Dios
We are settling in but yet life never seems to hold very still for us. We are either traveling to villages, house sitting for expats or back and forth between Belmopan and Punta Gorda for Peace Corps activities.
Last month Jody and Mark (Karey’s sister and brother-in-law) came to visit for too short of a time. They got to be involved somewhat in our daily activities. We traveled to Dolores a remote village in the southwest corner of Belize to be part of a health fair and brand new school/hurricane shelter dedication. It was our first time also visiting the village and we all found it very beautiful.
Jody and Mark also got to attend an annual Mayan celebration in Tumulkin where the children in high school (small boarding school in a village) still learn current curriculums but observe traditional Mayan practices. A shaman opened the day with traditional burning of herbs and incenses giving thanks to all four corners of the earth. After that people came forward for traditional healings by the shaman. There were traditional foods being served and games for both adults and children. Corn grinding and tortilla making competitions….catch the greased pig or climb the greased pole…all had a good time. Photos are on the way but we were not allowed during the shaman’s ceremony to take pics.
Mark and Jody treated us to a lovely dinner at Machaca Hill Lodge. Can check it online. It is located up a hill high in the canopy of the bush. The biggest thrill for us all was the visitation of howler monkeys in the trees including a mama and her baby. We all got photos and hope to get them to you soon.
The rainy/wet season has surprised us and began last Wednesday in full force. Today is our first day with no rain. The northern and middle parts of the country have taken a big hit. We’ve had two tropical storms hit at once Alma and Arthur. They are saying that this is the worst flooding since Hurricane Mitch in ’89 and Hattie in ’61 when 275 people were killed. So, far we only know of one fatality. Our area, while heavily rained upon remains in pretty good shape. The biggest worry is a bridge that connects us to food and supplies has been destroyed. So, far no one has panicked and the stores haven’t been picked dry - but this is the first day. We will all have to rely on each other as supplies get scarce. We’re just happy for a moments break to get our laundry done. Without a dryer you have to catch those brief moments this time of year. Nothing will ever really feel dry until just past the end of the year. We are “almost” used to that by now.
Our biggest hassle right now are the ants. They don’t like the water so they are trying to take over our house. It’s quite annoying – especially as you try to cook or sleep. You know they would take over the world if it wasn’t for bug spray!! Our natural remedies don’t work on these tenacious little buggers.
All schools have been closed – our computer class has been doing well – we are just running out of working computers and gaining students. We are hoping by tomorrow schools will be back in session. However, all our students come in from the villages via bus. Here, once momentum is broken it is hard to get the action going again. We hope for the best.
The Peace Corps has granted us driving privileges – this will help our WASH project immensely. We anxiously await the UNICEF dollars to take up the project again. Now that the flooding has started clean water education and practices become even more important – it will just be the travel that will be challenging. The rivers do flood a lot but patience is a true practiced virtue here – you wait two hours in your car and then move forward.
We have daily visits from local children. Even in PG town some living situations can be worse than one can imagine. We are going to have to put some rules in place as some of the children stay around expecting/wanting to be fed and entertained. They are very beautiful sweet children but we are not equipped to take it all on. Everyone of them is their own special story.
Well dear family and friends – trust all is well back home – spring blooms and hints of summer breezes.
Love
M&K
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Dios
We move forward at a place that is not recognizable in the states and still movement is being made. We have made it thru the first phase of our WASH (water, sanitation & hygiene) project. We will soon be training many people of the 24 villages chosen to train their communities in waste & animal management as well as safe water practices. It is very rewarding to know they have concern for the environment and are willing to make moves to better their situations. It's a lot of work and very time consuming as the travel is very difficult. We have been asking since January for driving privileges and again at a very slow pace they may come thur - lets hope before we leave.
A couple days ago I was travelling into the villages with the public nurse from Punta Gorda Hospital. Nurse Hazel. We were investigating an infant death at 1 yr and 2 mos in a family of 7 children as well as 4 infant deaths in another family of 7.
