Everything Falling Into Place...

So I expected the month of June to end smoothly with a grand trip home for my friend’s wedding, but somehow June ended up being one of my more busy months. I guess that’s what is expected as a PCV, never really plan, don’t have any expectations, and just go with the flow!

The school year was finally coming to close and other projects were coming to an end and others were just about to begin. The parenting classes in Santa Martha were coming to an end, we only had a few more sessions left and started to plan their last session with a big graduation of the COMPAR Program (Community and Parent Empowerment Program) in the beginning of July. The parents of this program have come a long way, we could tell that they were becoming more invested in the classes and actually practicing what we had taught them about having a loving home, being there for your children, and providing a nurturing environment for everyone in the household. When I returned from my trip home, we had a great big celebration for the parents and just about the whole village was out there. The parents performed skits on different things they had learned and each received a certificate and at the end there was so much food, drink, and music for everyone to celebrate. 

The week before I left I had the opportunity to help a fellow PCV, Gayla, who lives in a village in Corozal, called Cristo Rey. She refurbished the village community center into a youth center, where the kids from her village can come read, play games, color and just hang out with their friends. It was the first day of her opening the center and she had about 50 kids in the morning and afternoon! I was glad to be there and help and see what a success it turned out to be. The same week I got to see one of my good friends, Ingrid, head off to India for study leave! I’m so proud of her!! She is going to be studying English there for three years. Her family had a going away party for her and we all celebrated her next endeavor in life.

Also this month I finally got, Gaia, spayed! It was a long time coming. But, a volunteer who finished her service came back in June with some US veterinarians to do mobile clinic in her old village of Sarateneja. So, Gaia and I made the long trip up to the sleepy fisherman village on the very bumpy and flooded road. The surgery went very well even though she pulled out her stiches to her incision and then pulled her staples! That little butt! J So, when we got back to Orange Walk, I just had to keep it wrapped and clean and keep her not moving as much as possible, which is very difficult because she is such an active dog with me. In the end, everything is great with her. She is all healed up and her mange is getting so much better!

When we got back from that long weekend, the following day all the PCV in the North had an In-Service Training with some of the PC Staff. But, before that afternoon when our training started, Barbara (who also works at the Education Centre with me in Orange Walk) and I got word that we would be able to go out to Santa Martha Primary School graduation! We were so excited because we didn’t think we could because of transportation out to the far village. We knew it would be cutting it close, but we took the chance anyway. We had worked all year with this school and thought it was most important that we be there. We figured everything was going to go smoothly on the way out, of course we were wrong! Right before we left the Education Centre the principal called me and asked if I could get the certificates/diplomas from our office, no problem if the office was open! We were leaving before 8AM when the office was open, so we had to call our District Manager to get her keys and the fish through the entire office to find these papers and make sure they were signed. Thirty minutes later we were on our way, so we thought. Five minutes later we got another call from one of the teachers saying that the car they were riding in had broken down! They needed a ride out of the village! So we picked up the principal and another teacher, who could fit in our truck and were finally on our way to Santa Martha. The other teachers were going to be on their way in another vehicle they had found. As you can imagine, the graduation didn’t start on time, but it in the end it all worked out. Barbara and I were able to get our ride back to town just in time for our 1PM training session with Peace Corps and our work partners. What a morning!! J But, I will never forget that day!

The training went well and I since I had requested annual leave prior to the training I only could make it to a day and half of the training because the next day I left for my trip home! FINALLY! It had been 15 ½ months since I had been home. My trip home was very short, but well worth it! I went home for my friend’s wedding and it was so great to see all my friends there. I got to see both my brother as well, my twin brother from Michigan, came out in an impromptu trip and it was awesome! I got to just relax, watch TV, go to the beach, eat great food, drive a car and do some shopping! J Even though it was a short trip, I’m so glad I got to see everyone I could, especially my family, friends and boyfriend. But, of course Belize beckons and I had to get back for the summer activities that were happening.

When I got back, it was right back to Santa Martha Village for the Parenting classes’ graduation. And then having only a few days to prep and organize for Camp GLOW in the Cayo district. I was in charge of all the food, snacks and catering for the campers and camp leaders and volunteers. Camp was AWESOME! Everything went so smoothly and the girls seemed to really enjoy themselves. Some highlights from the week was field trip to Chaa Creek butterfly farm and museum, the pool volleyball games, the campfire, zumba classes, and the talent show! The camp was a lot of work and a lot of long days and nights, but it was all worth it for the girls to have a good time! When I got back to Orange Walk, the running club I have was signed up to run in a duathalon the next day, so on little sleep and not really working out, we were out there Saturday morning to run 2.5 mi, bike 5 mi, and run 2.5 mi again. It was loads of fun because I had never done anything like that (the closest thing to a triathlon for me). I actually ended up winning for the women, which was very exciting and Neli, who runs with me got second! Needless to say that the whole weekend following was just getting R&R from everything!

