Checkin out of the Peace Corps...PEACE!

Peace Corps Headquarters

Belmopan, Belize

Peace Corps Belize

Wrapping up two years of service was no easy task, especially having been volunteering for a government organization. There were meetings, medical tests, more meetings, and lots of final signitures and documents to be done and submitted. We did our final VRF (volunteer reporting form) where we itemized and documented all activities we did/projects we've accomplished. There were also sections to talk about our Goal 2 and 3 work (teaching Belizeans about Americans, and Americans about Belizeans). This is a quarterly report that gets turned over to headquarters and gets compiled with all the other volunteers serving so that Washington can get an idea of what we're doing. It is always dreaded because it is a very complicated, multi tabbed, special JAR file downloading pain so it was exciting to do our very last one.

We also had our final medical interviews where we were given a folder of papers and had to initial as we went over about 15 forms that we'd need back in America. We also got a glimpse of our medical records. Mine was a 2 inch thick book...did I mention they think I had typhoid a month before I left...

First food after 7 days of salmonella/typhoid

any-who so yeah we can request those records and can claim any Peace Corps related problem for up to two years. Nurse Jackie (our PCMO or Peace Corps Medical Officer) took pictures with us and we spent a while after our interviews just chatting with her.

Me at the training office, first day of training 2 years ago

Greg climbing up the steps to the volunteer lounge entrance 2 years ago

When we actually left the office for the last time the entire staff gathered to see us off. We received our official signed copy of our DOS (see below), a thank you card signed by all the staff and many hugs. I was not expecting this and it was a very nice surprise. They also made a thank you sign that we were supposed to run and slap on our way out but I was so excited/caught off guard that I forgot:( Greg had a very funny man-hug with our PCMO's assistant Kent. They often would hang out while I was sick and Kent made Greg promise to send a picture of himself on his motorcycle.

Staff thank you and goodbyes leaving the office for the last time

So we did it, we signed up for two years and we finished it and I am glad we did it. We learned a lot about the world, the Maya people, hard work, and ourselves. Only half of our group made it to the end and with good reason. This was BY FAR the HARDEST thing either of us have EVER done in our lives and probably the hardest thing we will have ever done. I am so proud that Greg did it with me and that we made it through some of the toughest things a couple could face.

WE DID IT!

The final and biggest form we had to complete was our DOS (Description of Service). This will be our official record of our service to stay filed in PC Washington for evermore. We had 2 pages to sum up our entire Peace Corps service. I have put them below incase you feel like seeing two years squished down to two pages. After we checked out of the peace corps we actually went back to the village for 2 more nights. That is when the sleepover and the party happened. A little out of order, sorry. Without further adieu...

Peace Corps Belize

Description of Peace Corps Service

Gregory Casaletto

Belize, 2009-2011

After a competitive application process stressing technical skills, motivation, adaptability, and cross-cultural understanding, Peace Corps invited Greg Casaletto to serve as a Teacher Trainer in the Central American nation of Belize.

Pre-Service Training

Gregory Casaletto began an intensive 9-week pre-service training in Maya Mopan Village, a community located 5 minutes from the capital, Belmopan. The program consisted of language training, technical skills training, and cross-cultural studies training. Throughout the pre-service training program, Mr. Casaletto lived with a Belizean family, reinforcing his linguistic abilities and exposing himself to Belizean culture and traditions.

PC Belize’s Training program included 62.5 hours of formal instruction in Q’eqchi ,96 hours of core topics (history, politics, economics, cross-cultural, safety & security, and health) and 77 hours of technical project training

Primary Assignment

On October, 22, 2009, Gregory Casaletto completed training and was sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer. He was assigned to Big Falls Roman Catholic School, Big Falls Village, Toledo District.

During Mr. Casaletto’s service he worked with the teachers and the school administration of Big Falls R.C. School to facilitate the transition from hand written paper forms to electronic copies for all school documents. He also repaired computers to get the schools computer lab in working order. The computer lab and Internet had been set up by the Belize Rural Development Project and was not in full working order when he had arrived. Mr. Casaletto collaborated with the B.R.D.P. to attend and give workshops on there behalf on computer lab repair and maintenance. This enabled the teachers to use the computers and Internet as a teaching resource. The school library had been previously established by a past Peace Corps Volunteer and had become unusable after a large donation of books rendered the library useless as the boxes of books were taking up too much space. Mr. Casaletto, with the help of three other Peace Corps Volunteers sorted the books and organized the books and then encouraged self governance of the library and resources. The teachers then became accustomed to using the library themselves instead of relying on a librarian.

