Just Bits & Pieces

Yesterday, I presented my first training to staff.  I felt like it went well, with people being fairly nervous at first, but relaxing as the hour went by.  I tallied my evaluation forms which indicated general approval, but a wish for more and longer trainings!  I think that is a vote of confidence, as well as an assignment to get to work!  Obviously, some staff were sullen, some had fun and volunteered for my wacky role-plays, and some were totally honest and open about the challenges of being in this job--which is so incredibly difficult!  My job is so easy compared to theirs!  I did the training ("Rage in Children") twice yesterday, reaching half the staff, and I will repeat the same schedule next Wednesday so that all of the staff receive the same information.  Then I will collate the notes from staff and share with them.

Now to bits & pieces:

Dave and I had to renew our tourist visas, as New Mexico has still not sent a police report that says we are not criminals so that we can get a volunteer visa that lasts a year.  We found the building, and went up to the window.  I was asked where I was staying, and I said at 8 St. J's Street.  And the officer replied:  "Do you have a small red car?"  My mouth dropped open, and I said "Yes, how did you know?"  He said with a chuckle:  "We know everything."  We left that window and went and paid the fee.  We returned to the first window, received our visa stamp, and the officer said:  "I'll see you in the neighborhood...I live at 12 St. J's Street!"  I laughed the rest of the day!  What a small city!  Of course, how many old white folks are driving down the street!  We are fairly noticeable!

On the way to the Immigration Department, we passed what I call a "Malawi auto parts store!"  Someone had a blanket on the sidewalk with auto parts, nails, hammers, etc.  Just like I saw in Malawi!

I have seen few speed limit signs.  In fact, I don't know that I have noticed any in my trips around town.  People just go fast when they can and slow when they can't, and I go right along with them!  There were a few on the Western Highway, but not many!  Lines down the middle of the road are not evident either!

Dave stopped by a store that is sort of a Belize version of Marshalls.  He was looking for pants, and they have overstocks from the U.S., etc.  Well, he looked around, considering a vacuum cleaner (still battling cat hair), and he found an item that we just can't do without here:  AN ELECTRIC WINDSHIELD SCRAPER FOR SNOW!!

Xunantunich with Pictures

Half way up El Castillo at Xunantunich

Yesterday, May 26. 2013, Yvette Burks and her daughter, Jess, took us on our first outing outside of the city!  What a wonderful day with the perfect hosts!

We left the city about 8:30 AM, driving in Yvette's car (not Rattletrap!) on the Western Highway, headed for the Cayo District.  The trip takes you along the lowlands dotted with palmettos.  The landscape is pretty flat with hills seen in the distance.  (Interestingly, many of the hills are smaller than several years ago, as they have been quarried for road building.)  Small villages are on the highway, including Hattieville.  Hattieville was built after the Hurricane Hattie in 1961when the area was used for evacuation and "temporary" shelters were built.  Many people chose to stay inland and created Hattieville.

Along the Western Highway, one passes the Belize Zoo, which will be a destination for us on a later date.  It has a reputation of being an excellent zoo, with a jaguar, a native cat seldom seen (though a friend of Yvette saw one cross the Highway not long ago.) And we passed Guanacastle Park, which is a bird watching area.

We also passed Belmopan, the current capital of Belize, founded again after Hurricane Hattie.  Then a number of turnoffs to resorts began appearing as we entered a more hilly region.  We went through San Ignacio, arriving in a couple of hours at the ferry in Succotz where we crossed the Mopan River.

After crossing the river, we drove a short distance with a guide along with us.  We climbed up to the entrance to the Xunantunich Archeological Site.  The guide shared information (though I think that Yvette and Jess were equally, if not more, informed, but we felt good about supporting the local economy at the beginning of the low season).  Xuanantunich was founded by the Mayans somewhere between 600 and 400 BC and disappeared around 1000 AD.  Belize is filled with ruins, many yet undiscovered in the jungle.  This site continues to be excavated.  Many years ago when it was first discovered, someone used dynamite to enter the ruins, probably in search of jade.  (Reminds me that even today such disregard for culture continues since Noh Mul was damaged extensively since we've arrived by someone using the stone to build a road!?!)  Xunantunich looks like many of the sites that we saw in the Yucatan with plaza and temples and stellae and a ball court!  Some of the friezes have been recreated with fiberglass to preserve the walls that would crumble away.  Once arriving at the top of El Castillo, one can see the mountains of Cayo and Guatemala, too!  Absolutely beautiful!  Below are some pictures taken on our tour.  

This lower picture is of Guatemala from the top of El Castillo.  One day, we may go beyond the Belize border to Guatemala--it is so close!  In fact, Dave may fly there soon.  (I love the picture of Jess that her mother took!)

The next two pictures are first, of a termite nest, and second, of a Mahogany tree.