As we contact the Community Nurses' Aide, CNA, we find out she has been called to deliver a baby. We headed to Teresa Cucul's home. Teresa is 22 and this is her second child. Her first is three years old. The fact that she doesn't already have 4-5+ children and that they are spaced more than a year apart makes her a positive example within the village according to Nurse Hazel. However, Teresa has been in labor for over 12 hours and there is concern on her mother's face as well as Teresa's. Nurse Hazel says she must remain there to "catch this baby". We enter the one room dirt floor thatch. A tarp and blanket have been hung to create a birthing room. There is a twig bed inside and a large loop of some fibre hanging over the bed. Nurse Hazel takes Teresa's hand and brings her out into the daylight to see her coloring. She is very exhausted looking, yet still walking and not one word of complaint leaves her lips. In the next minute Nurse Hazel has her back in the room examining her to see how far along the birth is and we hear - the baby's head is right here. Women are carrying jugs of water slung around their heads and pouring water into a pot on the fire hearth next to the "birthing room". Not one complaint do we hear from Teresa. Teresa's husband comes in and out but for the most part stays outside with a couple of friends. One and half hours later a little boy apprx. 6lbs is born. After the little one is born Teresa lets her hair down and puts some in her mouth. This is believed to initiate contractions to expel the placenta. Nurse Hazel cuts the cord before the placenta has been expelled much to the shock of the Mayan women. They do not cut it until both baby and placenta have been "caught". Not yet bathed he is wrapped in a "clean" thin towel. After Teresa has been cleaned up Nurse Hazel asks me to take pictures of mama nursing here baby for the first time as well as pictures of the birthing room. (She will use these for education purposes)...I feel I am being somewhat obtrusive by doing this but I do believe Teresa felt my awe at letting me part of this little miracle. There was such naturalness and simplicity in this event thankfully. The Hospital is trying to encourage mothers to come into town to birth their babies but the travel is difficult - many fathers still deliver the babies and do not want their wives to come into town for many reasons - all of which we can only guess at.
After this event we investigate the infant deaths. The little girl that died on the way to the hospital at 1yr & 2mos - her mother is still feeling the pain as Nurse Hazel has to question her. She has seven living children all very close in age. Her living conditions are very meager and food is scarce. The child never gained her proper weight and would not take any solid foods. They did do a post Morton at the time (which was two months ago - there was no transportation until now to do the investigation). During the post-mortem they found brown liquids. The mother at the time said the baby had had nothing to eat. Now the mother says the baby was given coffee and cacao.(chocolate bean)
We move on to another home where the mother has had 7 pregnancies and only two children are living. The second child about 6 and the seventh a newborn. The first child, - babies 3,4 & five did not live past 6 months and it was determined just before they passed that they were blind. The 6th child was stillborn. Nurse Hazel asks many questions. She encourages the mother strongly to come into PG to have the opthamologist now there look at her baby. They are trying to determine whether the children were born blind or become blind It is difficult at this time of the year as the father's are working on their milpas (corn or bean plantations) either harvesting or preparing the soil for the rainy season and the father's have to give permission for the mother to go. It is suspected that these children may have a sibling pair for parents.
It's hard to reconcile this life with the one we all know and are grateful for, especially our beautiful families.
We hope your Easter was wonderful. We spent ours with the wonderful Miss Dita (62 yrs) who took us to San Ignacio for a couple days. There were about 10 of us Peace Corps and otherwise who toured the ATM cave (Actun Tunichil Muknal) It was a 45 minute hike into the bush, stop for lunch then a jump into the river to swim in the mouth of the cave. We traveled (walking & swimming) 1500 meters in. We reached a boulder about 10-12 feet high we had to climb. After that we removed our shoes to enter the dry portion of the cave and experienced the energy of the ancient Maya. I was imagining what our moms would say about walking in our socks. There were many artifacts as well as skeletal remains. Quite awesome.
The archaeologists can not figure exactly what the caves were used for. Caves are entrances to the earth mother and the spirits of rain, clouds, water all reside in caves. It is known that in burial ceremonies the shaman would gaze into the smoke and once the image of the departed was recognized they captured that spirit in pottery and turned it up-side-down. The prayers were said, ceremony performed, communion with the spirit, and once finished the pot was broken so the spirit could be free again. Many of these pots were still in the cave, just as they were last used and had been calcified onto the floor of the cave or altar rock. Skeletal remains were everywhere from 6 mos. to 47 years, possibly a rather old person for the times. Some skulls have signs of a blow to the head, therefore creating the impression of sacrifice. Still.........nobody knows for sure. We just made up our own stories.
Dita also took us to see what is arguably the premier ecotourism lodge in the country. Chaa Creek Lodge was the creation of a couple of 70's hippie societal dropout runaways. They came here the year we got married. Had to be a very different world. We were also treated to a visit to Spanish Lookout. This is an area populated mostly by Mennonites. After a trip down a gravel/rock road, taking a hand-crank ferry across the river, about a 1/4 mile ride up the hill from the river we came out somewhere in the US Midwest! Farmland as far as you could see. Implement and service companies on the corners of section roads. Just about anything you would want to find for farming and a drive through soft ice cream shop. If you got out of the car you could get lunch and a complete array of dairy products. All together a most memorable Easter.
We better get out for now. Hard work today trying to get laundry done. The rain gods from the caves are playing tricks.
