on being on hiatus...

Hello again readers. It’s been nearly half a year since I’ve updated you about what is going on in my life here in Belize. This is for a few reasons…namely, I cannot shake the notion that you all do not really care about the fact that I went to school, came home, ate dinner, played with my dog and then went to bed- which is what I was mostly up to for the last few months. Life here is quite routine…and while the exotic thoughts of being in a foreign country were exciting to report on during the initial time I spent here, the truth is that all I would be reporting on currently are the daily rumblings from life in my home…and I have a journal for that.  Secondly, friends and family – I’ve asked for updates from your life as well…and have received none. I understand that the theory of the blog is for public leisure reading and that you all probably loved checking in when you ran out of other things to do on the internet. I had hoped it would be a way for me to stay connected in the easiest way possible with everyone I knew back home (without the stress of incorrect email addresses ruining a thing). Trouble is, I’m connected to the entire planet via this internet blog and feel disconnected from the very people that the blog is intended for. I blame naiveté on my part for assuming that this would be a two-way street.


So- there you have it- my reasoning for not updating. The little rant on my end is finished…

On to the bullet points of the last 6 months:

March-

• Organized and ran HIV outreach for La Ruta Maya (cross-country canoe race). Six PCVs partnered with individuals from PASMO for the 4 day event. We were exhausted at the end of each day, but it was a successful event- reaching nearly 700 Belizean men, women, and children.

• New Trainees arrive in Belize. There is nothing like a new group to remind you just how much you have changed, when you feel certain that you “really aren’t THAT different.”

April –

• Attended a USAID workshop with about 19 other organizations working with PLW HIV in an effort to create a national continuum of care. 2 days, several cups of coffee later- I left the conference having helped write the mission and vision for this new group of dedicated individuals.

• The Dwyers returned to Belize! My previous yoga instructor and her family have moved to Honduras, but returned right before Easter for a visit. A bunch of us got together for a wonderful yoga session, good food, and catching up!

• SPRING BREAK!!! I traveled with my friend Emily and two local guys from Benque across the boarder to Guatemala. We stayed at a beautiful hostel in Flores called Los Amigos, ate Pizza Hut and everything else we could get our hands on (chocolate dipped strawberries!!!!) because things like that are simply out of reach in Belize. We also spent an entire day checking out Tikal- one of the most impressive Maya ruins in Central America. 8 hours in and we still didn’t see everything!

May –

• Helped create the first ever peer support group at post in Belize. VSV (volunteers supporting volunteers) is made up of a few other of my fellow volunteers who are trained to help other volunteers work through the rough spots of life in a foreign country. And trust me, there are a LOT of rough spots…

• Played a football game in Yo Creek. The Peace Corps women WON, and I’m fairly certain that the entire village came out to watch. Apparently there had been some misinformation given to the locals…that a professional American team was down to play an exhibition match. Oh, how wrong they were. We even had a man announcing the game (in Spanish) from a nearby rooftop. There is really nothing like hearing “GGGGOOOOAAAALLLL” shouted at you just like they do on TV!!!

• Attended Cacao Fest in Punta Gorda. Yep, finally traveled all the way down south again to drink wine and eat chocolate. Both I did with shocking success and had a wonderful reprieve from my daily routine in Belmopan. Sometimes, all you need is good conversation with friends in a new location to help bring back some spunk.

• Was on a strict ibuprofen and zyrtec regimen to allow me to breathe. The country is hottest during April and May and we had no rain!!! Due to the intense daily heat (100+), 100% humidity, lack of precipitation, and a few other factors, nearly 26% of the country was on fire….all at once. Unfortunately, I live in a little basin in the middle…so naturally, Belmopan was the catch all for smoke coming from every direction. We didn’t see the sun for almost 3 weeks….just smoke and haze that you typically would associate with large polluted cities. Without that daily regimen of anti-inflammatory and allergy type meds, I was a wheezing, coughing, choking mess! And it is after these two months that I can officially tell all of you, without question, that I hate summer (it’s always been my least favorite season)…but now, there is NO doubt in my mind.

June –

• Reviewed the first draft of a Monitoring and Evaluation manual that I’m helping to write with my other fellow members of the Health Systems Strengthening group (part of the HIV committee I’m a part of). What we learned: we’re awesome, we work better when we can do so with food, and we have SEVERAL revisions to go before we are confident that we’re giving Belize our best.

• Trainees swore in on June 10th! There are now about 80 total PCVs in country.

