Hurricane in the House...Storms and 'Jump Ups'

Happy 3 years!

Who gets two more nights with AC and TV??? WE DO!!!

Tropical Storm Matthew (an anniversary present?):

We started our 3 year wedding anniversary a day early with our village's Independence Day parade, performances, and 'jump up' or dance. The next morning we packed up, texted the duty officer that we were heading out and began the trek to Placencia. When we arrived we received a call, from our zone warden, letting us know about TS Matthew and to be prepared to go on 'Alert.' Being in the bush we had no idea there was even a storm out there. We called and made sure it was okay if we at least stayed the night and then had a great evening of good food, and swimming under dark skies in the surprisingly warm carib sea. We paid 10 extra dollars for a TV and AC and had ourselves a great little vacation. Early the next morning we went from 'Standfast' to 'Consolidation' where we were told to go town because our official hurricane shelter at the capital was blocked by a flooded bridge.

Tropical storm flag in Placencia

We asked what if no buses pass due to the bridge, official answer...hitch. We made it to the hotel where we all milled around, gathered around for Peace Corps conference calls on speaker phone and watched the weather channel. Ofelia kept me posted on what was going on in the village and we were ready for the worst of it to hit Saturday with projected winds of 45 miles per hour. I was so nervous about ours and everyones houses in the village! Luckily the hour of impact came and went with only rain and some gusts of wind...the storm had died down and sped up so it just breezed past us! We cut hair, painted pictures, and watched Made marathons and did some catching up. Us villagers haven't had quality time together in a while and it was really really nice. When we got back there was only a little flooding and no damage to any ones' homes.

On a related note here are some students responses to a reading test question:

'What does the word 'flooded' mean?

-all rain around
-deep river
-the rain drop and the water come
-water start to pour
-splash
-puddles
-water is coming up
-when bottles come by
-water everywhere

Malaria Mondays:
Monday is malaria pill day. Possible side effects: hair loss, sensitivity to sun, upset stomach, blindness, and vivid dreams. Today we will delve into a few case studies of the latter side effect.

Case 1:
Kaylyssa and I are shopping in a huge warehouse (like what I imagine the Wal-mart outlet store would look like, poorly lit with Sam’s club height shelves). The first thing she wants is a green poka dotted change purse with a broken clip and some cheap school supplies inside. I look at the price tag…8,000 yen or 386 Belize. Frustrated I leave her to try to find a round claw hair clip that everyone uses here and pumice stone. I search up and down the aisles of bathroom throw rugs (laughing at the mental image of my turquoise shag throw rug in front of my cement latrine seat). I eventually give up and decide I need cool American clothes. Everything’s hideous; red riding pants with brown socks, boots with toes that curl up and around like elf shoes. I settle…a coat. I grab one quickly, a man is watching so I don’t want to linger. I shove my arms through and turn around with my arms sticking out to look at my poorly lit reflection on the 20 foot tall rough cut mirror hung from the rafters. It is a red coat with a big collar and 6 arm sleeves. I think to myself that I look like a spider, and besides, the other 4 arms are too small to get an arm in… –wake-

Steve getting his first 'trim'

Greg's tech station...fixing villagers computers

Case 2:
Greg and I are staying in Belmopan at the Wrights (the family I used to nanny for, who do not live in Belize). I want to drive home (I got excited in my dream that I could drive) but I have to go to the local Internet, restaurant, and outdoor washing center first. I walk through the restaurant/ Internet lounge to the back patio with spigots and washing rocks of varying heights. It is packed with cool kids, like the scene kids from the communist bar in Wilmington. It is lit with paper lanterns and feels like a party out of True Blood. I feel like I did at Pravda, an old lady in mom jeans and a sweater while everyone (male and female) wears tiny vests, skinny jeans, and asymmetrical haircuts. I find a small rock and start to wash my clothes. It is loud and people are joking and, I notice, not taking their washing seriously. I am almost finished and take my top off like at the creek but in horror I realize I don’t have my bathing suit on. No one notices so I pick up my wet clothes and throw on a moo moo shirt/dress to try to move to another rock in the back where no one will watch me. People start harassing me about where I learned to wash and I run out…leaving my wet clothes and run into Tink. I give a quick hug but I am stressed out so I keep pushing my way past Internet users and diners only to discover I’ve offended an older couple in the new group of PCV because I haven’t recognized them. And –wake-

The old host family and the newest member...Albert!