We don't have all our photos off to Nathan yet but soon.
Love to all
us
We move forward at a place that is not recognizable in the states and still movement is being made. We have made it thru the first phase of our WASH (water, sanitation & hygiene) project. We will soon be training many people of the 24 villages chosen to train their communities in waste & animal management as well as safe water practices. It is very rewarding to know they have concern for the environment and are willing to make moves to better their situations. It's a lot of work and very time consuming as the travel is very difficult. We have been asking since January for driving privileges and again at a very slow pace they may come thur - lets hope before we leave.
A couple days ago I was travelling into the villages with the public nurse from Punta Gorda Hospital. Nurse Hazel. We were investigating an infant death at 1 yr and 2 mos in a family of 7 children as well as 4 infant deaths in another family of 7.
As we contact the Community Nurses' Aide, CNA, we find out she has been called to deliver a baby. We headed to Teresa Cucul's home. Teresa is 22 and this is her second child. Her first is three years old. The fact that she doesn't already have 4-5+ children and that they are spaced more than a year apart makes her a positive example within the village according to Nurse Hazel. However, Teresa has been in labor for over 12 hours and there is concern on her mother's face as well as Teresa's. Nurse Hazel says she must remain there to "catch this baby". We enter the one room dirt floor thatch. A tarp and blanket have been hung to create a birthing room. There is a twig bed inside and a large loop of some fibre hanging over the bed. Nurse Hazel takes Teresa's hand and brings her out into the daylight to see her coloring. She is very exhausted looking, yet still walking and not one word of complaint leaves her lips. In the next minute Nurse Hazel has her back in the room examining her to see how far along the birth is and we hear - the baby's head is right here. Women are carrying jugs of water slung around their heads and pouring water into a pot on the fire hearth next to the "birthing room". Not one complaint do we hear from Teresa. Teresa's husband comes in and out but for the most part stays outside with a couple of friends. One and half hours later a little boy apprx. 6lbs is born. After the little one is born Teresa lets her hair down and puts some in her mouth. This is believed to initiate contractions to expel the placenta. Nurse Hazel cuts the cord before the placenta has been expelled much to the shock of the Mayan women. They do not cut it until both baby and placenta have been "caught". Not yet bathed he is wrapped in a "clean" thin towel. After Teresa has been cleaned up Nurse Hazel asks me to take pictures of mama nursing here baby for the first time as well as pictures of the birthing room. (She will use these for education purposes)...I feel I am being somewhat obtrusive by doing this but I do believe Teresa felt my awe at letting me part of this little miracle. There was such naturalness and simplicity in this event thankfully. The Hospital is trying to encourage mothers to come into town to birth their babies but the travel is difficult - many fathers still deliver the babies and do not want their wives to come into town for many reasons - all of which we can only guess at.
After this event we investigate the infant deaths. The little girl that died on the way to the hospital at 1yr & 2mos - her mother is still feeling the pain as Nurse Hazel has to question her. She has seven living children all very close in age. Her living conditions are very meager and food is scarce. The child never gained her proper weight and would not take any solid foods. They did do a post Morton at the time (which was two months ago - there was no transportation until now to do the investigation). During the post-mortem they found brown liquids. The mother at the time said the baby had had nothing to eat. Now the mother says the baby was given coffee and cacao.(chocolate bean)
We move on to another home where the mother has had 7 pregnancies and only two children are living. The second child about 6 and the seventh a newborn. The first child, - babies 3,4 & five did not live past 6 months and it was determined just before they passed that they were blind. The 6th child was stillborn. Nurse Hazel asks many questions. She encourages the mother strongly to come into PG to have the opthamologist now there look at her baby. They are trying to determine whether the children were born blind or become blind It is difficult at this time of the year as the father's are working on their milpas (corn or bean plantations) either harvesting or preparing the soil for the rainy season and the father's have to give permission for the mother to go. It is suspected that these children may have a sibling pair for parents.
It's hard to reconcile this life with the one we all know and are grateful for, especially our beautiful families.
We hope your Easter was wonderful. We spent ours with the wonderful Miss Dita (62 yrs) who took us to San Ignacio for a couple days. There were about 10 of us Peace Corps and otherwise who toured the ATM cave (Actun Tunichil Muknal) It was a 45 minute hike into the bush, stop for lunch then a jump into the river to swim in the mouth of the cave. We traveled (walking & swimming) 1500 meters in. We reached a boulder about 10-12 feet high we had to climb. After that we removed our shoes to enter the dry portion of the cave and experienced the energy of the ancient Maya. I was imagining what our moms would say about walking in our socks. There were many artifacts as well as skeletal remains. Quite awesome.