• My parents made a return trip and this time my brother joined!!!! The ONLY thing that could have made this trip better would be if I had actually been feeling well. So typical that after nearly two years, the first time I get sucker punched with something that knocks me off my feet is when I finally get to relax! Ah well, still a wonderful-memorable trip. Pictures below:

• Garden City Primary graduation. This year we had around 50 students complete all the requirements to graduate from Standard 6 at our school (equivalent to Jr.High graduation). The event took nearly 4 hours and while I’m certainly glad to have participated….I’m ecstatic that I do not have to attend another.

• Went to Lobsterfest in Placencia. Swam in the ocean and hung out on one of the ONLY beaches in the country, drank with friends, heard “SLOW TORNADO” performed live by the artist, and ate gelato for about 2 meals a day (I don’t actually eat seafood- I think my trade off was just perfect).



July (so far) –

• Helped a fellow volunteer run a reading camp for children in her site of Georgeville. We had approximately 16 students for the whole week focused on teambuilding and literacy. They would show up BEFORE camp started and drag their feet when they had to go home. On the last day, we created a slip and slide for some fun….there is absolutely nothing like the squeals of delight from children to know you’re making a difference. BY far, one of the most rewarding things I have done here in Belize.

• Held a BBQ at my house to celebrate a late 4th of July. Several friends showed up and we grilled beer brats, tiny hamburgers, hot dogs and even roasted s’mores. I built the grill myself and am actually really impressed at how well everything turned out! We hung and American flag hanky and drank beer that was cooled from a bucket full of ice….I cannot tell you the last time I did something so entirely American. No worries…it was Belizean music all the way for the entire evening…we cant entirely forget where we call home 

• Had a vet visit for Trafford. He ships to the states on the 14th, arriving in STL on the 15th. This is good for his acclimation to IL weather, but I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do when he’s gone!!!!

Ok, that’s the updates in a nut shell….you can probably expect one more before I leave, but lets not hold our breathe.

Peace.

Hello Readers. Are you there? It's me, Heather.

It’s true that I have been on hiatus with this whole blog thing since before Christmas. I’d apologize profusely, but honestly I think that would lead you to believe that I will start being better about posting more frequently. That, my friends, is just ridiculous. Better to just give up now and use that 10min. for surfing something else when you’re bored at work… The truth is, life in Belize isn’t all that interesting to warrant constant updating. I realize that some of you are still curious as to what I’m doing down here with Peace Corps. SO, here’s the bullet point list (because you all know I love these):


• I currently facilitate the Core Essentials character value program at Garden City Primary School

• I organized the school’s club system and it’s finally up and running…5 months after school started (we’re on Belizean time)

• I’m helping to create a school garden with monies GCPS received from a Kids2Kids grant I wrote… we’ve not planted a thing yet, but again- we’re on Belizean time.

• I’m a member of the Peace Corps HIV/AIDS committee. I’m currently organizing an outreach event for the La Ruta Maya (a canoe race that spans the width of Belize) which takes place the first weekend of March.

• I’m doing some serious work within a sub-committee of the larger HIV/AIDS committee. This sub-committee is dedicated to Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) for organizations working with HIV/AIDS…specifically focusing on their Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) procedures.

• I’m helping create a peer support program within Peace Corps (for volunteers struggling with the hardships of living abroad) along with a few other volunteers.

• I hang out with Trafford on the days that he’s decided its okay to like me….the dog holds a grudge!

• I do laundry on days when it’s sunny and dry enough not to produce mold in my freshly cleaned clothes...it’s been a while.

• I’m continually trying to cook decent food at an affordable cost. I have successfully learned how to do the following: buttermilk marinated chicken strips, eggplant ratatouille, stuffed peppers, rosemary chicken, vegetable chow mien, stir fry, biscuits and gravy, dinner rolls, pizza, hummus, aioli…all from SCRATCH! Send some of your favorite recipes my way (bearing in mind that several specialty ingredients are just not accessible to me here)

Ok, now you’re all updated on what I’m currently doing in Belmopan, Belize. Let’s rewind and fill you in on what has transpired since my last update in November. Cliff’s Notes version, of course.

Thanksgiving: I traveled down to Toledo and celebrated the holiday in traditional American fashion. We partied the night before, played flag football in the mud early Turkey Day, went home to shower and cook, and then proceeded to stuff myself to the point of food coma in the evening. I LOVE Thanksgiving in this country! There are so many of us that I’m able to eat amazing foods that my family doesn’t normally have… Pictures below.

The whole group in PG for Thanksgiving.