Mr. Casaletto worked closely with 15 teachers and two administrators as well as the PTA to conduct fundraising for the school that was done in two large fairs and soccer tournaments. He also conducted computer classes for 67 students over the course of two years. The classes that he taught were parts of the computer, basic computer skills, typing, internet research, and email. Teacher’s also received one-on-one trainings on some of the same topics but mostly focused on finding teaching resources and lesson ideas on the internet.

Secondary Activities

Gregory Casaletto immediately saw a desire from everyone to have and use computers in everyday life. When he arrived at Big Falls R.C. the computer lab had a few computers that were not in working order so with limited existing knowledge and very few resources he learned how to repair computers. News spread of his new found talent and he was soon contacted by nearby rural computer labs for technical assistance with computer systems and local area networks.

Mr. Casaletto learned what he could and then started conducting technical trainings and workshops in beginning computer skills as well as intermediate and advanced computer maintenance and repair. Over the course of two years he conducted five formal training sessions on computer maintenance and repair to 22 youth leaders and students who helped run rural computer labs.

Many people came to ask Gregory for help with their own computers so he performed many informal private tutoring on computer and Internet skills as well as repairing approximately 45 community members with personal computers free of cost. These free computer repairs helped sparked many young students interest in computers and as of now one neighbor of his has started schooling to become a computer repair technician.

Language Skills

Even though the official language of Belize is English there are many other languages spoken throughout the country. The Q’eqchi language is used mostly in the southern part of the country where Mr. Casaletto lived. He was able to acquire an understanding of the language and is able to communicate and understand basic needs and questions. Most Belizeans speak Belizean Creole which is a form of English. Mr. Casaletto found it necessary and was able to gain a very good understanding of this language. Most of his colleagues at the school where he worked would converse with him and each other in Creole so he was able to develop the ability to use this language on a daily basis.

Summary

Gregory Casaletto completed his Peace Corps service in Belize on September 23, 2011.

Pursuant to section 5(f) of the Peace Corps Act 22 U.S.C 2504 (f) as amended, any former Volunteer employed by the United States Government following their Peace Corps Volunteer service is entitled to have any period of satisfactory Peace Corps Volunteer service credited for purposes of retirement, seniority, reduction in force, leave and other privileges based on length of federal government service. Peace Corps service shall not be credited toward completion of the probationary or trial period or completion of any service requirement for career appointment.

This is to certify in accordance with Executive Order No. 11103 of 10 April 1963, that Gregory Casaletto served satisfactorily as a Peace Corps Volunteer. His service in Belize ended on September 23, 2011. He is therefore eligible to be appointed as a career-conditional employee in the competitive civil service on a non-competitive basis.

This benefit under the Executive Order entitlement extends for a period of one year after termination of the Volunteer’s service, except that the employing agency may extend that period for up to three years for a former Volunteer who enters military service, pursues studies at a recognized institution of higher learning, or engages in other activities that, in the view of the appointing authority, warrant extension of the period.

Peace Corps Belize

Description of Peace Corps Service

Kevina Casaletto

Belize, 2009-2011

After a competitive application process stressing technical skills, motivation, adaptability, and cross-cultural understanding, Peace Corps invited Kevina Casaletto to serve as a Teacher Trainer in the Central American nation of Belize.

Pre-Service Training

Kevina Casaletto began an intensive 9-week pre-service training in Maya Mopan a community located 10 minutes from the capital, Belmopan. The program consisted of language training, technical skills training, and cross-cultural studies training. Throughout the pre-service training program, Kevina Casaletto lived with a Belizean family, reinforcing her linguistic abilities and exposing herself to Belizean culture and traditions.

PC Belize’s Training program included; 62.5 hours of formal instruction in Q’eqchi, 96 hours of core topics (history, politics, economics, cross-cultural, safety and security, and health), and 77 hours of technical project training.

Primary Assignment

On October 22, 2009, Kevina Casaletto completed training and was sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer. She was assigned to Silver Creek Village.

Kevina Casaletto’s teachers and work counterpart, Mr. Geraldo Baltazar greatly contributed to the success and completion of her projects through their willingness to try, implementation of strategies taught, and eagerness to share ideas and success. Kevina’s primary project mainly consisted of training in the field of literacy; specifically, diagnostic testing, teaching reading comprehension, and creative writing instruction from preschool to standard 6 (equivalent to eighth grade in the US Education system). These goals were achieved through a combination of observation, model lessons and workshops. She conducted four workshops on literacy at Silver Creek R. C. School on topics such as teaching comprehension strategies, reading and writing mini lessons based on student need, and writer’s notebooks. Additionally Mrs. Casaletto conducted eleven other workshops for six schools, other PCVs and PCTs, and Jesuit Volunteers across the nation. Kevina also conducted a literacy workshop for 28 Preschool teachers on literacy, reaching every preschool in the Toledo District. These trainings consisted of strategies in behavior management, diagnostic testing of reading, and reading comprehension strategies. Therefore, resulting in a total of sixteen workshops facilitated by Kevina Casaletto throughout her two years of service, training 89 teachers, 53 Peace Corps Volunteers, and one Jesuit Volunteer.