The archaeologists can not figure exactly what the caves were used for. Caves are entrances to the earth mother and the spirits of rain, clouds, water all reside in caves. It is known that in burial ceremonies the shaman would gaze into the smoke and once the image of the departed was recognized they captured that spirit in pottery and turned it up-side-down. The prayers were said, ceremony performed, communion with the spirit, and once finished the pot was broken so the spirit could be free again. Many of these pots were still in the cave, just as they were last used and had been calcified onto the floor of the cave or altar rock. Skeletal remains were everywhere from 6 mos. to 47 years, possibly a rather old person for the times. Some skulls have signs of a blow to the head, therefore creating the impression of sacrifice. Still.........nobody knows for sure. We just made up our own stories.
Dita also took us to see what is arguably the premier ecotourism lodge in the country. Chaa Creek Lodge was the creation of a couple of 70's hippie societal dropout runaways. They came here the year we got married. Had to be a very different world. We were also treated to a visit to Spanish Lookout. This is an area populated mostly by Mennonites. After a trip down a gravel/rock road, taking a hand-crank ferry across the river, about a 1/4 mile ride up the hill from the river we came out somewhere in the US Midwest! Farmland as far as you could see. Implement and service companies on the corners of section roads. Just about anything you would want to find for farming and a drive through soft ice cream shop. If you got out of the car you could get lunch and a complete array of dairy products. All together a most memorable Easter.
We better get out for now. Hard work today trying to get laundry done. The rain gods from the caves are playing tricks.
We don't have all our photos off to Nathan yet but soon.
Love to all
us
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Dios
It has been a long time - we apologize but life has been very busy.
We have moved into Punta Gorda (PG) into a cute little bungalow but in a much busier/noisier area than we had anticipated. If one was to visit you would say "What are you talking about"?? but after living in the bush for 7 months the transition is going to take adjustment.
Two weeks after moving in our family came down. Seven in total and took over the Coral House Inn. Will send photos to all when we get a chance. It felt like time and space didn't exist while having someone from home to touch and talk to. Tarzan and Jane in the form of our parents along with trekkers Frank, Claire, Stephanie, David and Charlie did some awesome kayaking, trip to the cayes, hike to the waterfalls for some cliff jumping and sightseeing at ruinas. They got to experience some great bird sightings along with iguanas along the river banks. Dad experienced in his words "a two beer moment" when one of the approximately 3 foot beasts jumped in the water right next to his kayak. The scenery was beautiful.... The trekkers did a day trip to Blue Creek River Cave which included cave swimming and spelunking.
Stephanie contributed to the Mayan economy by buying close to a dozen baskets from several of the local Mayan women.
Unfortunately, Michael suffered a nasty flu before and during the family visit. He was able to come about in time for trip to Snake Cayes....called that because it is a boa constrictor habitat. A small island where we were the only inhabitants for the day. We did some snorkeling and had great BBQ provided by our boat captain and tour guide. Saw one boa resting up in a coconut tree. Walked the whole island in search of more but they were hiding.
So far, we have seen a black tailed snake - about 5 feet long, good for killing the tommy gofff - one of the most deadly snakes here. We had one living under our thatch near the village. Karey saw a tiger rat snake -about 5 feet long, good for catching rats - they live in the rafters of the thatch and you leave them there for that purpose. One of Karey's trips to the villages - driving home in the dark the driver spotted a tommy goff on the road. We stopped, backed up to the spot and the car died - no lights, no battery, no nothing...didn't see the snake, the driver tentatively stepped onto the running board afraid to step down. He finally decided to step down to check under the hood. He made it to the front of the car - just released the latch (didn't lift the hood) and the car lit up again. OBEAH! A word used for superstition or spooky happenings. Driver safely back in the car we moved on.
The place we are renting is really quite cute. We have painted a greater part of the inside from bright lime green and bright blue in one room to little subtler colors for quieting the mind. We have a great friend here who gave us all her left over paint - otherwise it would have been a bit spendy for a PC budget. Wish the family could have seen cleaned up. We have had a terrible ant problem and the painting seems to have alleviated the situation A LOT! YEAH!.
Michael has pounded together a couch/daybed of sorts for the "great room". We also had some Guatemalan fabric donated to us so, we bought a piece of foam, covered it and we have soemthing of our own to sit on. It's our first - we are so happy. We have a little veranda that a hammock is set up on - but we are a bit hammocked out after the past 7 months. Still it is nice to rock in occassionally.
Belize may have animal laws, litter laws, residentail codes??, and noise laws but nothing is followed thru on. We clean our front yard weekly from trash blown in - we have a "moat" in front of our yard and it collects trash. We are not willing to step into it to clean it. When it rains hard it raises quite significantly and flows. The water will then clear up and we can see fish. Once even had a small heron in it. Hoping the people will seeset an example by cleaning up - our friend says now the folks just know where to throw out the trash!