We also saw Howler monkeys in the trees, but they are really difficult to capture in a photo!  I have a picture or two, but I'd have to point to them for you to make them out!  They live in troops of 5-9 monkeys, and we saw two troops while there.

After leaving the park, I made a stop at the kiosks of local artisans.  I found a wonderful table runner (picture shown after putting it on my table) and a colorful bag to carry lots of stuff (including my umbrella)!  

After leaving the Xunantunich area (I do love saying that word!), we returned to the San Ignacio Hotel & Resort, which won resort of the year last week.  It is a beautiful hotel, and interestingly, it has the iguana rehabilitation sanctuary attached, as well as a medicinal herb walk.  We stood on the balcony, looking for Toucans, but none appeared.  We had a wonderful, huge lunch (with dessert--coconut pie)! Being on the lookout for that MahJongg tournament site, this would be a beautiful spot!  I took several pictures, and here is one of the balcony overlooking the pool.

We stopped briefly at Orange Gallery, which is a large gift shop with many local art works.  The wood working, known in the Cayo District, was amazing!  We needed a cutting board, so Dave found a beautiful, heavy one--looks too beautiful to use, but we are going to!  

Our final stop was at the home of a friend of Yvette.  He lives on a large estate with a beautiful two-story house.  We sat on the veranda overlooking the pool and overlooking a spectacular view of Spanish Lookout!  Spanish Lookout is a Mennonite village.  When they came to Belize in the 1950's, they made an arrangement with the government to be self-sufficient, not paying taxes to Belize.  They are a self-contained group with people paying dues to the local government, following rules of the local village, etc.  They cultivate thousands of acres in pinto beans and corn (alternating) and more, and they produce the majority of dairy and chickens for the country.  There are some other franchises owned by the community, such as Caribbean Tire.  They have created a very successful venture! 

These last pictures show the plowed fields from Jack's balcony and a ficus in his yard!  It was once a house plant!  Note the roots!

The drive home in dusk and dark was through constant rain and some heavy rain!  We avoided getting terribly wet during the day, but it is clear that my judgement has been altered...I walked out of the Orange Gallery and thought it was cold!  (Okay, that was perhaps an exaggeration!)  

I hope you in the US are having a good Memorial Day holiday while we celebrate Commonwealth Day!  A very quiet, drizzly sort of day here!

Cancerwalk 2013 and Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

Well, this is pretty miserable.  I am doing this blog for the second time.  Yes, I deleted the first one, and it was so well written!  You'll just have to believe me, because the second time around will not be as good.

Today I participated in the Cancerwalk 2013 (advertised above, with a bit of the city in view).  The event is sponsored by the hospice/cancer centre, and is held annually.  Due to the heat, events start early, so I was up at 3:30 AM and at BERT at 4:30 AM.  Dave was our transportation to the starting line in Ladyville, and Yvette, her daughter, Jessie, and her mother all participated.  Quite a crowd was gathering.  The morning was beautiful, with a very brief shower sending many under the roof of a gas station.  A beautiful rainbow (the picture of which did not turn out) appeared!

Below are pictures of me (ready to walk), Yvette and her daughter Jessie, and then the start of the walk at 5:00 AM, before dawn.

We walked along the highway from Ladyville, past the turnoff to the International Airport, and into Belize City, an estimated 7-8 miles.  (They reported it to be a 9 mile walk, but I think they moved the starting point and I can't walk fast enough to do 9 miles in two hours!)  The Belize River was to our right, and the Caribbean Sea was to our left.  Dawn was beautiful, and there was a nice breeze!  A perfect morning for walking with 500-600 people!

The above pictures include the river and the gardens (yards) of homes along the sea.  The flowers are beautiful!  But I am surprised that they are not particularly fragrant like I notice in Hawaii.

As we approach the bridge that goes over the Belize River just before it empties into the Caribbean, the "Welcome to Belize" sign appears!  (It is still a long ways to go, though!)  I took pictures from the bridge, and also took a picture of a house on stilts.  Flooding is a problem for Belize City.  In fact, some of the city is under sea level.  I understand that the Princess Hotel and surrounding area are on land reclaimed from the sea and protected by a sea wall.  I think global warming could be disastrous for Belize!

As we approach the outskirts (suburbs) of the city, you will see some apartment buildings appear on the left.  Then I took pictures of the Best Western Biltmore motel, which I've never seen on the inside, but looks really nice.  (Maybe a MahJongg tournament site!)  I included a picture of Brodie's (think Target) where we frequently shop (and it is air-conditioned).  The many stories high building is Benny's Hardware/Home Centre!  I love that building for a hardware store--and it is always very, very air-conditioned!

Finally, we arrived back to the Hospice/Cancer Centre!  We had a great time, and it was really pleasant outside!