To supplement and support the strategies introduced in workshops Mrs. Casaletto demonstrated concepts by providing 23 literacy ‘model’ lessons in the classroom while the teacher observed. Teachers were able to share ideas and progress through continued observation and feedback through conferences. Teachers met with Kevina Casaletto after any observation or model lesson. Additionally three model lessons were demonstrated at Big Falls R.C. School on the use of graphic organizers in writing. Eight other model lessons were demonstrated at Silver Creek R.C. School focusing on math concepts, behavior management, and the use and management of classroom libraries, resulting in a total of 34 model lessons demonstrated by Kevina Casaletto over her two years.

Through administration of diagnostic reading tests in October 2009, 118 students (from Infant II through Standard VI, first grade through eighth comparatively in the US system), 48% were reading one or more grades below expected with 24% at two or more grades below, and only 8.5% reading above their grade. To address the issue of a large number of students working well below their peers Kevina Casaletto pulled 30 students (all students two or more levels below in reading) twice a week for intensive reading instruction. The following October the combination of workshops and model lessons on literacy instruction and the intensive extra classes proved successful. The results in October 2010 (with 117 students from Infant II to Standard VI) showed 32% one or more level below, 8.5% two levels below (with no students testing beyond two grades below) and 18% above the expected reading level. During the 2010-2011 Mrs. Casaletto worked with ten children intensively and by May 2011 only two were not on grade level. Through these intensive classes along with training of teachers on strategies to support literacy the majority of students were caught up to grade level allowing them to access information from their textbooks previously too difficult.

Additionally four faculty members were trained in basic operations of computers. Students from Standard I-Standard IV were given bi-weekly computer classes, with standard V and VI receiving weekly instruction along with 30 minutes per week of extra morning classes for typing instruction. Lessons were given in the classroom with teachers observing and then assisting in the computer lab as students practiced what they learned.

Secondary Activities

To further support her work with literacy at Silver Creek R.C. School Kevina also took on the library as her secondary project spending approximately 20% of her time on the following; networking to expedite construction of the library, facilitating three village meetings to discuss the course of the library, and being a main point of contact once the community decided to join the Belize National Library Service. She worked closely with the school, village and librarian to organize the inauguration of the library, school library days, and holiday activities including a stimulation month. Mrs. Casaletto has worked closely with the three librarians, providing support, advice, and accompaniment on a field trip to the district library in Punta Gorda.

Kevina Casaletto worked closely with Mr. Luis Cal, the Standard III and IV teacher (and football coach) on the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment’s freshwater cup project. They planned four activities including a creek clean up, researching water pollution on Encarta, and creating and presenting a PowerPoint to the 35 parents of his class in English and Q’eqchi. The project won first prize resulting in the donation of $1,000 Belize dollars worth of school supplies to the school.

Mrs. Casaletto also assisted in facilitating the painting of a six-foot by twelve-foot world map on the side of the library. The work was completed by 44 people ranging in ages from four to 48 years of age. The community decided they wanted to label the countries so several Standard VI students located and labeled all of the countries and major bodies of water. The map has been used several times by teachers lacking a world map in their class and by interested villagers.

Language Skills

In addition the 62.5 hours of Pre Service Training instruction in Q’eqchi Mrs. Casaletto also attended 15 additional hours of In Service Training. She has acquired a functional level of comprehension and speech allowing her to converse with children and women easily at about 65% fluency/comprehension (men at about 50%). This has proven greatly beneficial in gaining support of community members and also integration into the community of Silver Creek.

Summary

Kevina Casaletto completed her Peace Corps service in Belize on September 23, 2011.

Pursuant to section 5(f) of the Peace Corps Act 22 U.S.C 2504 (f) as amended, any former Volunteer employed by the United States Government following their Peace Corps Volunteer service is entitled to have any period of satisfactory Peace Corps Volunteer service credited for purposes of retirement, seniority, reduction in force, leave and other privileges based on length of federal government service. Peace Corps service shall not be credited toward completion of the probationary or trial period or completion of any service requirement for career appointment.

This is to certify in accordance with Executive Order No. 11103 of 10 April 1963, that Kevina Casaletto served satisfactorily as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Her service in Belize ended on September 23, 2011. She is therefore eligible to be appointed as a career-conditional employee in the competitive civil service on a non-competitive basis.