Case 3:
It is night time and we hear a rat. We flick on the flashlight and find the source of the noise…the manure pile that takes up a third of our house is moving at the bottom(we apparently think nothing of the pile of horse poo…I remember the feeling that this was a part of everyone’s house). Thinking it is a rat I throw a slipper at it. Much to our horror… not a rat but an Anna, our good friend Steve’s friend, shyly crawls out. She shamefully explains that since it has been so cold she was forced to sleep there for it was the only warmth in the world. /change scene/ I am with Jen and Blair and we are flitting between hotel rooms on a mission to find names. They are here in Belize with me and have not realized it as of yet. I somehow know for a fact both of them, at this very moment, are also back in the states and I have to make them realize this before something bad happens. Jen has a clip board and is jumping from bed to bed as I chase her around saying, “But you’re in Belize, I am Kevina.” Blair just lies there, indifferent or perhaps pondering the space time continuum she’s broken. –wake-

“Kim tao li xajonel xkeveen.” ‘Come, let’s go dance kevina.’-Grislmina Independence in the Village:
Monday, the day before the 21st the party started…in my yard. Since the chairman is my host brother were killing and cooking the 3 pigs right in my backyard. I squeezed past preschoolers, changed and came back out to my beans and chi Chiron with tortillas. Then I helped to pat tortillas…it is starting to become known that I can do this well and there were only a few comments about how ‘chabil’ and neat my tortillas were. Swollen heads are easy to catch here, as you’ve probably noticed. Anyway after the baking was finished but before the poch making could begin a few ladies came inside my house to visit. Quickly more came in, I offered all the stools and hammocks I had and then the rest just stood, they walked around the house saying things like:
“So this is where you sleep”
“So this is your bike”
“so this is where you bake”
I broke out my two photo albums (the 4 framed pictures on our tiny refrigerator were drawing a ridiculous crowd). Everyone gathered around, I got handed one of the newest infants and I proceeded to explain each picture. They stared at each picture looking at the details in the background, they were shocked no one bathes or washes at the pond in my in-laws neighborhood. As Angelica is teasing me about how I have to stay since it looks like I found a baby, much to the delight and giggles of the women AMY WALKS IN!!!!! I jump up, baby in arms and run to her making awkward movements to hug her but obviously the infant is in the way. The women kind of stare at my odd behavior, they are an always calm and patient group unlike what I just exhibited for them. Amy caught a ride with my other host brother who teaches at her school!!


The school queen in the pick up truck ready to parade.

Amy tried her hand and making poch, Andres made fun of her and said it was because she didn't have a man that her poch was no good. I worked on the queens scepters and sashes with Angelica and Christy's mom. We were asked to watch the liquid lard (used to fry the pig skin) in our house because too many kids were in the yard and their house...so a pot that I could bathe in, filled with boiling hot lard was carefully nestled in the corner of our house. The men turned over the roasting pork on the 15 foot long impromptu grill. The village council was throwing this Independence day party to thank the villagers for all their help and support on the September 10th party and village queen selection. The thank you consisted of 3 slaughtered pigs (and the subsequent roast pork caldo, my favorite), free juice and goody bag (chips, gum and sweets) for every child in the village, and a case of rum for free rum punch for all the men. They also bought 10 cases of beer and sold it at a loss at just 2.50 per pint.

We began early so Amy and I went to wash and bathe at the creek (since our shower was taken over for washing dishes and surrounded by people minding the caldo. We were supposed to start at 9:00 but really we just started the decorating of the trucks. Finally everything was blue, white, and reded out (they say it in that order instead of red, white, and blue...fyi) and the ceremonies began. There were a few more dances and presentations by the village queens then all three contestants from the village and the one school queen were escorted onto stage by four little boys in their confirmation suits. They bowed and gently locked elbows to assist the girls up the steps of the stage. This was followed by a parade with all the children in their uniforms and parents and villagers marching with blasting music behind a truck caring the queens on chairs in the back. Down to the field and back across to the water tower. It was a little hectic over the bridge but I managed to keep myself and the preschoolers from falling through it this time.

We came back and Amy and I passed out snacks, Greg was put to work at the bar and was dancing around with the other two guys handing out free rum punch to eager hands. After everyone headed right over to my house to get their free roast pork caldo and poch/tortillas.
We snuck in the house and chatted and took a little nap with the village surrounding us on all 4 walls. Greg got a break and came over to eat...they gave away all the rum punch in only a few hours. Around 2:30 we finally made it over to dance (with much convincing from Amy). Everyone was peeping from the outside at the 4 or 5 people dancing inside.

Predance peeping

We saw Arcinio the young shopkeeper and called him over to dance with Amy and the 4 of us danced in a corner to punta as the village watched on. After a few dances we went outside and rejoined the ranks of peeping. Ofelia leaned over and said she "like to see the way you dance keveen." It was really fun, laughing with the ladies as the men let loose flying around the timid queens and they kept tempo with their hips to the ridiculously fast beat of punta. We took a break to get ideals and talked at the shop for a while and found Mrs. Cecilia had wanted to dance but no one would. So Amy, Greg and I headed over with the ladies and after a quick request for Qumbia (spanish?) music we went in to dance. Mrs. Cecilia and I danced 'together' twirling our skirts from side to side (the exact dance for the ketchi harp music) staring blankly at each other. Greg flitted around enjoying himself dancing next to my teacher Luis as Amy flew around the dance floor polka-ing with Morpheus. We also got asked to dance by one of the quiet preschool moms when the traditional harp music came on. The three of us danced swinging our skirts (pants) from side to side staring at each other. Amy and I would throw in a little twirl cross over every once in a while. Everyone was hooting and seemed to like our little performance with Grisilmina.

