How is it that time already? So very hard to believe I left Santa Teresa this morning. No longer will I live there, only go back for visits. A sad sad day indeed. But before I go onto my going away, first some fun last stories.
Tasty pickles anyone? Awhile back one lady gave me some cucumbers because she had so many growing in her garden yet noone in her family really liked the taste of them. I was happy to receive the plateful but didn't want her to waste a good thing the next time she had some to give away but noone to give them to, like that would ever happen, but anyways, my first thought was, let's make pickles! She was up for it, willing to try, even had her own jars, having learned to can in high school. We made our pickles and she promised to wait, only thing her husband wasn't informed so he opened the jar the same day, pickles gone, me sad. Luckily another lady was just as interested in making pickles, too, always liking to try new things. We made them exactly two weeks before I left so I told her I would have a very happy last day, trying pickles together. To me, it was a success, even Lilly - my closest neighbor volunteer- got to try them. Yay for pickles! The only thing I wish, I would have started sooner to try more things and that I would have helped my grandmother more when she was always making hers. That's on the list of things to do when I'm stateside again.
World Map!
I've had paint for a world map for quite some time, applying through Peace Corps who gets paint donated from a store in Belmopan. In my mind this was to be a fun project I could do along with the new volunteer replacing me. My biggest challenge was finding a projector, which I also thought the school would have by the time we painted, since a group had promised to bring one, but things fall through and this time for the best. I had asked my friend Owen if we could borrow his projector and it ended up as an invitation to come help. I always love having visitors because most of them fall in love with Santa Teresa just like I have and seeing that reminds me how much I love the village and all the people there. We had great turnout, village leaders coming to help trace the outline and now the students are in the process of painting each country.
Paulina loves to go visit her auntie in a neighboring village, partially she loves just taking me as she thinks I should have married her cousin and stayed in Belize forever. My closest proposal was being asked if I could stay forever in Mab'il Ha' then being shown the house I would have if I said yes. Crazy to think had I said the words they wanted to hear I'd be a Mayan bride and Minnonite at that. Before our last visit to Mab'il Ha' while washing at the creek Paulina and I were discussing how I needed to wear a dress. We thought maybe just maybe I could fit in her mother's one and that I did. The whole walk to her aunties house she would look at me and start laughing, this made for an enjoyable hour. I then realized that I do still love playing dress up. Once in Mab'il Ha' we made some donuts and cinnamon rolls and of course they invited us back the following week for a birthday party, sadly we were not able to go, and a good thing, they may not have let me leave.
I've been asked to stay another two years by most everyone, but Mr. Chub actually had a job for me. He wanted me to stay and help his wife run her new restaurant. I must say I highly enjoyed making the few dishes with Gloria we had time to do for example fried chicken, stuffed fry jacks, and pizza. I also like to think our few business chats will help her, like when I asked how much she would sell her bread for. She wanted to sell it for 25 cents, basically giving it away until I asked her how much it cost to make. I hope she keeps that mentality when figuring her prices. Also, I must share that when we made fried chicken I almost cried when tasting the gravy, it tasting like home. Lilly's response to this, "Nebraska would taste like chicken gravy." Mr. Chub commented while eating dinner, "I feel like I'm at Miss Marian's - a nice restaurant in Punta Gorda." I said I felt like I was at the North Loup Cafe'. I'm curious to find out how the business thrives and hope to see it booming when I go visit again.
And now onto my goodbyes. They started with a trip to Maya Mopan, my first host family. Miss Santa was surprised to see my again and almost didn't accept my gift of a tiny kuxtal coin purse I had made for her. She was happy with my language improvement and I was happy to see her wedding pictures and talk with Mark about his second year of teaching. I then went to Valley of Peace to see the Mas family. I was pleasantly surprised that Ionie likes to make silly faces. She was almost clingy which seemed weird, I'm not used to so much affection here. I think I would have a harder time with these goodbyes if I believed it was truly my last time seeing the ones I love in Belize, I can't believe that though. I've already made promises to come back in December as I'm making my way north after traveling Central America. I'll be wishing for a car though at that time so I can go see everyone. So back in Santa Teresa I did my best to visit every house to say my good-bye, only a few were left out due to mud and time and I'm trying not to feel too bad about it. Every house was hard to leave, even those I didn't visit as much my two years because not only was I saying bye, but hi as well. Other reasons it was hard include a little girl singing the whole time I was at her house, "Amy don't go... Amy stay..." and every once in awhile I was surprised by those getting teary-eyed. I've been living two years without seeing much emotion, except laughter, so I was curious how my villagers would express their goodbyes. Of course they all wanted to feed me-gained back that 5 pounds I lost when sick real quick, and I have a box full of baskets, jewelry, and woodcarvings to send home. No way will I ever forget Santa Teresa.
I tried saying all my goodbyes on the weekend so I could go to the school on my last day. I went to assembly then went class to class. One class wrote letters to be opened on Christmas, one had students come to the front and say something to me, and one sand "I love you" while giving me hugs. Couldn't have asked for a better morning. The teachers then invited me for dinner on my last night and my favorite part was the dancing that preceded and then followed our meal. I danced Cumbia with the girls then begged Petrona to dance one Marimba with me. By this time her workers were eating their caldo, so not only were they fed, but entertained. I went home but first visited my neighbors for two more last suppers. Veronica had dreamt of me, us hugging and kissing and laughing while saying goodbye, she then followed me home not ready to give me up. Paulina also came over for a last goodbye and I have to stop writing soon before I get too sad, so happy thoughts again, this morning I flattened my tortillas with Tomasa and ate my pepper, just what I wanted for my last meal. I was surprised by small children at my house to see me off. The school bus was late which made for good jokes, me not supposed to be leaving, plus I got more last goodbyes. Once the bus finally came, I got on and sat down, waved out the window while passing, leaving all my favorite people in Belize.