One last thing, the funding for the preschool is finally here!! The contractor and I went out to start purchasing items and material to start working on the preschool starting Monday! I am so happy that it is finally in because that has been a burden every day for me. We have 5 weeks until school starts and I think and believe it will be finished by September 3 when the first day of school starts! So this next month of August is going to be spent out in Santa Martha any free time I have to help and finish this school for the village.

Hope everyone is well and hopefully by next time the preschool will be open! J 


Miss you, love you, and we’ll talk soon! XOXO J

The Usual...

Much hasn’t changed here in Orange Walk Town, which I guess is a good thing. The school year here in Belize is really winding down to an end and it’s really a fresh of breathe air for me, haha. It will be a nice break to have the months of July and August to work and help in some other capacities in town. In July, we have our big Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) for an entire week in the Cayo District. The camp is going to be for young Belizeans girls’ ages 9-15 years. The purpose of this camp is to encourage young women to become active citizens by building their self-esteem and confidence, increasing their self-awareness, and developing their skills in goal setting, assertiveness, and career and life planning. The main principles and themes include developing leadership skills, improving self-esteem, increasing knowledge of women’s health issues, respecting and caring for the environment, and promoting the belief that every young woman can make a difference in her community. And for the entire week I will be cooking all the food for the campers and counselors…time to get my Paula Dean on! J

While planning the food menu and getting a budget ready for the camp in July, I will also be starting construction on the preschool in Santa Martha Village where I go and help two-days a week. Filling out paper after paper of applications for the Ministry of Education and filling out more papers for Peace Corps and a 15-page proposal later it’s done with the help of principal, Mr. Hernandez. It’s very exciting and we are hoping to start construction the end of this month so we can open it for the first day of school on September 3.  And the big, exciting news is that I just got word that the proposal was finally approved by Peace Corps Belize!!! So, the school community and I have a lot of things to get ready or organized to get the preschool open for the new school year. Thank goodness the building already exists it’s just going to need a lot of work to renovate the entire building which will also include a library/resource center and a little kitchen for the feeding program. This whole process has been quite a learning experience for me from top to bottom. Putting together all the appropriate paper work and making sure there is constant communication and understanding of the process between, the Ministry of Education, the Foundation, the village of Santa Martha, Peace Corps and my work partner. Now, the fun part starts from purchasing the material to the actual building of the preschool and getting the village to help in the entire process! J

This past month I volunteered at the Cacao Festival down in Punta Gorda Town. I helped out with the Wine and Chocolate Night, serving wine to the guests. The food was great, the chocolate amazingly awesome, and the wine was “eh.” J The weekend festival was put on by the Toledo Cacao Growers Association. I highly recommend anyone who is visiting Belize in the month of May to go down and check out the event! Here is the website of all the activities that occurred… http://www.tcgabelize.com/cacaofest/ 

Kelly & I serving wine at Chocolate and Wine Night!

These past weeks have also been focused on a little more running than usual (p.s. the knee is a lot better). I work out with a couple girls here in town and we have a little running group called, The Suga City Road Runners. It’s a ton of Fun! We run in the afternoons usually, but lately we have been trying to beat the heat and started going at about 5:30AM. At the end of the May, the group and I ran in a race in Belmopan to support and help raise some funds for Camp GLOW. It was their first race ever and it was a 10K. They both finished in less than one hour and ran the entire thing. I was so proud of them! It was a goodtime because we stayed overnight at a friend’s house, cooked pasta the night before, took the bus together the day before. So, hopefully now we can get some more races in this summer and improve their confidence out on the road. I also had my last football game with the women’s team I play on. We played Dangriga again, in Dangriga and got our butts handed to us; 4-2 was the final and it was just not a pretty game, but even though we lost we still ended up winning the entire competition because of our record and goals for.

 Brenda, Me, and Nelli after the race

Suga City team...CHAMPS!

My work partner and I have also been doing a lot more work with NAC (National AIDS Commission) and the Orange Walk HIV/AIDS Committee, who works a lot through NAC. We had a couple two-day workshops talking about the committee we have in town and what we want to accomplish and putting together a strategic plan for the district of Orange Walk. A lot of great community members are getting involved and it’s going to be a wonderful thing to have a better focus, goal and vision for the future years in dealing with HIV infections in Belize. More information on NAC here is the site… http://www.nacbelize.org/

I have also been able to squeeze a little rest time in between; a few friends and I went to Tobacco Caye off the coast of Dangriga. It was absolutely relaxing, gorgeous, and peaceful. If you really want to do NOTHING in Belize, then this is your caye! We just swam, slept, read, ate, relaxed, chatted, slept and ate more, and did a little snorkeling. The pictures speak for themselves! J That little weekend was much needed!

And this month can’t go any quicker because I’m finally going to be coming home for a visit!! It has been 15-months since I have been home and it is going to be quite a change. I can’t wait though! Excited to see my family, boyfriend and friends! Even though it will be a short trip, it will be nice break to relax and regroup for what I have in store when I get back to Belize.

And check out this video to my Auntie Becki's pen-pal class in El Monte from the students of Santa Martha Gov't School...much love to Ellen for helping put the video together!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WiEw04mUx8&feature=youtu.be

So no more "until next time," I'll be seeing you ALL soon-hopefully! :) J ... love ya, xoxo!