We had such a fun day at 4:30 (when the party died right as I predicted) my bet was foiled because a van fall of people (and the queen) from the neighboring village piled out and immediately brought the party puntaing with avengance. Finally by 7:00 all lights were out, all villagers asleep...an all day bash finished.

Poems and Latrines

Dobby: A Belizean House-Elf

By: Kevina Casaletto

Choosing the name for our dog,

that wasn’t even ours, was easy.

She was called Dobby,

for like the broken, beaten house-elf...

she loyally loved.

Defending our house with her blood and teeth.

We’d ignore her at the table,

where she laid beneath.

Her belly swelled,

she stole food...we knew.

One day she came,

the belly and beauty gone, our clue.

Replaced with ribs and teets,

A new...desperate look in those eyes once so sweet.

We now cooked for three.

We bathed she,

Got a mange injection from the Farm Feed.

I remember we said, “stay alive,

survive... and we will take you to the states,

to thrive.”

The thought hung over her like a bribe.

A little more than a year and she’d be free,

or a slave, depending on how you see.

Beatings, stones, and long days at the farm,

all of these she endured without apparent harm.

Would she leave a land of wild, free, roaming...

of tamale dinners, fresh water from rapids foaming?

Embrace a plane ride, injections, and not least...

the leash?

Wait little elf,

stay alive,

survive,

We will see.

We will see.

Which life was meant to be.

We No Po!

By: Edward Robert Broaster

(a famous Belizean poet and novelist)

The life style of the West

has been presumed to be the best

Assuming we are not in a good position

they have the ideal and most suitable condition

The Maya were told they are poor

Due to thatch roofs and mud floors

“Me have me corn and everything me need

Look! For next year crop, at all me seeds”

Neither bills nor tax we have to pay

a pleasant life we live I say

How dare you say my people po

Not a soul or bank we ever owe

As the sun rises early over the Earth

So too we in the morn to work the dirt

Without machines we work the land

Most precious asset we health and we hands

Some final thoughts by Greg:

Benefits of a Latrine

By: Greg Casaletto

When I first came to this country I had never used an outhouse or as they call them here latrines. Actually I held off using one of them until we visited the healthy communities training site of Armenia village to attend a training session. I only peed. I was fortunate enough to have a flush toilet at both my host families houses and saved my defecation for them. The next time I used one was approximately two months later when I took a ride out to Jalacte. Again, only pee. Then we moved into a thatch house with a latrine, but still I refused to use it because just 100 yards away there was the schools flush toilets awaiting my bowel movements.

One rainy day when I was either to lazy to take the walk or up for a personal challenge I decided that I would use the latrine. I realized that I was scaring myself for no reason. Here I was just inches away from nature, pineapple plants, coconut palms, and mango and orange trees. The breeze was refreshing and the plastic toilet seat I bought was a familiar comfort. I have now grown to appreciate my time in a latrine and have reassessed my feelings on them. I wanted to give a short thesis on how I feel about this subject. Let me begin with my quarrels with bathrooms.

I really don’t like bathrooms, in fact I am downright grossed out by them. I never really thought about it but it is gross that we keep the place where we defecate so close to where we sleep. And don’t even get me started on when directors decide to put a fight seen in a movie that ends up in a public bathroom, things like that just send chills through my whole body. Being a man I fully take advantage of the “world is my urinal” way of thinking, accentuated but not limited to when the sun goes down.

Indoor bathrooms, unless maintained and cleaned daily, take on a mildewy, moldy, scummy feel. I really only feel comfortable in a bathroom when I taste the bleach fumes that are lingering in a freshly sanitized bathroom. For some reason I don't feel this way about latrines.

Latrines tend to have rather large gaps between the walls and roof and sometimes, as in the case of mine, between the walls and floor. This removes the mildew and mold smell, even though it may still grow there.

As far as my main complaint about latrines, the smell. It really isn't that bad and it pretty much disappears when you sit down. If your thinking to yourself "how is that a benefit?" Well Imagine you are a cute little female PCV who is visiting an even cuter male PCV in Toledo. On your way to visit him you decide to eat one of those burritos in Dangriga. You know the ones, they're really good but they all have an inevitable outcome which will bring you to the latrine later that day. After you make your trip to the already smelly latrine, you can rest assured that said "cute male PCV" will not walk into the latrine and say to himself, "Gross! She stunk up the latrine."

