Hello My Name is Oscar

Trip to Santa Teresa for a Wedding!!

Amy showing me how to make the x and o bracelet

Waiting for food after the wedding

Oh Amy how I love to visit thee and Santa Teresa. Where howler monkeys scream while I bathe at the pipe in the dark.

While visiting Amy we took a walk through half the village. Little kids were running up screaming, "Miss Amy! Miss Kevina!" We go to each other's villages often so most people know us. Well not one little boy:

Little boy: "Miss Amy, how she name?" (ref to me)

Amy: "Ask her."

Boy: "Ohhhh Oscar." (nodding and total acceptance on his face)

Me: "No! ASK ME!"

Boy: "Ohhhh Askme."

Me: "No my name is Kevina!"

So just call me Oscar from now on.

Karaoke time with Big Falls teachers

Juan and Florintina walking to the church

Calabash bowls of cacao before being served caldo

Our TIDE board, trophy table, and the 'big screen'

Victory Motorcade "Hey Greg"

Oh boys.

Ronaldo and Greg's best friend 'G' aka Alberto

Watching the slide show

"We WIN WE WIN!!"

Famous girls on the wall!!!

Right before the presentation, the stars dressed and waiting in the seats of honor.

The river right before we crossed it.

Can't be the End

"Silver Creek All The WAY!"

Silver Creek R.C.'s Female Football team came in FIRST in the NATION!!!! They also took first place in the district in another competition hosted by TIDE. Not only that, but the environmental project we did won us first place!!! We got 1000 dollars worth of supplies! So of course with all that what did our village leaders decide? To through a huge victory party for the girls the last day of school! All village leaders were present,representatives from Tide, Sports Council, and the local Area Representative (who also donated 100 pounds of chicken to feed the girls and the village).

"These girls are very small,but they are full of TALENTS!"

Oh Canada

My grandmother passed away after dealing with Alzheimer's for many years. She was 83. She lived with us for some time while I was younger. She, like many ladies of her time, never drove. While living with us, since Charlotte was so spread out and we were all working or in school, she decided it might be time to get a learners permit. Those were the scariest and funniest months of my life , she never did pursue her license and was content walking many miles to wherever she needed to go. Or, riding with one of my uncles on their motorcycles. She was our last remaining grandparent on either side. Greg and I were able to go back to be with family and say goodbye. Since my mummy is from a family of 8 there were quite a lot of cousins and aunts and uncles that met Greg for the first time. It was Greg's first time in Canada. My cousin Nathan informed Kaylyssa and I that they passed a new law and we are now Canadian citizens!

Citizenship by Descent:

For those born after February 14th, 1977:

The critical date is the date of birth of a person who claims to be a Canadian citizen. The person must be born after February 14th, 1977. If you were born after February 14th, 1977 to a Canadian mother or father, you are a Canadian citizen by descent.

My grandmother: Leila Agnes McIntosh

My grandmother, Nanny, loved animals. She loved genealogy, detailed documentation on the back of photos, her children, card games, hard work, and hugs. She was born on a farm in Montana in 1928. She will be missed.

Life goes on
While we were in Canada the new group of 37 volunteers swore in, including Miss Meredith! June is also graduation month so every weekend there were parties to go to. We went to three the Saturday before my Grandmother passed, missed 2 the following week, and came back and got right to work helping bake and butcher pigs for the next one.

On father's day a man in the village drank *Gramoxone and sadly, the following day sucame to the effects leaving behind five children and a wife. I, Meredith and some of the staff went to the funeral Tuesday. His two oldest girls, left without a father and provider, were inconsolable. Two days later at the victory rally the village leaders and area representative vowed to do anything possible to keep this family in Belize. The family came to Belize from Guatemala 7 years ago. Both girls played on the championship team and the Chairman said that since they have done so much to bring a good name to Silver Creek it is their duty to try to keep them from having to return to a Guatemala they left so ago.

Primary school graduation was a first for me (Peace Corps did a mock hurricane consolidation practice last year) and it was really great and slightly sad watching these kids graduate. The Guest Speaker, Mr. Renaldo Choc gave the guest speech. I loved it, and when I went to tell him afterward and he gave me his copy! So Enjoy!

A pleasant good afternoon!
I am indeed honored and privileged to be here this afternoon as your guest speaker at this memorable occasion. I have never felt more important in life before, but today I feel like a celebrity.

