Maya Mopan Visit

The other night I wne to go visit my Maya Mopan family. I was a little nervous as the visit was without warning. I wondered how awkward it would be, but at least I had a picture to give Miss Santa of the both of us in Belize City. While walking towards the house, one of the neighbor boys that always played cards with us said, "Chepe is waiting for you." (Chepe is what they call Jose', Jr.) How funny! Then, he turned around on his bike to go tell everyone I was coming. I went into the house, gave a round of hugs, and handed Miss Santa the pictures. I told the kids I came to play cards so we did. While playing, Shirley ran across the street to give me a hug, so great to see her, too. She kept going back into the house, coming out to ask me questions for Miss Santa. "How long are you staying?" "Are you staying the night?" "Why aren't you staying the night?" "When are you coming back?" After playing cards for awhile I was fed some eggs, cheese, and of course, corn tortillas. Plus, I had a coke! I got a K'ekchi lesson, being quized with vocabulary by little Jose' and Carolina was telling Miss Santa I lived in Santa Teresa, which has no electricity and that I bathed in the river. I was asked what I had been eating and tried my hardest to use my K'ekchi. "Cua, arin, aros, kenk, chilan, cuiy, wech, tul, papai, ramen, calaloo, mulb..." (corn tortilla, flour tortilla, rice, beans, chicken, pork, armadillo, plantain, papaya, Ramen noodles, calaloo, eggs..." They also asked about my phone number because they had tried calling. Awww. How sweet. I told them I didn't have cell phone service and wrote down the community phone number. I guess this really surprised me. I almost didn't go becasue I thought it would be uncomfortable, thinking I would wait for more time to pass. But they were already wanting to see how I was doing. The connections was deeper than I realized. When I had to leave I gave another round of hugs, stating I would be back in a month. Carolina even walked me back to the resource center where I was meeting Greg and Kevina to catch a cab back to Belmopan. What a beautiful night!

Why I love Santa Teresa

I've realized I can have this as all my titles, so from now on, it's a given.

I would tell you this precious little boy's name, but when I went to visit he was only three days old and didn't have one yet. I was so happy to go meet him and even got to hold him, but absolutely loved the reason we went. Miss Louisa told me about our neighbor who had just had a baby so she was planning on making some tortillas to give to their family, "that is what we do here." I'm lucky to live in a village where people take care of each other.

Standard 6

These are the Standard 6 students along with their teacher, Mr. Ical. Standard 6 is equivalent to grade 8 and the final class of primary school. At the end of the school year, these students will take their PSE (Primary School Exam) to see if they can go on to secondary school. Different schools require different scores. So this test is very important. Most of the students must write support letters as there is a fee to take the exam. So much pressure at such a young age. The teachers are offering extra classes (I might help with the math!) after school each day to help the students prepare. You may wonder what happens to those who cannot afford continuing their education or to those who fail the PSE, but keep in mind, children are only required to be in school up to age 14, so some are finished on the day of their 15th birthday. This contributes to the fact that about 40% of students finish primary school here in Belize. I hope to see all these Standard 6 students at Santa Teresa Roman Catholic School taking the PSE in June and going on to secondary school!

The 12 reasons my placement is the best for me*

*to the tune of the 12 days of Christmas

The first reason my placement is the best for me
Santa Teresa is a great place to be.

The second reason my placement is the best for me
Ma sa aachol
Santa Teresa is a great place to be.

The third reason my placement is the best for me
Miss Liz paved the way
Ma sa aachol
Santa Teresa is a great place to be.

4. Working with TFABB
5. PIGS ON THE LOOSE
6. Safe roads to run on
7. Library in progress
8. Living with the chairman
9. Welcoming churches
10. School staff is willing
11. Health center's open
12. Bathing in the river

Now some descriptions
1. In general, just being in Santa Teresa makes me happy.
2. It's a Ke'kchi community, so my chances of continued learning are high.
3. The volunteer before me was well respected.
4. Teachers For A Better Belize is a start up program with the goal of helping schools in the Toledo district. This is the first year, so Santa Teresa will be a model program. I'm excited to work with TFABB.
5. There are pigs everywhere! And you all know how much I like pigs.
6. I have motivation to wake up and put on my running shoes. Not only are the roads free of vehicles, I love seeing the sun rise through the palm trees.
7. The library is full of books already. Now we're working on a check-out system. Some of the students made the pocket cards and I started gluing them in the books and recording the books in a registery. During break, all my volleyball girls came looking for me and I gave them glue sticks to help- 15 minutes of "Can I have a book please, Miss?"
8. The Mas family is a very wonderful. I will soon dedicate a whole post to them with pictures!
9. I've been to the Baptist church twice and the pastor gives quite a good message in K'ekchi then translates in English.
10. The staff at the school actually likes when I visit their classes and have given me some ideas of where to start.
11. There's a new clinic staffed by a doctor from Cuba every Monday through Friday.
12. No explanation needed. :)

Two Truths and a Lie

I live in the jungle.
I live in a thatch house.
I live in a village of 200.

I go to bed at 8pm.
I sleep in a hammock.
I wake up at 5am.

I have tasted gibut.
I have tasted armadillo.
I have tasted iguana.

I finished reading "Searching for God Knows What."
I finished reading "Lovely Bones."
I finished reading "I Was Told There'd Be Cake."