December: I finally made the trek back to the United States. It’s amazing how in a total of 8 hours, my entire world changed. I got up early on Dec. 18th and took a warm-ish shower in my bathroom in Belmopan, hitched a ride in a truck to the airport with my one bag, sat in an airplane where they serve something other than Belikin (I recommend the pomegranate martini), and was in “the land of good and plenty” by 3pm. Here, the walls were covered with TVs, no one cared to wish me “good afternoon,” there was greasy, unhealthy and delicious fast food every 10 feet, and there not only were sidewalks, but MOVING sidewalks. All this before my connecting flight to St. Louis. America is one amazing place.

The whole trip home went by in a blur. I visited most of my [growing] family, spent an afternoon with the Richmonds (THANK YOU! for making my first 24hours so wonderful), and was able to travel to see various friends from college. Now, there were some hiccups in my travel itinerary. I believe there’s a saying that goes, “The best laid plans of mice and men….” Well, I forgot that not everything goes my way and a mere 6 days into my trip, I ruined my transportation. UGH!!! Definitely put a damper on my return visit! ...it’s not that I was so desperate to have a car, but driving to where I wanted – whenever I wanted- well I’d been fantasizing about that for months! That bubble burst pretty quickly…And having a week of limited mobility because my body had been put through the wringer???…definitely not a part of my vacation plan. And so my brand new yoga mat still sits in my old room, unused.

But, the whole monkey wrench aside, I really enjoyed the time I had at home. And of course, I’m going to highlight my FAVORITE realizations from a trip the United States…after a year and a half in a developing country. Yes, here are a few things I didn’t see coming:

• Soft toilet paper is worth a few tears. I’ve said it many times since that first night in my aunt’s house in St. Louis, but honestly – it was like butter on my but!! Truly amazing!

• HOT water for an entire shower. There really aren’t any words…

• A white Christmas is like food for your soul.

• My parent’s house is FREEZING.

• You can’t ever really go back to how it was before you left. Life goes on.

• I’ve grown and changed and so have friends and family….some relationships don’t fit together anymore. That’s okay.

• I’m beyond amazed at the wonderful people that welcomed me home…in several capacities.

• Wine makes everything better. The fact that I could buy it for less than $10 was sheer perfection to a wonderful trip.

• At a family holiday dinner, family members successfully managed to discuss how my visit to the U.S. was going – in great detail – without ever actually including me in the conversation. I’ll assume this means that they have beautifully found a way to make me a part of their lives, even when I’m gone physically (which is sweet), but it was weird to be present and just hear this 5 feet to my right.

• Everyone is in a hurry. WHY? Not all of you have pressing things to get to… is the television show worth more than a conversation; do you really have to eat at 6 just because that’s the routine??

• My brother can keep his cool when the s**t hits the fan…I prefer to cry. Both have their value, but I’m in awe of the way he handles himself when the going gets rough.

• Small children still make me smile from the inside out. Unconditional entertainment and love. Doesn’t get better than that.

• Target is beyond words. I went at least 3 times and there isn’t even one where my parents live…

• The fact that you can do all your shopping (locating everything you wish to get, and then some – household, clothing, groceries, etc.) in one store should be celebrated. The fact that you can then load everything into a car and not walk with it all in your hands for 5 blocks made me endlessly happy.

• I love my family and have a greater appreciation for everything that they have allowed me to do.

• I was greeted with a “welcome home” from customs when I arrived in Belize. And let me be honest: Breathing warm air, riding in the back of a pick up for over an hour with my luggage tucked under my feet, hair a tangled mess from the wind, screaming in kriol while attempting to talk to those inside the cab… the guy in customs was right. Belize is home. And it never felt better.

Me & Craig

Craig, Mom, Me & Dad

my Speedo girls

January: was pretty low key, with the exception of one HASH run down in Placencia (it was the red dress run, without the red dresses) You all have the important daily happenings from the first bit of what I’m currently doing. Nothing else to report.



SO, that is my life – in a nutshell. Time in Belize is on the down-ward slope, as I have a little over 8 months left. It’s going faster every week and I’m booking events/visits/trips to fill what I can. I would still LOVE to hear from you all. Send me snail mail (my address is on the left) OR an email – it’s only fair that after all this, you update me on your lives as well. :0) So, get to it!



Happy Valentine’s Day!

meeting Henri Dunster

Well, at the Hash I was also able to meet a lot of new people. One woman in particular, Phyllis, struck up conversation and became an integral part of the next couple of weeks. Phyllis is a former teacher, who now works at the University of Miami at Ohio. She was in Belize as a supervisor for a group of college students that are doing their student teaching at various schools in Belmopan.