Tasty pickles anyone? Awhile back one lady gave me some cucumbers because she had so many growing in her garden yet noone in her family really liked the taste of them. I was happy to receive the plateful but didn't want her to waste a good thing the next time she had some to give away but noone to give them to, like that would ever happen, but anyways, my first thought was, let's make pickles! She was up for it, willing to try, even had her own jars, having learned to can in high school. We made our pickles and she promised to wait, only thing her husband wasn't informed so he opened the jar the same day, pickles gone, me sad. Luckily another lady was just as interested in making pickles, too, always liking to try new things. We made them exactly two weeks before I left so I told her I would have a very happy last day, trying pickles together. To me, it was a success, even Lilly - my closest neighbor volunteer- got to try them. Yay for pickles! The only thing I wish, I would have started sooner to try more things and that I would have helped my grandmother more when she was always making hers. That's on the list of things to do when I'm stateside again.
World Map!
I've had paint for a world map for quite some time, applying through Peace Corps who gets paint donated from a store in Belmopan. In my mind this was to be a fun project I could do along with the new volunteer replacing me. My biggest challenge was finding a projector, which I also thought the school would have by the time we painted, since a group had promised to bring one, but things fall through and this time for the best. I had asked my friend Owen if we could borrow his projector and it ended up as an invitation to come help. I always love having visitors because most of them fall in love with Santa Teresa just like I have and seeing that reminds me how much I love the village and all the people there. We had great turnout, village leaders coming to help trace the outline and now the students are in the process of painting each country. 
Paulina loves to go visit her auntie in a neighboring village, partially she loves just taking me as she thinks I should have married her cousin and stayed in Belize forever. My closest proposal was being asked if I could stay forever in Mab'il Ha' then being shown the house I would have if I said yes. Crazy to think had I said the words they wanted to hear I'd be a Mayan bride and Minnonite at that. Before our last visit to Mab'il Ha' while washing at the creek Paulina and I were discussing how I needed to wear a dress. We thought maybe just maybe I could fit in her mother's one and that I did. The whole walk to her aunties house she would look at me and start laughing, this made for an enjoyable hour. I then realized that I do still love playing dress up. Once in Mab'il Ha' we made some donuts and cinnamon rolls and of course they invited us back the following week for a birthday party, sadly we were not able to go, and a good thing, they may not have let me leave.
I've been asked to stay another two years by most everyone, but Mr. Chub actually had a job for me. He wanted me to stay and help his wife run her new restaurant. I must say I highly enjoyed making the few dishes with Gloria we had time to do for example fried chicken, stuffed fry jacks, and pizza. I also like to think our few business chats will help her, like when I asked how much she would sell her bread for. She wanted to sell it for 25 cents, basically giving it away until I asked her how much it cost to make. I hope she keeps that mentality when figuring her prices. Also, I must share that when we made fried chicken I almost cried when tasting the gravy, it tasting like home. Lilly's response to this, "Nebraska would taste like chicken gravy." Mr. Chub commented while eating dinner, "I feel like I'm at Miss Marian's - a nice restaurant in Punta Gorda." I said I felt like I was at the North Loup Cafe'. I'm curious to find out how the business thrives and hope to see it booming when I go visit again. 
And now onto my goodbyes. They started with a trip to Maya Mopan, my first host family. Miss Santa was surprised to see my again and almost didn't accept my gift of a tiny kuxtal coin purse I had made for her. She was happy with my language improvement and I was happy to see her wedding pictures and talk with Mark about his second year of teaching. I then went to Valley of Peace to see the Mas family. I was pleasantly surprised that Ionie likes to make silly faces. She was almost clingy which seemed weird, I'm not used to so much affection here. I think I would have a harder time with these goodbyes if I believed it was truly my last time seeing the ones I love in Belize, I can't believe that though. I've already made promises to come back in December as I'm making my way north after traveling Central America. I'll be wishing for a car though at that time so I can go see everyone. So back in Santa Teresa I did my best to visit every house to say my good-bye, only a few were left out due to mud and time and I'm trying not to feel too bad about it. Every house was hard to leave, even those I didn't visit as much my two years because not only was I saying bye, but hi as well. Other reasons it was hard include a little girl singing the whole time I was at her house, "Amy don't go... Amy stay..." and every once in awhile I was surprised by those getting teary-eyed. I've been living two years without seeing much emotion, except laughter, so I was curious how my villagers would express their goodbyes. Of course they all wanted to feed me-gained back that 5 pounds I lost when sick real quick, and I have a box full of baskets, jewelry, and woodcarvings to send home. No way will I ever forget Santa Teresa.
I tried saying all my goodbyes on the weekend so I could go to the school on my last day. I went to assembly then went class to class. One class wrote letters to be opened on Christmas, one had students come to the front and say something to me, and one sand "I love you" while giving me hugs. Couldn't have asked for a better morning. The teachers then invited me for dinner on my last night and my favorite part was the dancing that preceded and then followed our meal. I danced Cumbia with the girls then begged Petrona to dance one Marimba with me. By this time her workers were eating their caldo, so not only were they fed, but entertained. I went home but first visited my neighbors for two more last suppers. Veronica had dreamt of me, us hugging and kissing and laughing while saying goodbye, she then followed me home not ready to give me up. Paulina also came over for a last goodbye and I have to stop writing soon before I get too sad, so happy thoughts again, this morning I flattened my tortillas with Tomasa and ate my pepper, just what I wanted for my last meal. I was surprised by small children at my house to see me off. The school bus was late which made for good jokes, me not supposed to be leaving, plus I got more last goodbyes. Once the bus finally came, I got on and sat down, waved out the window while passing, leaving all my favorite people in Belize.