There are many many stray animals as few Belizeans consider spay & neuter. At night there must be no less than 50 barking dogs "harmonizing" with the high decibel levels of the competing bars in the neighborhood. We are learning to sleep under any conditions. Good news - we don't have to have a mosquito net in town and we have a REAL bed. We just found out the Public Health Inspector do periodic poisoning of the stray aniamls. They put out poisoned food in the evenings and after that we are not sure..........???
We continue to work hard on the WASH (Water Sanitation & Hygiene) project. It is a UNICEF funded project. Karey travels and travels and travels to the villages and Michael keeps things moving forward from town. It is very hard to meet schedules and agendas here. So, our American "get it done" style is atrophying. Probably not such a bad thing. "Right Now" in Belizean means anything from 1 hour to maybe...it is our favorite joke.
We are attempting by request to start an adult computer class we hope with the help of the local Ministry of Education. Karey has been asked to help with the local girls gymnasatic/tumbling team one of the other PC Volunteers started. The girls bailed once before - they have come back but they need a female present. Also, have been requested to teach a Yoga class. Have to see what I can fit in.
Well that's all the new for now!!! Will try to get here more often. Will attempt to get some pictures out soon. Okay sooner than soon - promise.
much love to all
trust this finds you all well and happy
us
It has been a long time - we apologize but life has been very busy.
We have moved into Punta Gorda (PG) into a cute little bungalow but in a much busier/noisier area than we had anticipated. If one was to visit you would say "What are you talking about"?? but after living in the bush for 7 months the transition is going to take adjustment.
Two weeks after moving in our family came down. Seven in total and took over the Coral House Inn. Will send photos to all when we get a chance. It felt like time and space didn't exist while having someone from home to touch and talk to. Tarzan and Jane in the form of our parents along with trekkers Frank, Claire, Stephanie, David and Charlie did some awesome kayaking, trip to the cayes, hike to the waterfalls for some cliff jumping and sightseeing at ruinas. They got to experience some great bird sightings along with iguanas along the river banks. Dad experienced in his words "a two beer moment" when one of the approximately 3 foot beasts jumped in the water right next to his kayak. The scenery was beautiful.... The trekkers did a day trip to Blue Creek River Cave which included cave swimming and spelunking.
Stephanie contributed to the Mayan economy by buying close to a dozen baskets from several of the local Mayan women.
Unfortunately, Michael suffered a nasty flu before and during the family visit. He was able to come about in time for trip to Snake Cayes....called that because it is a boa constrictor habitat. A small island where we were the only inhabitants for the day. We did some snorkeling and had great BBQ provided by our boat captain and tour guide. Saw one boa resting up in a coconut tree. Walked the whole island in search of more but they were hiding.
So far, we have seen a black tailed snake - about 5 feet long, good for killing the tommy gofff - one of the most deadly snakes here. We had one living under our thatch near the village. Karey saw a tiger rat snake -about 5 feet long, good for catching rats - they live in the rafters of the thatch and you leave them there for that purpose. One of Karey's trips to the villages - driving home in the dark the driver spotted a tommy goff on the road. We stopped, backed up to the spot and the car died - no lights, no battery, no nothing...didn't see the snake, the driver tentatively stepped onto the running board afraid to step down. He finally decided to step down to check under the hood. He made it to the front of the car - just released the latch (didn't lift the hood) and the car lit up again. OBEAH! A word used for superstition or spooky happenings. Driver safely back in the car we moved on.
The place we are renting is really quite cute. We have painted a greater part of the inside from bright lime green and bright blue in one room to little subtler colors for quieting the mind. We have a great friend here who gave us all her left over paint - otherwise it would have been a bit spendy for a PC budget. Wish the family could have seen cleaned up. We have had a terrible ant problem and the painting seems to have alleviated the situation A LOT! YEAH!.
Michael has pounded together a couch/daybed of sorts for the "great room". We also had some Guatemalan fabric donated to us so, we bought a piece of foam, covered it and we have soemthing of our own to sit on. It's our first - we are so happy. We have a little veranda that a hammock is set up on - but we are a bit hammocked out after the past 7 months. Still it is nice to rock in occassionally.
Belize may have animal laws, litter laws, residentail codes??, and noise laws but nothing is followed thru on. We clean our front yard weekly from trash blown in - we have a "moat" in front of our yard and it collects trash. We are not willing to step into it to clean it. When it rains hard it raises quite significantly and flows. The water will then clear up and we can see fish. Once even had a small heron in it. Hoping the people will seeset an example by cleaning up - our friend says now the folks just know where to throw out the trash!