As I typed the first draft of this, the first true rain storm came in!  Wow!  I've never seen rain fall that fast or sound that loudly!  We are surrounded by metal roofs (who knows...I may have one, too), and the rain just roared!  Scared the cats!  I tried to take pictures, but they don't do the rain justice!  Dave was out flying, but returned in the middle of the storm.  He said that he had flown through a rainy area, but the hard rain started after he had landed.

More adventures tomorrow!  Yvette and her kids (we think) and we are going to Cayo, supposedly one of the most beautiful areas of the country on the border of Guatemala.  We are hoping to go to some Mayan ruins!  Yvette is giving Dave the day off, and she is the designated driver!  Should be fun!

Good & Irritating

I guess I've been here long enough to assess what is great and what is irritating to me!  In general, I am amazed at how easily I've adapted.  I don't know that I would have done as well at any other time of my life.  I think a number of factors have contributed to this being a positive experience:  old enough to be ok with slowing down (though it is hard to say that when I'm working more hours than I used to work), with being away from family (the move to Albuquerque was more difficult in that regard), the desire to serve, the comfortableness in my own self and skin at this point in time.  I have not hesitated to go places, do things, meet new people and experiences, and I don't know that I would have been willing to do that at some points in my life.  So I believe that things happen at the right time if one is open to the experience!

So:

I really love the people--it is hard to find anyone who is not welcoming (though the post office clerk comes close)!

I enjoy the way garbage is picked up twice a week and how one puts it out:  hang the bags on the spikey fence!

I enjoy being close to the sea.

I enjoy watching the children in their uniforms going to and from school (except if I am trying to get somewhere)!

I love the tropical fruits!

I love that you can get anywhere in the "city" in a matter of a few minutes!

I love the Yoga group that I found--and that I went through all the steps to find it, including calling the instructor when I couldn't find the studio 5 minutes before the class started.

I love that a really good pizza place is two blocks away (and they say they deliver)!

I love how healthy I feel!  It is very odd...I sleep well, I have had no digestive issue whatsoever--all issues that I had in New Mexico!  I can't figure that out!  I have always insisted that I have to be in a cold room to sleep, but apparently I've been totally wrong!  Nathan always said that New Mexico water is the problem, and now I am inclined to agree with him.

I am surprised both about how extravagant I've lived/consumed in recent years, and how I am noticing how to save--or how I am consciously choosing not to save!

I chuckle, though sometimes annoyed, when goods are sporadically available--cat litter, for instance.  You buy cat litter every time you find it for fear that you'll run out and there is a scarcity!  (Thank you to a person at the Hour Bar who let me in on that secret!)

I am very irritated when I have to take three showers in a day due to the oppressive heat.

I am uncomfortable at times with the very mixed neighborhood that I live in.  I was told that a gang of teens are known to mug and rob women on the street--makes walking home a bit of a tense trip.

I am uncomfortable with the cultural acceptance of trash...litter is seldom picked up, and at the Centre, I wish there was more attention to the condition of the yard.  People just walk over things, and in the streets, people drop trash with no regard!  It reminds me of when I was very young and the big campaign to stop littering began.  That kind of awareness campaign is needed here!

Despite what I said above, I like that people walk so much.  Gas is over $5/gal ($US), so it is expensive to drive.  We drive a lot, but it is because Dave has to be within 15 minutes of the airport at all times.  Having one car is interesting, and I am surprised at how manageable!  (Of course, I am sitting here typing, because I can't go to the store to pick up a couple of things for my office since Dave has the car.  My attitude is:  mañana!)

I wish I had brought different clothes--more lightweight, long pants, yoga clothes, more underwear (at three changes of clothes/day, you do a lot of laundry!).

I wish I'd included the nail polish remover that I took out of the suitcase in the last minute, rearranging.  So far I haven't found any!

And I am often amused by observations that now escape me.  For example, Dave & I have decided that the style of "sagging" developed in a hot climate!  Pants just get looser and looser during the day, heavy when wet with perspiration!  They sag, even with a belt!  On the other hand, you don't need to iron, as wrinkles just fall away as they "dry" in humidity--sort of like hanging your clothes in a steamy bathroom!

Another Great Evening!

Sunday evening (May 18, 2013), Yvette picked me up, and we went for cocktails and tapas at Steffi Lupp's house.  What a wonderful time with a great group of women in a spectacular setting!

Steffi, who is from Germany and divides her time between Belize and Germany, lives alongside the Caribbean in a white wood-framed house.  One enters on the ground level, and goes upstairs to the great room.  She has a wide veranda overlooking the sea with tables and chairs, and all was set out beautifully for us to enjoy as the sun set!  The group of women, all living in Belize now, included two from Germany, one from India, one from Belgium, three from Belize, and me (from the U.S.)!  What an interesting and dynamic group of professional women!  And funny!  I laughed so hard!  Some of the stories were hysterical, but there was also a lot of discussion about social issues.  The question that I did not get answered was:  do any of them play MahJongg?!?