Oh how I love Santa Teresa. Funny how it was the village I easily was wishing for someone else, but now that I'm here I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. I know my site is the best! The first person I met from my village at the counterpart workshop was my host father, the village chairman. He told me about his family and how he will teach me to catch a green iguana and take me fishing in his handmade canoe. (He is a licensed tour guide, so if you come visit me...) Next walked in the principal of the school and I couldn't help but notice he had a smile on his face at all times. He told me about his family, the village, and the school which made me excited to leave the workshop and get home. Yes, Santa Teresa became my home away from home in no time. Already am I greeted with, "Hello Miss Amy," by everyone who passes. My host family speaks in K'ekchi, translating only when I'm not understanding something important. I'm far from the conversation level, but there is hope. After giving me a Bible in Ke'kchi, my host father said, "in a month's time you will be Ke'kchi." Since I was already planning on reading from Genesis to Revelation. I can now do it in two languages!
Now, back to my little game. I'm pretty sure you've guessed correctly. I tried not to make it too hard. Yes, I live in the jungle of Belize. The scenery is beautiful. Yes, I live in a thatch house. No, Santa Teresa has a population of about 520, but I'm pretty sure there are only 10 last names. Yes, I go to bed at 8pm. No, I do not sleep in a hammock, but I do take afternoon naps in one. Yes, I wake up at 5am. Yes, I have tasted gibnut. I like it better in stew than smoked. Yes, I have tasted armadillo. It is very tasty, but beware of the scales. No, I have not tasted iguana, but I'm sure I will. Yes, I have finished "Searching for God Knows What." No, I have not finishe "Lovely Bones," but I'm on my way. Yes, I have finished "I Was Told There'd Be Cake." I really enjoy reading and have the time, so if you have any suggestions send them my way... literally. Hehe! :D Or just let me know and I can look for them. Loves and Hugs!

"You are a good Ke'kchi."

This was inside a card given to me by little Jose'. He also wanted to make cards for Grace, Greg, and Kevina telling each of them, "You are my best friend," and drawing the best pictures. I also got a nice note from my cousin, which I thought was worth sharing, so I'm glad I got the chance this morning before heading down to PG. Here it is, word for word.
"Hi AMY
I hope u enjoy being here in Maya Mopan and in our family.
I never new that if a person can appear in our family for five weeks like you. You were a great person, hard working and was very intrested to no our culture and language. I was so glad that u were here so we can have some fun together and u even teach us things. It was a great pleasure for u to be with us as part of our family. I hope u enjoy being with us and that u will always remember us, wish good luck for us and also pray for us as just how we are going to do.
I wish u the best where ever u go and that the good Lord be with u always.
So thank u once more for being a nice person, and I am proud of u that u are learning some k'echi words and I expect more at 2 years time or maybe even the best. I'll miss you a lot!
From Supper Mario"

Pictures!

So yeah, there's a picture of me and my host brother and sister on our porch. One of me and Shirley. A couple from the zoo. One from the parade. And my host dad peeling an orange the Belizean way.

Site Assignment!

I never know how to start my entries, so I guess this is as good as any. I love reading all your comments; it's so encouraging. A big thanks, too, to all of you who have sent me letters. I absolutely love checking my slot at the office on Fridays and seeing letters from home. I've been pretty busy I guess. Last night while eating dinner at Friendship restaurant I saw a calendar and thought to myself, “That's funny, they already have their October calendar up.” Then I realized it actually IS October! Crazy to think I've been here since August. I called my sister to wish her a happy early birthday since I won't have the chance next Saturday and Cora answered. She asked me if I was still in that place. I told her, yes, I'm still in Belize and she responded with, “Awww... Bummer.” What a cutie. She was happy I called though and I was happy to talk to her. And speaking of nieces, I now have one in Maya Mopan. I was wondering why I felt connected to my little neighbor girl right away. The first time I met little Shirley, her smile went straight to my heart. Then one night I went to church with her and her mother I was given more family information. I'm still not entirely sure how everyone fit together, but I've fully accepted I will never completely understand what's happening around me for the next two years. Wait... when have I? Anyways, the aunt-niece connection stands true even here in Belize with host families. And about going to church, that's a story in itself. I decided to go even though I wasn't sure my host mom really wanted me to go and my little brother kept telling me they would be mean and kick me out, which was very confusing since I was going with family. Once I got there my eldest host brother welcomed me as his “friend” wishing me the best, which was the first time I ever heard him talk since he's never around the house and when he is, stays in his room. It was a nice gesture and he also was translating the sermon which was about being happy in your heart because of the Lord. I was very happy and absolutely loved singing the worship songs. It was one of those moments I couldn't even sing because I was overwhelmed with joy, reminding me once again how much I love being in Belize. Also during the service I was asked to come up and share my testimony, how's that for on the spot? I asked if I could just share a favorite verse, so I recited 1 John 4:12 “For no one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is made complete within us.” Even though most of the congregation couldn't understand what I said, they clapped anyways. I wish I would have been able to share a verse in Ke'kchi, which I may be able to do sometime because I was given a pamphlet with a few verses in Ke'kchi. Woot woot! Language training has been going pretty well. Most of mine is outside of class with my host family and I sometimes I can pick up on a few words, like after getting a sunburn they were making fun of me and I knew it. I also have fun playing “Ani xk'aba...” with little Jose, asking each other the name for different things. One time this even drew in a crowd. Of course we were sitting on the veranda while people were coming for tortillas, but while waiting most of them were listening and word even got around to Grace's host mom that I knew my Ke'kchi. Ha ha! I wish, but someday, especially since I'm moving to Santa Teresa. Yes! I got my final placement site! I'll be living in Santa Teresa which is a Ke'kchi village of about 400 with no electricity, but access to running water. When we went to visit the site they were thatching a house and we also took a look at the brand new corn mill. The community seemed very nice and the school was super excited to have their volunteer. I have boxes waiting for me. Plus, I'll be working with a women's group for my secondary project who just received a $30,000 ($15,000 US) grant to be used for a solar powered computer lab. There are endless possibilities and I'm getting more excited by the minute.