Many people have been wondering what I’m actually doing here in Succotz, if I’m staying here for the next two years or moving around Belize. So here’s the deal…First, I’m here in Succotz for 8 weeks total, sad to say my last day is May 24th, which seems far away but time has been flying here with all the activities and trips we have been on. While we’re here in Succotz we are doing Language/Culture training with our facilitator/teacher in the mornings most of the time. Then in the afternoons after lunch we have Tech Training, which gets us ready for what we are actually going to encounter when we are on our own. We are going to work on some projects here in Succotz; build a garden, teach health classes in the school and have a health fair. Tech training educates us most of all on the health issues in Belize and ways to teach in our future communities. We are meeting many community leaders to help steer us in the right direction regarding the youth. We just had a field trip to Central Farm, to learn about composting, the type of fruits/veggies to plant in Belize and how to start our own gardens. It was great!!! J So, Monday through Thursday those are our days unless we have a field trip somewhere. Some future places we are going to is San Ignacio Hospital, Gracie Rock Junction to learn about Belizean herbs and cures, and we will go to a current Peace Corps volunteer’s site to do a weekend visit and learn from them and what they do in their villages. On Fridays everyone goes to Belmopan for CORE training to see how our weeks went and of course it’s awesome to see everyone again!!
When I am done here in Succotz on May 24th, we all head back to Belize for about a week and do some last minute workshops to prepare us for our actual sites. Then we get our site assignments at this time and that place is going to be home for the next two years. So, all the learning I am doing now, I will take it and apply it to my future village and help in any way I can.
I hope this helped a little bit to let you all know what we are sort of doing here in Belize or at least for the time being! J
Considering all that “work” we do still have fun here in Succotz!! This past week, I went to the market again with my host mom. This is going to be a weekly ritual I am sure because we get all our groceries for the week. Then I went with my little brother, Edric and my host dad to the butterfly farm. I’m a total idiot and forgot to bring my camera for pictures, but I’m sure I’ll go again since my host dad’s sister works there. And while we were there we played Frisbee golf!! YES, I know Frisbee golf…they have a 9-hole course there around the little hostel cabins in the bush! It was great…and so American! LOL. And I was able to go to the river again with my family and some of the other trainers here in Succotz. It’s so refreshing here because it gets very hot here in the afternoons.
Well, I hope everyone is doing well. Miss you all and many more pictures coming soon!! J
P.S. My family bought me a baby chicken so I can take it with me to my site!! It soo cute!
National
National Park in Belmopan, last few days in Belmopan before we left to our training sites!
Trail to the river Guanacaste National Park.
Views of the river.
Before we left Belmopan we did a park clean up with the local neighborhood kids and played some American football and futbol with them. The park was right across from our hotel. We saw these kids just about everyday when we were in Belmopan.
Our last night all together in Belmopan with everyone before we left to our training sites. We went to this awesome restaurant on the hill. My other pictures in the previous blog shows the view during the day.
Shaz and I at the restaurant.
Taylor and I.
Finally in Succotz at the Mopan River, my swimming pool for the next 8 weeks! :)
My two little brothers, Maverick and Edric.
The best little snack called, Cacoa. You cut open the shell and there are these sweet covered seeds that you just suck on like candy. Then you can dry out the seeds and make desserts. And we have a tree of this in our backyard!
