this story is one of self-reflection and growth.

it is an excerpt from a letter i wrote to a dear friend of mine. 

as I went for a run with two friends after a grueling day of presentations and training…I couldn’t help but to feel the release of stress and embrace my blessings as I looked around me at the beautiful landscape:

palm trees bearing coconuts, avocado trees, hibiscus flowers, horses, chickens and their chicks, the light breeze that caressed my face as I ran, the grey clouds that had begun to accumulate above my head…it all brought me a sense of calm.

then it started to rain. the 3 of us embraced it and continued to run and feel the cool water as it was a spiritual cleanse of sorts. on the way home from our run we stopped at the host home of another girl in our group who is living with a traditional Mayan family. we talked to her and toured her house and room, her mom brought out some sliced mango on a plate to share with us and while we ate the sweet and ripe fruit, my friend and I made a comment about how we felt emotional because thats just how great the mango tasted at that moment. at that same moment, her host mom brought out a mango for each of us to take home with us and thats when my friend and I just started to cry.

the message is that we realized that the emotion came from the fact that we experienced that something so small and simple could literally turn our day around and bring us so much joy. 

as I reflect on such a true moment, i pray to keep that value in small things. to continue to appreciate the beauty that has been placed in the Earth. i will embrace as this journey keeps revealing to me, layer by layer, that a part of true happiness comes from discovering things that are completely opposite of what we sometimes become accustomed to seeking in order to relate to those around us. i never want to strive for the things I once thought worth striving for because there is so much more...

-S

So much has occurred since my last entry. 

But a lot of it is a blur. To begin, this past Friday marked exactly one month since I landed and began my new chapter in Belize. It seems like the time went by in the blink of an eye. Training sessions and language classes each day seem to wiz by- before I know it, I’m at the dinner table in my host family’s home sometime blankly eating dinner while our kittens whine at our feet for the scraps, and other evenings chatting in spanish with my host sisters laughing at every little thing, followed by complaining about being tired. 

Then I sleep. Even sleep recently seems to be a series of closing my eyes just to seemingly open them up in the next few hours and repeat the routine again. 

Every now and again weekends spent listing to reggae-ton and spanish love songs followed by a Sunday of laundry and relaxation is interrupted by ‘culture days’ put together by the Peace Corps Belize Staff (see _____ for a recap of our last culture day). That is what this post will tell the story of.

This past Saturday we were slated to learn about Mestizo culture. Mestizo (Meh-tee-zo) people are the descendants of the original Mayans mixed with the Spaniards that colonized parts of central america years ago. They are Spanish speaking, and make up a large part of the diverse population here in Belize. My current host family during training is Mestizo. I feel very blessed to mesh so well with their personalities and attitudes and I truly feel as though I fit right in with them in the things we laugh and joke about, complain about, watch on TV, the music we enjoy. 

For ‘culture day’ we ventured to the west end of the country, about one mile away from the Guatemalan border to a village called Benque Viejo del Carmen. The village was really quaint and housed a culture center that marked where our learning would begin. We were told about traditions of the community such as the way certain holidays are celebrated and the festivals that are popular at different times of the year. I learned a lot, all the way do to the meanings of the offerings placed for the ghosts of people passed during the annual Dia de los muertos (day of the dead) celebrations. 

The highlight was Xunantunich, a mayan ruin with the name meaning “Stone Lady.” The climb to the top offered a breathtaking view and I felt a chill down my spine as I looked out into the beautiful view in front of me, feeling on top of the world. The ruin is tall enough that it provided us with a view right out into Guatemala. 

I closed my eyes, appreciating this experience. The feeling was indescribable and I can only wish that anyone reading this feels the pull to explore the beauty that lies beyond their own backyards. 

More to come. 

-S

Guatemala behind me

I lay here currently preparing this post. It’s 5:20am and I am surrounded by the sounds of roosters, the barking of dogs, and passing of trucks on the highway outside of my village. The chickens are clucking. The roosters are crowing. The on and off rain has finally stopped falling. My mosquito net is draped over my bed like a majestic canopy and I feel protected. Protected in a sense that a mosquito net cannot provide. I feel safe. Safe from judgement. I feel welcomed. I feel at peace. I finally feel like I have time to think and live in the moment- something I struggled to find with life in America. All I can think of is how much I am appreciating this adjustment and embracing it wholeheartedly.