There are many many stray animals as few Belizeans consider spay & neuter. At night there must be no less than 50 barking dogs "harmonizing" with the high decibel levels of the competing bars in the neighborhood. We are learning to sleep under any conditions. Good news - we don't have to have a mosquito net in town and we have a REAL bed. We just found out the Public Health Inspector do periodic poisoning of the stray aniamls. They put out poisoned food in the evenings and after that we are not sure..........???
We continue to work hard on the WASH (Water Sanitation & Hygiene) project. It is a UNICEF funded project. Karey travels and travels and travels to the villages and Michael keeps things moving forward from town. It is very hard to meet schedules and agendas here. So, our American "get it done" style is atrophying. Probably not such a bad thing. "Right Now" in Belizean means anything from 1 hour to maybe...it is our favorite joke.
We are attempting by request to start an adult computer class we hope with the help of the local Ministry of Education. Karey has been asked to help with the local girls gymnasatic/tumbling team one of the other PC Volunteers started. The girls bailed once before - they have come back but they need a female present. Also, have been requested to teach a Yoga class. Have to see what I can fit in.
Well that's all the new for now!!! Will try to get here more often. Will attempt to get some pictures out soon. Okay sooner than soon - promise.
much love to all
trust this finds you all well and happy
us
Monday, December 24, 2007
Felize Navidad!!
Happy holidays to all. We hear our hometown is having a white Christmas...we are having sunny weather, quiet days and no rain.
Belize goes on holiday for about three weeks during this time. There are a few ambitious cabaneros out there on this eve for the last minute shoppers. But we are not missing the insanity of the 'Malls'. The project we are working on is a bit behind and some people will be working later this week but no one works the 25th or 26th. We will be spending 2 quiet days lounging at the thatch. We know we will be missing the green and the quiet of the bush.
We are coming closer to having permanent living quarters. At first it seemed like it wouldn't happen - now we have three choices. The one we like the best is centrally located in the town - a little busier area but a cute Caribbean green bungalow, with a FLUSHER! It's not on the water but close enough to take the bikes down each morning to swim in the sea.
Our best present was talking by phone with our children yesterday, Uriah had to conference from Bend due to being snowbound. Karey got a present. A rare siting of a jaguar on her way to a distant village. Even the Belizians she was with were amazed and other locals are jealous.
That's all for now folks.
Much Merriness, Happiness and Love,
Us
Happy holidays to all. We hear our hometown is having a white Christmas...we are having sunny weather, quiet days and no rain.
Belize goes on holiday for about three weeks during this time. There are a few ambitious cabaneros out there on this eve for the last minute shoppers. But we are not missing the insanity of the 'Malls'. The project we are working on is a bit behind and some people will be working later this week but no one works the 25th or 26th. We will be spending 2 quiet days lounging at the thatch. We know we will be missing the green and the quiet of the bush.
We are coming closer to having permanent living quarters. At first it seemed like it wouldn't happen - now we have three choices. The one we like the best is centrally located in the town - a little busier area but a cute Caribbean green bungalow, with a FLUSHER! It's not on the water but close enough to take the bikes down each morning to swim in the sea.
Our best present was talking by phone with our children yesterday, Uriah had to conference from Bend due to being snowbound. Karey got a present. A rare siting of a jaguar on her way to a distant village. Even the Belizians she was with were amazed and other locals are jealous.
That's all for now folks.
Much Merriness, Happiness and Love,
Us
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Dios
Hoping this blog will make some sense as we try to catch up our happenings over the past couple of months.
Back in early November, Karey went to Hopkins - a small Garifuna village on the ocean to help with some medical assessments at a primary school in Georgetown Village about 20 miles from Hopkins. Working with Nurse Judy - a Belizean, then Californian now Belizean again we set out to get a medical baseline for all the primary students over a weeks time. This included height, weight, toothbrushes w/dental hygien lesson, deworming and an eye exam. Busy time and always when a village finds out there is medical personnel on site many show up to get medical help. We set appointments at the end of each day to take care of all.
One day during lunch a man quietly comes over and passes along the message that there is a lady across the street giving birth. We rush over to this little shack where a very pregnant woman sits quietly on a hammock in labor with pains about a minute apart. She looked like she was just enjoying the day on her hammock. Nurse Judy takes her inside and does an exam and is able to feel the wee one's head. She decides that this woman should be rushed to the next village where they have a midwife. One of our party rushes her there only to find no one is available in the village to help. She then rushes her about another 15 minutes away to a little bigger town to a private clinic. All the while, this quiet Belizean woman never expresses her delivery except with quiet silence. Apparently, she was barely able to get out of the car and that is all we know as she had to just be left there.