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly...

A lot has happened the past couple months!

First, the Good:

I had my first birthday here in Belize, the big 27! Late twenties now…wow! It was a whole bunch of fun. Some of my friends came up from Belize City and down from Corozal and then I had some the girls from my volleyball team and teachers who I work with. So, we had a little get together at my house then we all went out a couple places in town for some drinks and celebrated into the wee hours of the night. It was a really, really good birthday! Couldn’t have asked for anything better! Thanks Loves who were all there! :)
The month of March was also the start of Women’s Month! So, I decided to hold a couple sessions at Muffles High School, where I coached the girls’ football team. I did two sessions with the first form girls (freshman) on self-esteem, self-confidence and body image. It went really well, the girls’ were very receptive to the information and totally engaged in the activities. I also did some sessions out at Santa Martha Gov’t School (my home away from home). I worked with the Std. 4-6 girls and decided to spread out the material over a couple months. So far we have covered self-esteem and self-confidence and in the next month the plan is to cover more material on puberty, hygiene and sexual reproductive health. These girls are a little shyer and it’s tougher to get them to participate but as the weeks went on they got more and more comfortable sharing their ideas and thoughts. I am really looking forward to the next few weeks and sharing more with these young girls.

In the spirit of Women’s Month I also wanted to do something for the mother’s in the village of Santa Martha, so I wanted to start a parenting class with mothers who were interested. And to my surprise there was a great response for them. I was able to get in touch with a wonderful woman, Ms. Cami Cahun from Human Services and she is helping with the classes and it’s a major plus because she can help with the Spanish translations. The 10-week course covers just about every topic from: how we learn to be parents, family communication, discipline, understanding adolescent behaviors/stages in child development, puberty development, anger management, self-esteem, values, conflict resolution and domestic violence. The classes are still going on and each week we get more and more participants!

Second, the Bad:

One morning in the past few weeks I woke up to feed the dog and went outside to find her vomiting everywhere. And not only just her food, saliva, there was blood in it. So, immediately I cancelled my day and took her to the vet. The prognosis was she had ingested a toxin…how? I have no idea. The thought is that she was able to squeeze her little body through the fence to the neighbor who lives behind me and go into something over there. After the vet gave her meds and vitamins, I took her home and was dog watch for the next 48 hrs. It took her about 2 weeks to fully recover and I can confidently say she is 100% back to her normal spunky self! That was a real scare for a while, but she pulled through.

Lastly, the Ugly:

So, finally after being in country for over a year I found a women’s football team to play on!! I was overjoyed to finally lace up the boots again and kick the ball around and just play. Our first couple games were great. So far we are undefeated! However, all the sports I played growing up (soccer, basketball, XC, track, running) finally caught up to me. We had an away game in Belize City and dominated, we won 4-0. After the game my knee was a little stiff and I just figured I banged knees with someone because I never fell wrong or felt a pull/twist/turn with my left knee. On the ride home, it got even more stiff and swollen. Getting home was a struggle as I hobbled home. But, I did the usual R.I.C.E. that evening, with no real change the next day. I went over to my host family’s home to see what they thought and immediately they called their doctor friend and took me to the hospital, they took x-rays (obviously no broken bones), so the doc set up another appointment the following day (Tuesday) to see the visiting Orthopedic. I finally was able to see Doc Jefferies from Guyana (he was great!) and he did all his testing of turning, pulling my knee and his prognosis was partially torn meniscus! DAMN IT!.. I thought (but at least it’s not an ACL tear, right?)

I finally contacted Peace Corps and told them the situation and immediately I was sent to Belize City for an MRI later that week. **Side note: I was able to get the swelling down significantly and able to get most of my ROM back and assumed it was nothing more than what the doc said, meniscus tear. So, Friday the MRI, this is the first time having one of those…gosh they are long! The following week Monday, our PCMO (Peace Corps Medical Officer) got the results from the MRI and drum roll please…..torn ACL!! I seriously could not believe it!! I tear my ACL here in Belize playing football…wow!! I’m not going to lie I was in a little bit of denial of all this…first thought was, “They are going to send me home!” But, after talking with some other PCVs, I think things are going to turn out alright. I had a good conversation with our PCMO about my options and the plan. Since this injury is not hindering me from working, I can get around still; I’m walking fine and still able to do my everyday tasks so there is no real reason to be medically separated. And since I have real no swelling at all anymore and no pain, I’m starting to do lite, lite jogging and going to finally purchase a bike and ride a lot more now. I probably will have to get surgery post-Peace Corps, but not thinking that far ahead now.

Considering all this!...there is still more Good than Bad and Ugly going on here in Belize! :) My Easter vacation was fantastic! A few friends and I went to Sarteneja up in the Corozal district and spent the Easter weekend up there camping! We had a tent and did the whole camp ground and everything. Sarteneja is a big fisherman village, so on Easter Sunday they hold a big Regatta out in the sea. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and plan on making our way back there next Easter!

Until next time…love you, miss you and see you all soon! xoxo