When I began to prepare for Peace Corps service, I was well aware of many of the changes that would come. However, there is more truth in knowing that one could never fully prepare for this type of adjustment, and that it is one that must be experienced and adapted to on a day by day basis. 

I met my host family last week Wednesday during an event planned by the Peace Corps staff. We were told to create a large circle and each person- a rep from every host family and each member of my cohort- was handed an envelope. Inside, each trainee found the name of an animal that they were supposed to mimic in the middle of the circle. The host family representative would match our antics with the picture of the the animal in their own envelope, then come to meet us in the middle of the circle.

My host mother is a very calm and contented young woman. She is about in her mid-30s and was instantly very easy to talk to. I appreciated the sense of calm I immediately received from her- as it quickly calmed my nerves and made me feel comfortable. We began talking to one another in Spanish, and she expressed that she was happy that I knew quiet a bit of Spanish because she doesn’t know much English. I told her I still have a lot to learn in Spanish, but when she assured me that I was doing really well, I felt good and kept at it.

I gathered my things and we walked to her house. Technically, she has two casas (homes). One holds the kitchen and dining room area along with 2 rooms- on of which was mine and very well put together. The other houses two more rooms and a living room with a large old-school big screen TV that works well, playing mostly Spanish channels only. I asked about laundry and to my surprise, was shown a washing machine that I can use anytime.

My host sisters are 22, 5, and 16. All very calm and contented like their mother. My host father, my mom explained, is off working in the U.S. and has been for 9 months now. She says they talk on the phone on weekends. We relaxed outside on the porch and as I lay in the hammock I feel at ease and comfortable. I thank God internally for this blessing and for exposing me to more in life than all that I thought I knew.

I’m continuing to eat delicious food every day for dinner, including empandas de pollo (chicken empanadas), tortillas con beans y queso (tortillas with beans and cheese), sopa de venduras (vegetable soup), and much much more. 

I am more than grateful for this experience, even with the challenges I am immediately facing, such as the bugs in my room, or the mosquito bites. The stuffy air between the walls of mi cuarto (room) can be really hot, but I know these things will subside (my host mom bought me a fan yesterday!) and I will begin adjusting accordingly. I pray that only happiness ensues with this experience, even through the hard times. 

Until next time.

-S

Snapshot of early morning in Armenia Village, our Community Based Training site.

The front yard of mi casa (my house).

This past week was jam-packed. From training sessions, to a full day of learning about Mayan culture, there is plenty to talk about. I have been very appreciative of the truing sessions so far and I am always learning a ton about how to prepare for Peace Corps service. Let me jus stay that the staff has been remarkable and I feel like I've been very fortunate to have received Belize as my post.

Typically, we (myself and other PC trainees) wake up around 6am and are headed to the Peace Corps office around 7:15a. When we arrive we are given breakfast and training sessions start around 8am. The day ends at 5pm and we were taken back to our hotels to spend the evening however we'd like. Myself and some of the other girls usually work out in a park across the street, or I'll use the time to communicate with family/friends back home. Then as a group we all venture out to dinner. Let me just say, the food in Belize so far is delicious. We joked that it may be close to impossible to find bad food here. For that, I am externally grateful.

The highlight of the week, for me, was Saturday. We woke up early, and were driven about 1.5 hours away from Belmopan (where both the PC Office and our hotel is located) to Dangriga, Belize. We visited the Mayan Culture Center, where we were show how the local community grows cacao in order the harvest the  beans and ultimately make chocolate that the sell for revenue. As were were walked through the process, we were told that the chocolate is organic and pure without fillers. This proved to be the recipe for amazing chocolate, as we were allowed to sample it at the end. Incredible isn't even the word, and this is coming from someone who is not a huge chocolate fan....or at least I thought I wasn't.

The next part of the visit involved learning how to dance a traditional Mayan dance called the Harp. The harp is difficult to explain, but it is easy to do, and can be found on YouTube for those who are curious. We were also shown how to make corn tortillas by hand over a fire. Again, delicious. Even without any sauce or filling.

