that they couldn't find anyone who knew how at her wedding so her husband just folded it over.
Before the wedding photo shoot
The cake, we actually got a piece this time!!
First wedding cake we've actually got to eat in the village!
Lynette and Margarita
Sovia threw the confetti at the audience on both sides
before leaving...to the observers delight
Annistazia and Pablo
Cecilia and Santiago, the wedding's godparents and the now married and bound couple
Walking through the decorated arch after it being blessed with smoke and prayer
Consuela Gets Engaged!
Consuela and her now fiancee
The night before the wedding (after finishing the poch and eating the pig entrails caldo) we headed over to Consuela's for her engagement party! She is 19 and the boy is around that age too. They met in high school, he lives a few villages over. I helped her family bake and make poch at 5:30 that morning and couldn't wait to come back and see what this old tradition looks like.
We got a seat of privilege inside the house with the boy's family!
The woman's family prepares food and a table for the boy's family. Three packed trucks came over at 7 and unloaded their food for her family and drinks for everyone (coke and bottle juice). It was COMPLETELY silent while awaiting for the boy's father to speak. Once everyone was settled the boy's father addressed Consuela's father giving a long speech which I got some of. Something about if there is happiness here, or if she is happy in this village than that's good. Later I found out that when a family comes to engage a girl if they have the money they will set a date then, if not they sometimes bring her back that night to start living with her in-laws. It was agreed that they would wait for the wedding which was set for August! That would be wedding number 7 in the village, in case you lost count!
After that was out of the way drinks were served and food passed out, each family serving the other. There was much baby holding and smiling and loud music.
Preschool stimulation Month
Pablo Choco: Alcalde with his 'Alcalde stick'
Telling preschoolers to stay in school
We were able to visit the alcalde where he told them to study hard and be good, he then showed them his handcuffs and stick. Very effective. Afterwards they fed all the preschool and us rice and beans with stewed chicken...I ate it all and went home full and happy! Later a mom told me her daughter came home crying that day saying she didn't want to leave 'that house' aka the preschool. She said the alcalde said some boys and girls have to leave their school if they're bad and she didn't want to leave her preschool!
Preschool 2011
Best day ever...sports day/popping balloons!
Relay race...antonio was good at getting his arms through the sleeves.
Tug-o-war!
Visiting each preschooler's house on 'Family Day'
Herding cats
Oh Shaunna's hair!
Closing day parade through the village
MEXICO
We booked an efficient trip up north combining workshops, doctors, and Mexico! We spent 3 days 2 nights in the boarder town of Chetumal.
About to cross onto foreign soil!
We took a bus from Belize to Mexico, everyone herding off to go through Belize customs, back on, then back off again on the Mexico side. After a quick fumigation of the bus we were on our way to the motherland! Immediately after crossing the boarder we went from a two lane 'highway' with no curbs or lights to a 4 then 6 lane beautiful highway with lights every few yards!
A protest in the park
Much different than belize, meat hanging in the market and sidewalks
(that fit two or more people) with perfectly manicured shade trees!
Our hotel: UCUM (pronounced you-cume)
There was a mary statue behind bars at the head of the pool.
Scandalous double cement slide into the sea...
took lots of government money and workers and many didn't see the point.
School in Chet.
There is a mall, with a food court and a two story THEATER!
We gluttonously saw two movies in english with spanish subtitles!
Random:
On the way back from town on Pay Day,
Morpheuous and Katherine were tuckered out!
OUR Chicken!
We own one chicken, we got it in trade for our first most beautiful white puppy. We have one more chicken (for the brown puppy) yet to be delivered. Greg got the chicken when I was up in Belmopan meeting the new group. His brother called and he untied the chickens feet and set it down, asking Jr. if that was okay, "NO GREG! You'll never see that chicken again!" at which point greg had to quickly hang up with Anthony to help junior chase down that chicken. Junior caught it (that is a skill that takes years of learning) and they put it under a basket with a rock on it. Cecilia immediately said she would take care of it like her own and we could have the eggs and of course eat her when we wanted. She put a little cloth marker on her foot and after a day staying in the coop was allowed to roam free around her new home. She is pretty and still young so no eggs yet. We'll eat her when we leave to thank Cecilia for all the chickens she's given us!