After the Hash, I met up with Phyllis and her students to have dinner. It was wonderful getting to know how the students felt about their experiences and Belize in general. I saw myself and my reactions when I first arrived in their current perspectives. It’s amazing how time changes the way you look at things, or how you come to better understand your surroundings once you become local. That realization was worth more than anything. I’m not from Belize and have a long way to go before I fully understand all of the quirks of this culture and how its different from my own, but hearing them made me see that there is progress.

After the dinner, Phyllis dropped me at my house and invited me to go with her and her students to visit a British man that does drawings of local Mayan ruins, Henri Dunster. He originally travelled to Belize 30 years ago and returned about 7 years ago to live. He’s a slight man with hippie tendencies and a wonderful ability to both draw and capture the beautiful Mayan history that is still here in Belize. Some of his drawings of the steles from 30 years ago are now national archives because they no longer exist in the physical – rain and erosion has diminished the surfaces of these ancient structures.

Henri invited us to his studio and showed off his work, telling his personal story and his opinion on various archaeological works being done on various Mayan ruins in Belize currently. His most recent project has been to create a scale model of el Pilar – a ruin that is currently non-excavated. However, using GPS technology and an artist’s skill, he successfully has accomplished this. Pictures are below.

He has also come to a conclusion about how he thinks the ancient Mayan ball game was played. He’s created various parts of the outfit the Mayans wore based on a stele of the game that he drew some 30 years ago. He’s put together a book explaining his theory and is convinced that he’s unearthed this magnificent mystery that surrounds Puk-ta-Puk. It’s an interesting idea…but my jury is still out. :0)



Either way, this visit was wonderful and I completely loved learning something new about the local culture. I was enthralled the entire evening…yes, I suppose I’m a cultural anthropologist nerd at heart and there’s nothing I can do about it. There are worse things one can be!

To view Henri’s work or learn more about his life story, visit mayadrawings.com.

red dress run 2010!

Let me tell you a story about my first HASH….and this is by far one of the best things I have participated in during my time living in Belmopan! It all started with a harmless email from my friend Sharanya. She knows that I have a difficult time finding things to fill weekends and week nights within Belmopan. The city is alive during the work day…and non-existent any other time. UNLESS, you know the right people…and Sharanya knows them all. :0) And so, she invited me to join her and a few ex-pats in the HASH.


So, I took her up on the offer. A HASH is a walk/run event that takes place in various communities periodically. As a participant, you start from one point and run a trail that the Hare has marked out. The trail is different each time and is marked out using flour. While running, you must be on the look out for these flour markings. Three circles in a row means that you’re running the right path. However, it gets a bit tricky because some of the markings require you to check the direction of the trail. At these junctions, people can run either right, left, or straight ahead, looking for those three circles. If they come to an x, then they’re not on the right path and must turn around and try again. This whole process is also accompanied by drinking breaks, and various other silly things. At the end of the HASH, the group circles around and sings ridiculous songs and welcomes new people. SO much fun!

Now, this specific HASH was the Red Dress Run. It’s held once a year and serves as a fundraiser for the group. This year, our monies were donated to Mary Open Doors (a domestic violence shelter in Cayo) and a local orphanage in Belmopan. So, as a fundraiser – we paid our entry fee and then were required to come to the event in a red dress. Everyone. In a red dress. At first I thought maybe this was a joke, meant to embarrass new Hashers…but that was not the case. The story goes that this event was started a couple years ago after a woman apparently showed up to a normal HASH wearing a red dress, not understanding what it was. She ran it anyway….and the rest is history. I’d like to thank her for a Saturday full of gut wrenching laughter and new friends. Take a look for yourself:

After the HASH, we were invited to the British High compound for a BBQ lunch and some swimming and of course -drinking. I’ve learned that the British hold events surrounded by the latter and thoroughly enjoy participating in this aspect. When I left sober, I was scolded and told that I’d be held accountable for such an atrocity at the next Hash. I guess I’ll have to go again just to find out….only next time, without a lovely red dress!

merida!!!

Well after the events of October, a few of the volunteers decided that it was time for a break! Now, I know that many of you will disagree with “needing a vacation” considering all of the things that I write about that seem fun and exciting. But, in my defense, there is a decided difference in what constitutes tropical paradise after you live and work in what many consider one for over a year. It is simply home at this point and I needed a break. SO...off to Merida I went for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Merida is located in the northern Yucatan- about 40 minutes from the port town of Progresso. Its an old colonial city with wonderful architecture and has rich, active cultural scene.