This benefit under the Executive Order entitlement extends for a period of one year after termination of the Volunteer’s service, except that the employing agency may extend that period for up to three years for a former Volunteer who enters military service, pursues studies at a recognized institution of higher learning, or engages in other activities that, in the view of the appointing authority, warrant extension of the period.

Village First...GIRLS SLEEPOVER!!

Sleepover behavior- a universal truth

Trying to do three things at once

To ease the transition (especially with the older girls) over to Meredith, and to spark a future girls club Meredith had the great idea of a Standard VI sleepover! Feelers were put out with parents, girls got excited, and official printed invitations were passed out. We had a meeting with the girls explaining that without their mother's signature they were not allowed into the house, and they must translate everything to ketchi! They were told to bring a dish, cup and some sort of thing to sleep on (most villagers sleep in their clothes so that was really about it).

Sumo fighting

Day of the Sleepover:

I was returning from Belize City from exit medical exams and so Meredith was on her own until I could reach from the junction, grab my hammock and pillow and peddle as fast as I could to help her. The girls were told to arrive after they ate dinner (so we only had to cook breakfast for them) and when I got there they were all there, bouncing around, looking EXACTLY like any other sleepover party!! This was the first time ever the girls have done anything like this and they loved it! They danced, giggled, pillow fighted and talked about boys. I showed them how to do hair wraps and ended up doing all 7 of them. I was just amazed and kept telling Meredith how crazy it was that it was the same as any sleepover, girls will be girls I guess.

Group shot

A Few Little Differences:

There were a few things that were different. First we slept 7 girls and two adults on one full bed, 1 regular sized foam and 1 toddler sized foam and a hammock. Instead of funny jokes keeping the girls up, the girls were making pig noises that they thought were just hilarious! We slept more like hamsters, with me swaying above them in the hammock. They all insisted on keeping both fans (one girl brought her fan) so we did get chilly in the night. In my slumber I reached down and pulled up a blanket, then I woke up to a little mew/moan from the shivering Darlene below me! I gave it back. Secondly we were asleep, all giggling finished, by 11:30 which was way way later than most of them ever stay up on any regular day. One girl, who's family wakes very early and usually goes to bed by 7 or 7:30 was sleeping on the bed at 8:00 unashamedly. Also, Meredith's new neighbor, my host sister Virginia spent a majority of the evening leaning in through the window watching 'a sleepover' and giving ideas and mainly staring at the spectacle of it.

Silly shot number 47

Giving Cynthia her hair wrap

Meredith and I with the girls

Up With the Chickens:

I heard the girls stirring, Larencia (whose family wakes early) was up at 4:30 and I got up a little before 5. Some of the girls slept until 5:30 but by 5:30 we were all awake rehashing stories from the night before, sweeping, cleaning and then making breakfast. The girls pretty much made breakfast, swept, and straightened up without any of our direction (another difference from an American sleepover) and they elected Darlene to fry the eggs (they are all skilled cooks for large groups by around age 10...these girls are 12-14). By 8am they were all home, the whirlwind was over, and we had a few hours to ourselves before the Independence Day celebrations began. We wrapped the girls hair in red, white, and blue for their 30th Independence Day (they have the same colors as us but they say 'blue, white, and red'.

'Supervising' breakfast, darlene with the eggs.

Tortillas and eggs and chocolate drink all made and cleaned up by the girls

2 Year Reunion Weekend

Tobacco Caye, Belize

200ft wide and 400 ft long

To celebrate making it past the two year mark as volunteers we saved up our little pennies and headed out to Tobacco Caye, a very very tiny island with little rooms ON the water! It was pretty cheap and we took all the cabanas at Paradise Lodge. This was the first time in a while a large group of us, serving all over the country, got to get together. We were the only visitors on the island the first night, and the second night there were campers from a sailing tour.

The gang on Taylor's veranda

The very difficult group shot!

Family dinners!!

Included in the cost are three home cooked meals at set times each day. They ring a cow bell, and since the island is so small you can hear it from anywhere and we came a running!!! Adam, a fellow PCV bought a 25 BZE (12.50) lobster the guy just caught and they cooked it up for him no charge (about 3 pounds of lobster tail dripping in delicious garlic and butter). Adam swore it was the best lobster he'd ever had, and lobster is his favorite food so that's saying a lot!

The main dock

We spent most of our time here swimming in the clear waters, trying to stay away from 'Bite-ee' (the nurse shark that liked to hang under the dock) and swimming out to the sand bar. Floaty toys were bought in Dangriga and much fun, floating and swimming was had by all.

View of the cabaña, the coral comes right up to the veranda and you can watch puffer fish, stick fish and other little fishies swim around while you sip tea in your hammock!