Our permanent living conditions are to be changed. We have moved to the outskirts of our village to a healthier living situation. We house sat for a lovely British couple, Jonathan and Lola. We cared for their 2 rotweiller 5 month old pups. They have a lovely thatch in the middle of the bush they are renting while they build their permanent retirement home deeper in the bush on the Moho River. That was around the middle of October thru the end of the month. They have been kind enough to let us stay on the property in a smaller thatch they use for their storage shed. Their is a thatch attachment that has a pipe for washing and a bucket shower with of all things a FLUSH toilet. We are ever grateful. Don't know if we mentioned this in our last blog but can't get enough flushin'.
We have continued to work with the village. We helped them put together a proposal to upgrade the school in the village. We had weekly meetings with the village leaders - got them to elect a new PTA ( the last one fizzled apart) and came up with the needs for their school. It was submitted last week to SIF (Social Investment Fund) a local agency that seeks out funding either locally or internationally to help Belize. Most schools here are Catholic but the church doesn't have enough funds to help upkeep the schools. A lot of the proposals get rejected but heard yesterday that ours was on the SIF list. Hope that is true - it would be a great boost to the village.
We waited for the Peace Corps to decide what is the best situation given the temperment of a small faction of the villagers. They have finally decided to have a move to Punta Gorda. We are at this point still continuing to look for a place to rent. We will miss the bush. It really is quite lovely, quiet and obviously very very green. It can be so still and so wild. The leaves on the various trees are so large that when the wind blows and they begin their dance together it sounds like the rain is coming....AND when it does come it come with a vengance. The birds are migrating and we have had up to 10 species fly through in a day. Parrots, various Flycatchers and others. As flowers are always blooming we are treated to music of many hummingbirds...who at times fly into our house seeking out our cut flowers in our plastic bottle vase. At nite the critters are buzzin' to their own tunes almost to a fever pitch. Our bird call alarm never fails to get us up on time.
Our assignments in PG will be - Karey working at the hospital with Miss Cherry Mae the local health coordinator. Michael will be working with TOLCA (Toledo Children and Adolescents). These two jobs will bring us together working in many villages on a UNICEF project called W.A.S.H. - Water, Sanitation and Hygiene education. It is a 24 village project - upgrading the school toilet facilities to either flush toilets - if they have a water system or VIP (Ventilated Improved Pit Latrines). From this project they will springboard the education into micro behavioral changes to hopefully get families to improve their hygiene for both adults and children. At least to eliminate the worm infestation, tooth decay and overall health.
Our Thanksgiving will be one to remember. About 15 PCV's got together and created a very special day. It began with several of us gringos fetching the "live" turkey and then "preparing" it for stuffin' and cookin'. Altogether about a 4 hour process. One of the hardest parts was trying to start a fire to singe off the last of the pin feathers. Nothing burns here in this climate and finding even dry paper for fire starter is a challenge. Everything here is DAMP/WET. All in all - we ended up with the full works...we all gave our own personal thanks and had a great meal including some local host families and our Ke'eckchi teacher Bartolo.
We had a special adventure with Jonathan and Lola. They took us down the Moho river on their boat to their property in the DEEP bush. It was a beautiful day and there many large Iguanas out sunning themselves on the palms. We even got a picture of a couple of them fighting on the banks of the river. Photos not available yet. We took a hike around their 40 acres. We were covered head to toe with hats, long sleeved shirts and long pants. Sprayed ourselves with repellent and went off. (thanks to all of you for your donation of Cutter's Advanced - it works). An amazing journey - just like the movies - hacking away at the local floral and fauna with a machete to get through.
If anyone has heard of Andy Palacio - we had lunch with him in Barranco. He was chosen as the UNESCO Artist for Peace. Have pics...more later.
We are going to attempt to attach a lot of photos to this blog. One can always click on "Photos" at the top of the web page to see all photos. If the descriptions aren't next to them - holding the cursor on the pic should give a description of the photo.
Hopefully sooner than later we will be keeping you posted
much love
us
Hoping this blog will make some sense as we try to catch up our happenings over the past couple of months.
Back in early November, Karey went to Hopkins - a small Garifuna village on the ocean to help with some medical assessments at a primary school in Georgetown Village about 20 miles from Hopkins. Working with Nurse Judy - a Belizean, then Californian now Belizean again we set out to get a medical baseline for all the primary students over a weeks time. This included height, weight, toothbrushes w/dental hygien lesson, deworming and an eye exam. Busy time and always when a village finds out there is medical personnel on site many show up to get medical help. We set appointments at the end of each day to take care of all.