I played organizer –aka MOM – and rounded up a few other volunteers to travel with me...because traveling is always more fun when you have witnesses to verify ridiculous stories. We left Saturday morning for the border...and then hopped on our bus to Merida at 1:30pm, following a lovely lunch with Juan (a hotel manager that helped us along and entertained us for an hour) in Chetumal.

Kristen, me & Matt the night before our trip to Mexico

After the LONG bus ride, we arrived at 7:30 and took a cab to our hostel. The Santa Lucia Hostel was wonderful lucky for us, it was close to the action. Upon check-in, I was told that I had two messages waiting for me....FANCY! Turns out they were both from my friends Emily and Lilly, who had already attempted to meet up with our group twice and were vexed that we had not yet arrived. After freshening up and changing clothes, I finally took a minute to relax and enjoy the fact that I was no longer on a stuffy bus. This lasted all of two seconds....right up until Emily came tearing in, screaming my name...ready to cause a commotion if we had STILL not yet arrived. Love her enthusiasm!






Sta. Lucia Hostel

AND...the fact that she and Lilly had shopped for provisions to welcome us properly into this beautiful country. TEQUILA. The group gathered, poured drinks, and “Cheers” –d our trip, the our friends, then Mexico, then.....then I stopped keeping track. It was wonderful! We then headed to a local restaurant where I proceeded to drink my dinner and take in the surroundings.



me with dinner :)




me and Lilly

After dinner, we all split up and did various tours of bars and music scenes. I found Bud Light!!! And was heartbroken when I learned that it was too let for the store to sell it to me...but I cannot tell you how much seeing something other than Belikin MADE my night. Or it could have just been the effects of tequila?? Anyway, my friend Peter and I decided to call it a night and headed back to our hostel. Until we got sidetracked by a live rock band, and then a local traditional band....where we both paid for the most expensive Coronas of our lives. Ah, well... Eventually we made it home...crawled into our respective beds and relished in gloriousness that was Mexico!

Until about 8am...where once again, Lilly and Emily were yelling for us to get moving for the day. I seriously wonder when those two caught some sleep... We mulled around for a while and finally got ready and headed out on the streets in search of breakfast. Of course, this took forever since we kept stopping along the walk to look at various local art and gifts. And this was how we spent the day.... shopping, eating, eventually napping, and then starting the process all over again. By evening, we were excited to go out and see the local festivities for day of the dead. Alters had been constructed the night we arrived and were on display in the Gran Plaza the entire day. They disassembled them in the evening, and then had various activities going on. There was dancing, drumming, and a photo op with a women painted silver.... Lots of variation in Merida!



an alter in the town center

We ended the night by seeing a Rasta/Reggae concert in the middle of an old courtyard. It was my first time hearing Reggae in Spanish, and it was quite the experience....

The final full day in Merida was dedicated to some cultural activities. This was by far, my favourite part of the trip. Maybe its because I majored in Anthropology – and more importantly, love cultural anthropology…but I ate it up! We started the morning walking to the central Plaza. The old Governor’s mansion/compound is open for tourists to peruse through…so we helped ourselves. The walls were completely covered with art work! Most on the bottom floor were all done by the same artist who had a way with drawing in some serious emotion to all of the pieces of work. ON the second floor, there was a small gallery with other historical pieces. A lot of them told the story of the Yucatán region of Mexico. It was a unique telling of the story of the infiltration of the European and the damage and destruction caused….while still maintaining the strength and endurance of the Yucatán culture and people.

One of the pieces of artwork

After touring this, a few of us decided to take a tour of the city via double decker bus. Cassidy and I stopped in the local church first to have a quiet moment in this amazing city, and then we got our cameras ready! The bus tour was completely fantastic. At each point along the way, the local landmarks were described and histories given. Unfortunately between the megaphone-like sound system and the fact that this was done in Spanish, I have a feeling I missed out on all the details. Either way, a few pictures are below so you can enjoy as well.

monument honoring Mexico

The rest of the day was spent wandering around the city and shopping/eating. We were able to view a few of the altars set up for Dia de los Muertos and I wandered into a bookstore to revel in the amazingness of literature! (got myself a book of Yucatán Mayan legends). Overall, it was a fabulous mini vacation and I recommend it to anyone that has a sense of adventure and a basic knowledge of the Spanish language.

bully fighting stadium in Merida