Our last night we did a little kumbaya circle, turned share your funniest moment circle under the full moon. It was a very nice little break from the stress of leaving our villages and towns before many of us headed to Belmopan for our check out medical examinations.

The End is Here...More Numbes

Our numbers:

Weddings: 8
Funerals: 3
Cell Phones: 5
Godchildren: 2
Killed: 1 Chicken
Visits to the USA: 3 (2 planned and one not)
Security incidents: ZERO
Books read: Greg-17 Kevina-67
Pig Tail Buckets: 5
Times 'dropping' on our bike: Kevina-ZERO Greg-twice
Computers fixed (Greg): Over 200
Letters handed to us before we left: 64
Bags taken home: 5 (Greg:book bag and duffel, Kevina: rice sack small, Rice sack big (with a set of weaving sticks) and one 2.5 gallon bucket)
Times people asked, "What's in the bucket?" 7
Serious illnesses: Greg-0 Kevina-4
Days living in a foreign country 758

Over two years ago leaving America

Arriving back on American Soil

Puch'uuk: To Wash Clothes

"Marriage is about the most expensive way for the average man to get the laundry done." Burt Reynolds

Ch'ina Ha' (The Creek)

The blood of a village.

Where we bathe, wash, play, hunt and clean our game.

The spot for gossip, advice, and meditation.

Where bad spirits can linger, where snakes meander.

Morning meetings with the ducklings, fish, and dogs coming for fresh cool water.

Calm, clear, and blue some days...

Raging, brown, and repulsive on rainy days.

What I'll miss most,

this small spot in paradise.

The laughter will fade,

the feel of the smooth stones under my hands will slip away,

but I will always keep my creek tucked safely in my heart.

"Tao' se Ha' "

Let's go to the creek.

Yoos Commad...Godparents Again

Little Orianna!

Left to right: Yolanda, myself, and Sandra

The night before the party all the ladies were preparing the food as usual. This was no ordinary party though we were making BBQ!!! Our preparations were much different since you can't make flour tortillas in advance so we cleaned beans (separated the rocks and bad beans), cleaned and marinated all the meats, and peeled onions and spices to add to the marinade. I was extremely tired since I stayed up late the night before in town and it seemed we were all giddy with over-tiredness. Greg plucked a pepper right from the drying rack above the fire hearth and ate it whole. All the women immediately stopped all production and commented and watched Greg (who began to sweat but muscled through it no problem). This then elicited many jokes from the ladies about how I shouldn't let Greg kiss me and what if tomorrow w my lip is huge and red from the pepper! They thought they were so funny (okay, I may have been prompting and adding fuel to the fire but it was too funny). After the excitement of the 'bird pepper' incident we got on the subjects of husbands. Specifically dating our future husbands. This came up because on our first 'date' Greg and I went to a burrito barn Flayming Amy's and he got the 'Flayming Amy'.

http://flamingamysburritobarn.com/

Before even tasting it he proceeded to flout his manliness by dousing the already very hot burrito in numerous hot sauces and a little 'Dave's Insanity'. I told this to the ladies and regaled them with the result of his actions, turning purple, sweating the rest of the night, and temporarily losing his hearing! They were cracking up. Yolanda then told me that when she would go with her future husband she was so nervous she couldn't eat and was too embarrassed to even ask for a coke! We were laughing so hard one of us pointed out we weren't even cleaning the beans, we had been just scooping all of them back into the bag!

Becoming Godparents Again

Dressing Orianna at our house

As is the tradition my Commad (goddaughter's mother) brought our Goddaughter to be dressed by me. Godparents buy the christening outfit and then change the child into it, some parents buy the suits themselves. Orianna was in a pretty good mood and seemed to like her new shoes so it went well. We then all walked together over to the Alcalde's house (Concepciona's (Orianna's mother) father to head over to the church two villages over. This was a baptist christening and we sat in the front row holding Orianna. She loves Greg and so mainly sat with him playing with his keys and his beard. We stood up with our commad and after we responded to a question in kekchi our portion was done in kekchi too. Another nice ride back to the village and the 'bashment' began!

Upon arrival back at the house we did our official "yoos commad" exchange with our Commad and Compad (he is a police officer so didn't make it to the church) and then also with her parents (the Alcalde and his wife). This was an added bonus so now we have 3 commadas and 3 compads! Afterwards we were seated at the table of honor and given a choice of BBQed meats: pork, chicken, deer, gibnut or pikeri. We choose deer and it was delicious! Soft drinks were quickly shuttled to our table and we ate as villagers rotated through the house dropping presents, eating, then returning to their houses. As Godparents we are expected to stay until the end so after eating we quickly found our places (with the ladies in the kitchen for me, and by the tree with the men for Greg) and settled in for the long day ahead.