One day during lunch a man quietly comes over and passes along the message that there is a lady across the street giving birth. We rush over to this little shack where a very pregnant woman sits quietly on a hammock in labor with pains about a minute apart. She looked like she was just enjoying the day on her hammock. Nurse Judy takes her inside and does an exam and is able to feel the wee one's head. She decides that this woman should be rushed to the next village where they have a midwife. One of our party rushes her there only to find no one is available in the village to help. She then rushes her about another 15 minutes away to a little bigger town to a private clinic. All the while, this quiet Belizean woman never expresses her delivery except with quiet silence. Apparently, she was barely able to get out of the car and that is all we know as she had to just be left there.
Our permanent living conditions are to be changed. We have moved to the outskirts of our village to a healthier living situation. We house sat for a lovely British couple, Jonathan and Lola. We cared for their 2 rotweiller 5 month old pups. They have a lovely thatch in the middle of the bush they are renting while they build their permanent retirement home deeper in the bush on the Moho River. That was around the middle of October thru the end of the month. They have been kind enough to let us stay on the property in a smaller thatch they use for their storage shed. Their is a thatch attachment that has a pipe for washing and a bucket shower with of all things a FLUSH toilet. We are ever grateful. Don't know if we mentioned this in our last blog but can't get enough flushin'.
We have continued to work with the village. We helped them put together a proposal to upgrade the school in the village. We had weekly meetings with the village leaders - got them to elect a new PTA ( the last one fizzled apart) and came up with the needs for their school. It was submitted last week to SIF (Social Investment Fund) a local agency that seeks out funding either locally or internationally to help Belize. Most schools here are Catholic but the church doesn't have enough funds to help upkeep the schools. A lot of the proposals get rejected but heard yesterday that ours was on the SIF list. Hope that is true - it would be a great boost to the village.
We waited for the Peace Corps to decide what is the best situation given the temperment of a small faction of the villagers. They have finally decided to have a move to Punta Gorda. We are at this point still continuing to look for a place to rent. We will miss the bush. It really is quite lovely, quiet and obviously very very green. It can be so still and so wild. The leaves on the various trees are so large that when the wind blows and they begin their dance together it sounds like the rain is coming....AND when it does come it come with a vengance. The birds are migrating and we have had up to 10 species fly through in a day. Parrots, various Flycatchers and others. As flowers are always blooming we are treated to music of many hummingbirds...who at times fly into our house seeking out our cut flowers in our plastic bottle vase. At nite the critters are buzzin' to their own tunes almost to a fever pitch. Our bird call alarm never fails to get us up on time.
Our assignments in PG will be - Karey working at the hospital with Miss Cherry Mae the local health coordinator. Michael will be working with TOLCA (Toledo Children and Adolescents). These two jobs will bring us together working in many villages on a UNICEF project called W.A.S.H. - Water, Sanitation and Hygiene education. It is a 24 village project - upgrading the school toilet facilities to either flush toilets - if they have a water system or VIP (Ventilated Improved Pit Latrines). From this project they will springboard the education into micro behavioral changes to hopefully get families to improve their hygiene for both adults and children. At least to eliminate the worm infestation, tooth decay and overall health.
Our Thanksgiving will be one to remember. About 15 PCV's got together and created a very special day. It began with several of us gringos fetching the "live" turkey and then "preparing" it for stuffin' and cookin'. Altogether about a 4 hour process. One of the hardest parts was trying to start a fire to singe off the last of the pin feathers. Nothing burns here in this climate and finding even dry paper for fire starter is a challenge. Everything here is DAMP/WET. All in all - we ended up with the full works...we all gave our own personal thanks and had a great meal including some local host families and our Ke'eckchi teacher Bartolo.
We had a special adventure with Jonathan and Lola. They took us down the Moho river on their boat to their property in the DEEP bush. It was a beautiful day and there many large Iguanas out sunning themselves on the palms. We even got a picture of a couple of them fighting on the banks of the river. Photos not available yet. We took a hike around their 40 acres. We were covered head to toe with hats, long sleeved shirts and long pants. Sprayed ourselves with repellent and went off. (thanks to all of you for your donation of Cutter's Advanced - it works). An amazing journey - just like the movies - hacking away at the local floral and fauna with a machete to get through.
If anyone has heard of Andy Palacio - we had lunch with him in Barranco. He was chosen as the UNESCO Artist for Peace. Have pics...more later.
We are going to attempt to attach a lot of photos to this blog. One can always click on "Photos" at the top of the web page to see all photos. If the descriptions aren't next to them - holding the cursor on the pic should give a description of the photo.
Hopefully sooner than later we will be keeping you posted
much love
us
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)