Update

 

Holly and I hosted a quesadilla and pineapple fried rice party for the teachers.

Hi all.  So it seems my last written entry caused a bit of concern among some readers, when I wrote that my “honeymoon with Belize” was over.  To clarify and to allay those concerns, I wanted to write that just because the honeymoon is over doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy being here.  It’s been exciting and eye-opening to see the differences (as well as the similarities) and to serve in an environment totally foreign to me in many ways.  I think the end of the honeymoon period merely means that I take on a new perspective, that I see the challenges for what they are, and begin the process of evaluating them and figuring out what I can do.  I imagine this is a natural, and necessary, part of the process.  In any case, thank you for all your emails, thoughts and prayers.

The grounds at Chaa Creek, near San Ignacio.

So this past week has seen a whirlwind of activity.  Earlier this week, Holly moved back to the states (miss you, Holly!; check out her blog at http://hollyfooshee.blogspot.com), and we hosted some dinners before her departure.  Tuesday was Cultural Day at school, Wednesday was a national holiday– Garifuna Settlement Day– and I finally made it to the beach, Thursday I went to book club and Friday was Children’s Day (no classes, but various outdoor games and acitivities for the children at school). 

Some more details of the week’s activities: on Wednesday, St. Margaret’s celebrated Cultural Day.  Teachers and students prepared various displays, foods, and presentations to showcase some of the many different cultures of Belize.  While there is a certain culture associated with the whole of Belize (for example, the laid back attitude and slow pace of life– Belizean time or belizey livin’), Belize is really made up of a variety of very distinct peoples and cultures.  The approximately 300,000 people in Belize consist of Mestizos (mixture of Spanish and Indian), Creole (descendants of African slaves and early European settlers), Mayan, Garifuna (descendants of African slaves and Indian natives of the Carribean island St. Vincent), East Indians (descended from indentured servants brought over from India to work on the sugar plantations), Chinese (who emigrated more recently, many of them successful grocery store and restaurant owners here) and the Mennonites (who speak an archaic German dialect and who I must thank for their awesome cheese and bread products here).  Though I can’t say that racial tensions are totally absent here (I’ve been the target of a few racial remarks here, as I’m mistaken for a Chinese Belizean), I have noticed that, for the most part, Belizeans are proud of their racial diversity and hold a wide appreciation of their various cultures.  Over quesadillas, pupusas and pineapple fried rice (the last, which I made, and which the teachers doused with guacamole, salsa casena and Marie Sharp’s hot sauce), for example, the teachers at one of our gatherings, talked at length about the food and customs of their respective cultures.  Cultural Day was another example of the locals’ appreciation and celebration of the unique mix of peoples here. 

On Wednesday, I experienced Garifuna culture at its best, as one of the teachers and I headed south (via bus, and private cars, courtesy of a Rastafarian and a Brazilian soccer player) to celebrate Garifuna Settlement Day, the holiday commemorating the arrival of the Black Caribs to Belize.  First, we visited the coastal village of Hopkins, where I got my first taste of Belizean’s beautiful beaches.  Pristine, untouched natural beauty– right next to and enjoyed by villagers living in old, small cement houses.  It was refreshing for me, especially as a Californian, to see that not all gorgeous beachfront property is occupied by multimillion dollar homes.  But still a bit strange, surreal in fact. 

In Hopkins I met many of the teacher’s family members and friends, and got to partake in the holiday festivities.  The previous day I had sampled some cassava bread and cassava cake (aka “plastic cake” because of its appearance, not its taste); on Garifuna Settlement Day I had fried fish and hudut for lunch.  Hudut, fish and plaintains cooked in coconut milk, was delicious; unfortunately, I ate my lunch faster than I took pictures, but to be frank, hudut tastes so much better than it looks, in my opinion.  After lunch, the drumming, dancing and singing began.  Girls and boys and adults dressed in traditional Garifuna clothing joined in the dancing, encircling the drummers.  It wasn’t a formal affair, and I could tell that there was little planning or organization to the activity, with the order and style of dance and music chosen spontaneously, but there was a fluidity and cameraderie of rhythms, sounds and people that tied everything together. 

From Hopins we travelled to Dangriga, the capital of Garifuna culture.  We got there just in time to enjoy the mid-day (or evening, in Belize speak) ocean breeze and sweet buns on the veranda of another old house overlooking the beach, and … just in time to shove, push and shout our way onto a public bus back to Belmopan, my temporary home. 

All the activity at school and beyond seems to have taken its toll on my body.  With a sore throat and a growing fever, I’m resigning myself to a day of rest.  Unfortunately, if it’s not bug bites or conjunctivitis here, it’s something else.  But I’m looking forward to the rest of the day filled with CNN, chicken soup, advil and movies (thanks DH). 

Until next time!

 

 

 

 

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”   

 Job 23:10

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