The kitchen during the party

The man post!

There was much picture taking and passing around of Orianna and the first few hours were unremarkable. 'G' was DJing from the start and after a few hours, Mrs. Che and Mrs. Choco were trying to get my host mom Cecilia to go dance (they were playing Cumbia...her favorite). I jumped up and said lets go so all of us danced cumbia (even Greg for a song or two) to the blinding flash of cameras from all angles. These are all my favorite older ladies and it was very fun, a very old lady, the Choco grandmother spanked me and smiled as I walked by!


Commad and Compad (our Goddaughter's grandparents)

With our Commad and Compad and their family

(minus their son who wouldn't stop playing in the creek)

The party was really a lot of fun. We made it until 6:30 when we had our final long chat with our Commad and Compad and then were sent home with enough BBQ to last a week, tortillas, and beans. Oddly enough we discovered my Compad and I share the exact same birthday (he is one year older though) AND Greg and Commad are both December babies! Weird huh!

Hudut in Dump

Greg's teachers George and Cicily invited us over to learn to make Hudut, a delicious plantain and coconut fish dish of Garifuna background. We (Meredith too) all rode our bikes out to their house in Dump (named because there used to be a big hill there so they had to 'dump' dirt there to make the highway) around 9 and got to work. Coconuts were shelled, cracked, shaved and 'milked' (adding water to the coconut shavings then squeezing out the milk). The plantains were boiled then mashed with a coke bottle and finally the coconut milk was seasoned and used to boil the fish. The delicious resulting meal is below.

Hudut or HOOO DOOOO as Meredith would say:)

Greg sipping some coconut water

Having a go at shelling...not too hard

(I am now excellent at splitting the nut open

(three taps with the back of the machette!)

COS Surveys and THE NUMBERS

Before our COS conference I sent out a survey and then a poll to just gather some facts from our group. Here's what our group looked like by the numbers:

The Numbers:

23 COSing Volunteers (out of 40 sworn in)

17 female, 6 male

$83,775 USD were raised

48% took two showers daily

81.8% Had current in their house (electicity)

81.8% Had running water in their house (not us, unless you count our bucket greg put a tap on)

32% had a latrine

27% washed their clothes in a creek

14% had real washer AND dryers like from the states

45% had a cold shower/bucket

9% had AC in their house

18% had AC at their work

36% had been mistaken as Belizean at least once

4% as Jamaican

73% tried gibnut

50% tried iguana

36% tried armadillo

55% woke at 6am

50% went to bed at 10

50% slept under a mosquito net

47 weddings were attended

22 funerals were attended

56 cell phones were purchased

36% kissed a Belizean

4% were kissed by a Belizean

9% dated a fellow PCV (not counting married couples)

50% kissed a fellow PCV (excluding couples again)

23% came with a significant other back home

9% made it out with the same one

50 trips to the hospital, 3 nights

63.25 months on antibiotics

263 pounds lost

9 godchildren (two for us!)

11 animals killed (7 chickens, 2 pigs, and 2 turkeys)

4% attempeted slaughtering an animal

59% reported one or more security incident

695 books read

82% cried at least once during their service

41% cried too many times to count

68% kept a journal

86% owned at least one bucket ( we owned 5)

86%had a blog

50% have a pet

32% will take their pet back

73% jumped off a waterfall

14% ruptured an ear drum

41% were peed on by a child (4% defecated on)

18% lived in a thatch

68% can make their own tortillas

COS Survey:

Name: Gregory Albert Casaletto

Nick name/house name: Greg-pa-leg, Greg Coh/ Choc

Project Assignment: Primary Teacher Trainer at Big Falls R.C. School

Project Reality: IT expert for rural Toledo

Most Useful thing brought to country: Google search skills

Least useful thing brought to country: Germiphobia

Best “I know I’m in the Peace Corps” moment: When the guys I got drunk with the night before woke me up to go plant at 4:30am on the side of a mountain with only sticks

Funniest experience in country: Sure, I’ll share that. During training my host dad came home on his bike with about 40 pounds of flour and slightly drunk. He asked me if I wanted to go take a few beers. Since I had little “guy time” in training because my group consisted of Kevina, Grace, Amy, Carmalina as LCF and Ginnie as Tech Trainer. I was desperate.

We walked to one of the scary bars in Maya Mopan where everyone immediately started heckling the gringo, we took a nice late night walk through the dirt roads behind Belmopan trying to find another bar where “the girls are nice” but they were closed. Finally we went home.

I crawled under the mosquito net and woke Kevina up. She asked me how the night was, the only word I could think of was “weird”. I promptly fell asleep.