Have you ever gone to someone's house and used there bathroom and clogged the toilet? Of course you have, you wouldn't be human if you didn't. I can guarantee that you will never say "Miss Choco, do you have a plunger? I somehow managed to clog your latrine."

I can hear all of you saying, "Greg, why aren't you talking about those midnight hikes in the rain? The bug bites on your genetalia? The terrifying splashback during the rainy season when your latrine is an extra 2 feet of liquid in it?"

Yea those suck, but why do you have to be so negative? Just remember next time your sitting on your cement throne listening to the dog sniffing around outside and watching the scorpion crawl past your dropped trousers that this latrine is overall better than those flush toilets that the people in town have, no matter what they say.

"Kevina is it true what the Mayas said about 2012?"

Random Tid Bits of Life

Our world map is nearly complete! The kids wanted to label the countries, so they each got a section and had to use the map to find the countries then label...very educational for me too!

The $400 wedding cake, the most expensive wedding cake seen in Silver Creek. This is right after the ceremony where everyone waits to congratulate the couple and give their gift. You then go outside and sit on a bench and someone will bring you food and a drink. You leave after that, or stay sitting if you want a beer/ rum.

The 10 yard walk from the church to her in-laws house.

Brides parents from the neighboring village of San Miguel.

Repairing the freshly cleaned mosquito net before my Father-in-Law comes.

For computer classes!

I am a huge dork/ love shop paper.

The inside of the library before.

Outside world map...before.

Front entrance before.

We had help painting from many peace corps volunteers, Greg's Dad, Luis (the teacher who lives in the village), Christina (the future librarian) and 4 high school students. It was kind of surreal listening to Billy Joel while painting with high schoolers in the middle of a jungle.

Front AFTER!

School side AFTER!

Inside facing side door. Future children's section.

Facing main door, by the window will be Christina's librarian desk/area!

The view from Christina's desk...the adult section.

View from front door.

My summer workshop...Reading and Writing Launch!

Here teachers are watching videos of themselves doing read alouds last year...we discussed what we liked from each and teachers jotted down ideas to use with their own read alouds.

Looking through books and choosing 'I remember' books for the first two week's read alouds.

We then planned a mini lesson for reading, 'good readers ask questions' and a writing mini lesson on good writers get ideas from what they know, 'I remember' prompt

A review from my workshop... I think this was my best one so far if I do say so myself...and the longest (3 hours)

My injury from the 2 ft hole in our bridge. This happened the same day as a wedding and Christening party... everyone was talking about it and after I went home Greg said there was much debating about my fall and what should be done about the bridge. Greg said they were upset that I got hurt. The chairman came over while I was cleaning it and demanded, "let me see your leg." He gasped and said he was sorry that happened and two days latter we had ourselves a brand new bridge!

Greg with Steve/ Seaford...Our favorite baby!

Lynette and I working on posters for our village football marathon.

Our first baptist wedding. The girl only spoke Spanish and the groom ketchi (he knows some Spanish) the translations of the ceremony were quite funny.

The rainstorm INSIDE our house.

Lets talk about rain:

Every evening x-men like clouds (huge flickering masses of dark billowy clouds) roll in from the East to descend upon and scare the daylights out of the villagers. Thunder is not like in the states. There is none of this 1-Mississippi, 2 Mississippi nonsense...you can't even say 'one' before the crack rips the air. The lightning and thunder are continuous and the thunder sounds like it is ripping space/time itself. I have literally JUMPED straight up in bed TWICE and onto Greg from fear. Was I ever scared of thunder back in the states you ask? No, but then again I had more than a net and leaves over my head. Villagers often ask if we have thunder in the states. I try to explain that yes, but we don't hear it as well because all our houses are sealed up, impossible image to portray to my friends here. So I don't know if it's the sound rebounding back from the Maya mountains, or that the storms are worse, or if we're just closer to the heavens but storms in Belize are unlike anything I've experienced anywhere else...here's to another night 'restful' sleep where we will undoubtedly wake up to a beautiful dawn with chicks chirping like it was all a bad dream.

Me and the women making Poch (ground boiled corn packed onto a waha leaf, folded up and boiled.

Frying pig skin...chi chiron what we all eat the day before the wedding/party when we help bake. (man's work)

Man's work.

Right downstream from where I wash...yummy.

Shaving the pig with hot water and knives...it has already been slaughtered.

So there are some glimses into our lives...Greg is playing a football marathon on Friday with the Silver Creek team so look forward to that! Final story:

Mr. Choc, who owns the shop across from the world map, said he really likes to see how we painted the world map, he'd never seen a world map before. He also said, "Mr. Greg I have a lee piece of land you could have and build a thatch and a garden on. That way you could stay as long as you and kevina want."

Seriously considering it.