Today is a very important day. I witnessed two sets of students marching up proudly to the stage to celebrate the completion of one level of education. Congratulations to you the Preschoolers and the Standard 6 Students. The preschoolers are now moving to begin their eight years of primary education, and you the standard 6 six students will be entering high schools.

The eight years you spent at Silver Creek R.C. was merely an introduction to the skills, information, and attitudes necessary for proper adjustment to your community and to the society. It is important that as of today you begin dreaming of what you want to be in the future. It is always good to dream. Many of us will dream of being a doctor, teacher, lawyer, or to be next Prime Minister. Are all of these possible? Yes of course, but it will require dedication and a lot of hard work, studying, reading , and completing logs of assignments.

When I was a primary student like you many years ago, my teacher would write above her chalk board this statement, "education is the key to success" at that time the statement didn't mean anything to be me. As I grew up , I realized that the statement was a strong one. It is only through obtaining a solid education that people are able to communicate and write well. it is only through education that people can hold a good job.

Students, education is easily accessible today, compared to when I was going to high school. Let me give you a little history. Twenty years ago there were no free school buses. That year when I started high school, the only transport to high school was by Mr. Pedro Cucul. It was not free of course, you needed to pay at the end of the month or you can't ride the bus again. Students from other villages seek lodging in Punta Gorda. During the rainy season the Big Falls Bridges would go under water. So we had to cross in a dory so we could meet the bus on the other side. To make things worse we traveled without lunch. Corn tortilla with salt and pepper and if our parents had money then we would buy a tin of sausage. Regardless of the hardship we went through to obtain our diplomas we didn't give up. We had a dream and we made sure that it was reached.

Today, it is more accessible and affordable, schools are equipped with computers, your homes are now electrified, you have free transportation to schools and at least 4 high schools to choose from. As you venture into secondary education, be thankful to your parents, appreciate the little that they will give you. Don't get upset when they can't give you a dollar to buy a soft drink.

At high school you will meet many people. Be careful whom you choose as your friend. Some will want to see you shine like a star, while some will want you to become like the, LOSERS. Do not hang around bad companies, there will be students who will influence you to use drugs (alcohol or marijuana), miss classes, steal or fight with other students. I wouldn't want any of you to drop out of school because of these reasons , then your future is over.

Do your best to obtain high grades, because you will have a better opportunity to receive scholarships to attend the University. Use your education to make positive changes in your community. You are our future leaders. A U. S. President, the late John Kennedy, during his inauguration speech in 1960 said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." You have the potential to make silver creek a better tomorrow. Do not be the one to give it a bad name. As a matter of fact you have already begun making silver creek a famous community. The female football team brought home gold medals from the recent football tournament sponsored by the Ministry of Sports,and your championship title from the TIDE'S freshwater cup. Continue that way. Do as much as you can for your community and one day you will get your reward. look up to people, who you know will guide you in the right directions. Some are out there waiting to see you fall. Parents thank you so much for the support you have shown your children. Continue to support them. Be proud of their success.

Cary out yourself respectfully and people will respect. Eight years from now when these preschoolers are graduation from standard 6 I will hope and pray that one of you will be the guest speaker at their graduation exercise. You will be selected because of some positive motivations or good qualities that you display. by the, you will already be working either as a teacher or other professions or you have become an entrepreneur,you have your own business to manage.

In everything you do, Fear God. When you fear god you will find out that no matter what difficulties or trouble you encounter God will take care of you. When you Fear God you will not want to disobey your parents, when you fear God you will not want to follow bad friends, when you fear God you will make right choices, you will realize that getting involved in fights or using drugs is bad for you. It does not matter which religion you belong to, always find time to praise our Heavenly Father. Only through Him are all things possible.

As I conclude,remember that your success is in your hands, your parents are giving you the opportunity to embrace it. Use your education wisely to help people especially the helpless and the poor. and not to abuse or hurt them. Congratulations! I wish you all good luck and success as you further your education. Thank you.

Seasons of Belize
by: Kevina Casaletto
Three. Dry, rainy, kite.
Fiery sun, then soggy feet
Tangled strings in trees

*In suicide (information from Wikipedia)

A large majority (93%) of fatalities from paraquat(Gramoxone) poisoning are cases of intentional self-administration, i.e., suicides. In third world countries, paraquat is a "major suicide agent".^[12] For instance, in Samoa from 1979–2001, 70% of suicides were by paraquat poisoning. In southern Trinidad from 1996–1997, 76% of suicides were by paraquat.^[13]

The reason paraquat is such a widely used suicide agent in third-world countries is due to its widespread availability, low toxic dose (10 ml or 2 teaspoons is enough to kill) and relative low cost. There are campaigns to control or even ban paraquat outright, and there are moves to restrict its availability by requiring user education and the locking up of paraquat stores.