I was then woken up by Kevina crawling over me, she whispered something. I kind of brushed it off until I turned and saw my host dad sleeping next to me basically where Kevina was. I too got out of bed.

We stood outside the room and decided that we should try to sleep in the hammock. This was not easy with two people. Then after an hour of that we tried to grab another pillow from the bed my host dad woke up and realized what he had done. He apologized profusely as he went to bed and then got up and knocked on the door to apologize again. “I’m sorry Dreg, I’m so sorry Dreg”, is all we heard for a few minutes.

The next morning the first thing my host mom said to me was “What happened last night?”

Most memorable illness/injury: Getting bit by a dog and Kevina having to give me my last rabies shot. I know it’s boring but I’m pretty healthy.

Most Belizean habit to take home with you: Wiping off glass bottles and popping them with my finger before drinking them.

Most creative way to kill time in site: Motorcycle magazines and my ukulele

How have you changed? I used to wash my clothes, clean my dishes, scrub the shower, and toilet and now Kevina does all of that. I can now fix or at least pinpoint the problem of any broken computer. I am super patient with long bus rides. I eat meat now.

What will you miss 6 months from now? Walking to the shop for flower and eggs, coming back drunk with a can of Dak and a loaf of bread having only paid for the food.

The clear starry nights in the shower.

Kriol text messages.

Favorite Belizean clothing: Echo unlimited ¾ jean shorts and a mesh tank top

What won’t you miss? The heat, long staff meetings, people getting way too drunk to carry on a conversation, corn, teachers asking me to find a lesson on the three types of weather, the library, the heat, rum, corn, all the kids, latrine splash back, reporting “out of site”, being the only white person on a bus, looking like a tourist everywhere I go just because I’m white, slow internet, corn, having one spoonful of coleslaw be my vegetable for that meal, rats, mosquito net, wearing a helmet on my bicycle when riding through PG, corn, waking up at 5:30 am on a Saturday, corn, jock itch, and corn.

What’s next? 2007 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 custom with a blue and silver two-tone paint job. Going back to vegetarianism…and losing thirty pounds.

Number of trips to the US: 3

Number of guests who visited you: 6

Belizean phrase I will most likely still be using in 6 months: right now, maanin

Most interesting creatures found in your house: tarantula, large Mohawk lizard, feuding rat family,

Favorite Belizean food: cahoon cabbage

First thing I will eat in the states: the closest fast food restaurant to my connecting flight, and it will be awesome!

Favorite book read in PC (optional 3 sentence summary) Harry Potter #7

The movies suck don’t even bother watching them, read the books.

Experience that changed my attitude or perspective: Watching a group of white people come in and donate a shipping container of old/broken computers and children’s toys seemingly just to get pictures of them doing it.

I am most proud of: Teaching computers to people

I will most likely be remembered for: Loving dogs and teaching them how to sit and shake

Most important lesson learned: Life is hard, animals die, babies die, and people die and we are sheltered from most aspects of death in the states. Taxes pay for wonderful things like bridges. Next time I hear a little punk kid complaining about the U.S. I will tell them to move somewhere for a couple years, and if they still don’t like it, stay away.

Countries visited: Mexico, Canada, USA, Guatemala

After two years of service what I know for sure: I’m proud to be an American!

COS Survey:

Name: Kevina Casaletto

Nick name/house name: xKeveen, kev, kay, ma-na(literally translates to are you my mother?)

Project Assignment: Teacher Trainer at Silver Creek R.C. School

Project Reality: Teacher Trainer/ Library Facilitator/ Computer God

Most Useful thing brought to country: Hanging Shelves

Least useful thing brought to country: Chocos and American business casual

Best “I know I’m in the Peace Corps” moment: After a two-week stint in Belize for medical stuff we came home to a rat infested house. One night I felt a rat at the bottom of the bed. If you kick your feet they will run away, so I did a little shuffle with my feet. At this point Greg woke up, arms flung wide protectively and simultaneously scooted me back to the corner of our mosquito net while screaming, “WHAT’S A MATTER?” “IT’S OKAY!” WHAT’S A MATTER?” “IT’S OKAY!” in rapid succession. This continued until he had me safely barricaded behind his body in the corner and I could finally get out, “there was a rat but it’s gone.”

Funniest experience in country: During my sister’s visit we took a mini vacation in Placencia. We had a great night and went to bed early, around 10:00. We did not book in advance so we were in a tiny room with two twin beds, one tucked 3/4ths behind the wall of the bathroom. In the middle of the night kaylyssa woke up because there’s a light on. At first she tries to ignore it, then finally looks around and realizes it is not our room’s light but the hallway’s!! She immediately sits up (choosing not to make a sound) and realizes there is someone in the bathroom. After carefully counting and recounting the four legs in the twin bed across from her she deduces it is indeed an intruder (again choosing not to make a noise). She later told me her plan was simple. Wait until the person comes out, give him a ‘what –the –f” stare and he, realizing he’d made a terrible sleep walking mistake would simply turn and go onto his own room.