Yesterday, we were given our language assignments. We'd either be given Spanish or Q'eqchi (an indigenous Mayan language) to learn in preparation for our service. I was really happy to be given Spanish, since I have some experience with it. Later today, we'll move into out training village and in with our first host family. I am anxious to meet my family and start practicing my Spanish with them. More on host family life is sure to come.

We were also given our Peace Corps cell phones this week, through which we can text to the United States and receive phone calls. If you'd like to get my Belizean phone number, go to the "Talk to Me" section of this website and shoot me an e-mail!

This week has been so enriching and I've learned so much in a short time. My cohort and I are continuing to get closer and the beauty of Belize is displaying itself more and more.

Talk soon,
-S

Mural at the Mayan Cultural Center in Dangriga, Stann Creek District, Belize.

Stove construction where corn tortillas are hand-formed and cooked over a fire.

Yesterday was amazing. To begin, I met with about 4 of the people from my group for breakfast around 9am. We ventured to The Latin Cafe, a block or so away from our hotel. The Latin Cafe is a cuban restaurant that was booming, and the menu was written entirely in Spanish. Let me just say, the food was great. Seriously great. And cheap. And plentiful. We left the restaurant very full and happy…ready to prepare for our 7 hour long orientation that would be starting in the next couple of hours.

Staging began by meeting the rest of my peace corps group. There are a total of 20 of us, 15 girls and 5 guys, with the oldest being 27 (I believe)…so we’re a pretty young group! Everyone instantly got along, started asking questions to get to know one another, and by the end of staging we’d formed a very strong group dynamic…I am so grateful for that, especially since we’ll all need to depend on and support one another through this huge transition. The event was full of team building and safety and security activities. We also learned a whole lot about Belize in general and how to handle different situations that could arise once we are in the country.

After the staging event, we went to a Spanish tapas restaurant, Madrid (original, right?), also a couple of blocks down the street from our hotel. The food was alright, nothing to write home about. Afterward, myself and another group member of mine went to South Beach to live it up for our last night in the United States. All I’ll say about that was that it was a smashing good time. :)

I cant even begin to describe the feelings I have about this adventure. I just thank God for the opportunity, and for the the ability to follow my dreams. Once we arrive to Belize, I don’t know how much access to internet will be immediately available…but keep an eye open for more updates as I begin my adjustment into life in Belize.

Later,

-S

Today, I left my family and friends, boarded a plane and then it hit me- I won’t be coming right back. I have a one-way ticket to Miami, FL for staging; then on Wednesday, June 25th I’ll be leaving, along with about 22 or so other adults, on a one-way flight to Belize City, Belize’s Philip G Airport to begin Peace Corps Training. More on what training will entail later. 

Well, it wasn’t that smooth. But that was the idea. The reality is that I didn't go to sleep until about 4am this morning, only to wake up at 7am with that butterfly feeling that I was waiting to hit me. I’ve never felt so many emotions at once… that the only result is a numb feeling. Though I thought I’d cry and be a bit more expressive…the abundance of different feelings kind of just cancelled one another out and I’ve been a bit spacey. In time, though, I’m sure I’ll be able to situate it all.

After heading to the airport, I opened my American Airlines iPhone app to a message saying that my first flight (a layover in Chicago) had been cancelled. If that wasn’t annoying enough, I was told that everyone from this flight would be transferred to a shuttle bus that’d take us to Chicago’s O’Hare airport…only catch was- I wouldn't make my connecting flight to Miami on time. Long story short, I was able to get rebooked for a flight leaving an hour later…just enough time to grab a bite, my thoughts…and carry on. After traveling quite a bit, I’ve learned that the best thing is to remain patient and “go with the flow” because inevitably, travel comes with cancellations, delays and issues.

The “Staging” I referred to earlier is the Peace Corps’ word for orientation. Each person in my group will meet at the Miami Airport Crowne Plaza Hotel tomorrow around noon for introductions, and whatever else the 7 hour (12pm-7pm) event will entail. I’m extremely interested and excited to meet the rest of my group and begin getting to know them. 

Stay tuned, and be sure click the “TALK TO ME” link above to e-mail me and/or connect on social media!

Later,

-S