Now that school is out I hope to post some pictures and videos and deeper thought on the end of our second and last school year in Belize. More to come...

Meet my Replacement

There's a New *Shan Saq' in the Vill!

*Ms. White

Meet Miss Meredith!!

Here's some fun facts:

*She has her undergrad in Psychology and Masters in School Counseling

*We are the same age and were both living in NC before Belize

*She is excited to work with the school garden and HFLE (health) program

*Her dad has pet sugar gliders (flying squirrels)

*She loves art but can't draw

*She was also a vegetarian before she came to Belize!

Meredith and 37 other volunteers arrived March 24th to their new home of Belize.

Finally, after nearly two months of training, their site for the next two years was reviled! There were three people in Education learning Ketchi, and our money was on Meredith, we were right! They let all the PCT's (Peace Corps Trainees) come to their future site for a four day whirlwind visit. Starting with a counterpart workshop and a bus strike.

I was asked to come and speak on a panel with my principal about how we communicate and work together during the workshop, so we got the 6am village bus to town. After arriving we heard every radio and every TV blasting the play by play of the first national bus strike. Soon after, the texts came in from our PC warden (fellow volunteer Nate) we are now on 'Standfast' and not to move or leave our site. Burning tire blockades effectively slammed all transportation to a screeching halt. The toledo James bus drivers agreed to participate in the strike but refrain from setting ablaze any barricades.

The workshop forged on and Greg and I got a ride with TFABB back to the vill. I immediately went over to Meredith's future host family to check out the digs and see if they were excited about meeting her. I wanted her to make her own bonds and have space so I went home before she arrived. We met up at night and made our plans for the four days. Her host mom, Ms. Florintina, quickly 'fixed' her name. "I fix your name, xMary." In kriol the 'th' is pronounced 't' so her name proves very tricky. Mostly it sounds like Mereda, or

“I agree with the bus man dehn because dehn man mortgage, dehn wife and pickney dehn just di get pitch weh. Ah mean Novelo’s slip down with this thirty-five million and all ah that stuff [and] dehn man ya step up to the plate. Ah mean the minister mih need dehn now because this other guy step up now dehn wah pitch weh dehn man ya. No man that outta order, di minister wrong mein.”

http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/55057

Top 5 Questions Villagers Asked While Showing Around Meredith:

1. What is her name again?

2. When are you leaving?

3. How old is she?

4. Does she have babies?

5. Is she married?

Here's a recap of her first four days:

Saturday:

-5:30am go and make tortillas at the Saki's

-1:30-4:30 meet all village leaders

Sunday:

-First rain storm of the rainy season

-1st holy communion

-Catechist announces 'Ms. Mary' as the new Peace Corps

-Principal introduces her to the entire Catholic community

-Meet the staff for the first time over snacks provided by the parents

Monday:

-Principal presents her to the school, explains psychology as 'reading minds'*

-Yvette introduces herself as the librarian, and asks for volunteer assistants for the summer

-Observe Preschool, Infant I and II, Standard I, and Standard II

-Girls football team wins district championship

-Ride bikes to Big Falls and eat lunch at Colemans

-Go to Big Falls Lodge, tube down the river then walk and swim back up it

-Swim in a real pool then play bananagrams with the owner

Tuesday:

-Meet during the living rosary and discus the breakdown of the Belizean school year

-walk and look at some potential houses, talk to Ms. Yatz in Ketchi, eat choco-bananas

-Observe Standard III and IV, and Standard V and VI

-Catch the bus to Lubaantun, hang out on the ruins chatting

-Play with ancient whistles found on site, bounce rubber ball (from rubber tree), walk to San Miguel

-Enjoy snacks, ride the bus back, stop at the Baptist preacher's wife's house, visit at two other houses

-Say our goodbye's

Wednesday:

-Catch the early early bus out back to Belmopan

*Yvette confesses she is scared to work with her, "is it true Mrs. Kevina that she can look in your eyes and read your mind?" Great. Knew that would be lost in translation.

Welcome to the village Meredith, I know you'll do great work and look forward to the next 5 months!

22 Months: Feels Like Home

Cute Child Infestation

By: Kevina Casaletto

Silent blank faces

Observing and unnerving

Watchful, even now