The door knob begins to turn and she fashions her face and hands in her WTF stare. As the intruder (tall white male in only boxers) enters the room he stops for one second and then proceeds to try to get into bed WITH my sister! She feebly starts to say “what? What? No no!” as she slaps her hands in a doggy paddling motion in front of her face. Finally, since there is a little ruckus now Greg wakes up. Now here’s where it gets interesting. Instead of making or saying ANY normal action/thing he begins to flap his arms up and down fully extended starting from his thighs up way above his head fingers rigged and hooked while screaming, “RRRAAAAHHHHHHHAHHH! RHHHAHHAAAAAHHHHH!!!!” (Picture a tyradayctle impersonation). This wakes me up and I think that sound is some intruder trying to have his way with my sister and I start to go bizzerk jumping up and down and from bed to bed trying to swing at him saying “GET THE F OUT!” in an ultra sonic voice. I however, cannot get any his in because greg is flapping all in his face (actually he pushed the man down ontop of kaylyssa). The man is clearly frightened out of his mind and in shock, his eyes are the size of saucers, his mouth is completely open and his hands are up in defense as the two of us surround him. Finally Greg lurches back, grabs the dude by his shoulders and throws him in the hall shutting the door. The battle of two primal brains, appear larger, make loud sounds vs. fight or flight.

Most memorable illness/injury: Doctor diagnosing my kidney infection by punching me in it, my face being paralyzed, and having to run out of the hospital to vomit as the pharmacist explains how to take a pill every 8 hours (mainly how you don’t start over with 1 when you get to noon, you just keep counting).

Most Belizean habit to take home with you: Thanking everyone at the table after meals.

Most creative way to kill time in site: Pouring cup after cup of water into the desert cracks during the dry season

How have you changed? I’m not lazy anymore, for the first time in my life I know what hard work is. And I kill and eat animals for food.

What will you miss 6 months from now? Swimming in the creek every day, hammock time, the sweet smell of scrubbed people on the morning bus, interacting with so many people each day.

Favorite Belizean clothing: ‘Ninja turtle’ skirt also, all cabañerous clothes

What won’t you miss? Everyone assuming I’m an expert in EVERYTHING

What’s next? That is the question...language school, beyond that ???

Number of trips to the US: 3

Number of guests who visited you: 6 (my sister came twice though)

Belizean phrase I will most likely still be using in 6 months: right now, jo'wan (wait in ketchi)

Most interesting creatures found in your house: Bat, cat, duck, chicken, scorpion, baby human, lizard, and a puppy.

Favorite Belizean food: rice and beans with stewed chicken (with fresh coconut milk) and cahoon cabbage (the center of a cahoon palm tree)

First thing I will eat in the states: that salad with pears, blue cheese, walnuts, apples, and the raspberry vinaigrette!!! Also all cold weather fruits; pomegranates, grapes, apples, strawberries, and squash.

Favorite book read in PC (optional 3 sentence summary):

Stiff: the curious life of cadavers by Mary Roach. Talks about the many interesting uses and history of cadavers; from fertilizer to test dummies.

Experience that changed my attitude or perspective: After shouting, “good try” to one of my girls playing volleyball she turned and told me, “but I missed the ball, Miss!” Perhaps we praise a little too much in the states. Do we really need to tell kids they are doing a good job sitting??

I am most proud of: My husband for sticking it out and being so integrated! He is THE man in the village, "Yeah Mr. Greg!"

I will most likely be remembered for: Falling through our village bridge in front of everyone.

Most important lesson learned: Development is a very tricky field and looks totally different to the people being ‘developed.’

Countries visited: Mexico, Guatemala, Canada, USA

After two years of service what I know for sure: is that I have an unending amount left to learn. It is always better to listen for a long time before voicing your opinion, or choose not to say anything. 'Doing good' isn't always so 'good.' Also, there are always two sides to every story.

HAIKU CORNER

“No Want to buy?”

Wangla, panades,

Casava, donuts, pan tul

Watermelon, ik

-Greg

To be more, meet more

I am part of those I’ve met.

To meet more, go more.

-Amy

corn, corn, corn, corn, corn.

Children everywhere I look

Corn, corn, corn, corn, corn

-Lilly

Da wat you meh say?

Dis da one crazy fun time!

Soon gwen from here

-Emily Allen

Where visit and walk

Are one and the same, where all

The kids shout my name

-me

Chickens, dogs, children

All roaming in my front yard

But none belong here

-Cali