I thought I'd include a couple of pictures of the Centre.  My office does not yet look like a play therapy office, and I doubt that it will ever have the same atmosphere of my previous offices.  But I can't complain about the treatment by the Centre, providing me with a lovely space that is in an air-conditioned building!  I a working in a little different way with the children, perhaps in part because it is a very different setting.

The laundry is out hanging on the line!  (I still can't get used to that!)  Dave is off on his second trip today to the south.  I better get ready for work, and hope that he returns in time to give me a ride--or it will be a hot walk to work!

A WHOLE WEEK GONE BY?!?

A whole week has flown by, and I have no idea what happened during it!  The heat must be getting to me!

Dave is off flying to Punta Gorda (twice) this morning, so he will have a long day of flying.  I don't know the medical emergencies, but given the 6:00 AM phone call, I wonder if it was a wild night in the south yesterday!

Here are some pictures of Dave and the plane and his buddy, Ivan the Iguana!  Dave has named his "friend" who lives under the hangar and enjoys the sun in the morning until Dave arrives to disturb him.

                       

(Clearly I haven't figured out my photo problem, i.e. I can't move them and then they take up lots of space.)  Anyway, Dave arrived home as I typed this, having flown now 24 patients in 22 days for a total of 42 hours of flying!  

 To the left is a picture of Carla, one of the medics, as she and Dave wait for a patient in Punta Gorda.  And below is the terminal for Tropic Air in Punta Gorda.  Not exactly SFO!

This was a work week for me.  I spent more hours than I agreed upon, being at the Centre for crises with the kids and meeting more of the children.  I attended my first staff meeting, and there was discussion about what staff (they are called "officers," which bothers me a bit) might want for training.  I am preparing a training now on rage in children.  I'm interested to see what the response is.  On a pleasant note, I walked home on Friday night with my assistant, Tracie.

On Tuesday evening, Yvette (Dave's boss at BERT) came over for a glass of wine and to talk about our adjustment thus far.  The funniest thing happened as we sat in the living room.  Izzie was suddenly at the very top of the screen door!  A lizard had come in through a crack in the door--the skinniest kind of lizard you've ever seen!  The cats were so excited!  But the lizard disappeared, which was not my favorite result, and this morning it was found on the wall above Dave's BERT file cabinet--much to the fascination of the cats again!  They've had no success in catching it!

Dave and I are frequently together in the car, as Dave has to be ready at a moment's notice to go to the airport.  We went to the air-conditioned grocery store on Friday, then the meat market, and finally the fruit stand.  I love the tropical fruits!  I have never tasted pineapple quite like the ones in Belize!  It reminds me of the pineapple one buys in the can with sugary syrup, only they taste like that when you cut it open!  So sweet and less acidic!  

On Saturday morning, we followed Yvette to the Cucumber Beach complex just out of town for a Rotary function.  First, we wound through a neighborhood to pick up an aunt of Yvette's and a friend of Yvette's mother to take them to the function, an annual event for the elderly.  What a fun time we had!  A radio personality, one of the Rotarians, hosted the event, and had these people singing a cappella, dancing, etc.  One lady was 96 who performed!  The crowd was huge, arriving on buses who had gone to the residential homes to pick them up. 

Here is a picture of the people dancing!  

This complex, Cucumber Beach area, has a waterslide that is SO tall!  And palapas.  A restaurant and gift shop.  A jungle walk.  I don't know what all!  Anyway, there is also a fish pond, which Yvette's son takes care of, cleaning and stocking fish in it.  There is an eel in it (which I eventually saw), and Yvette can be seen in a picture cleaning a corner of the pond in search of it!

This area is also for visitors who might arrive by sailboat to visit!!!  I caught a picture of a catamaran heading out to sea and the waterway that leads to the slips.

After the visitors climbed back on the buses to leave, the Rotarians and their wives or husbands had a social hour.  We met so many wonderful people!  At this point, I believe that I have met every importer or distributor of wine, beer or liquor in the country!  So we drank well!  (Well, Dave was having water until Yvette told him he could be off duty at 4:00 PM.)  We met John Woods and his wife Marta (who had the pickup truck that hauled me and my cats to the apartment that first afternoon) and his son Cisco and his wife.  John Woods has been in the country over 25 years and has a very successful construction company (and he owns the Cucumber Beach area).  Cisco has the hangar next to Dave.  We met Mary, who was in the clergy in Grand Rapids and moved here something over a year ago.  We met Gustavo and his wife; he lives at the corner of Princess Margaret and St. Thomas, just up the street from us.   They own a farm with cattle (and are suffering a drought here, too).  We met Steffie, who moved here 14 years ago from Germany and who spends half the year here and half in Germany.  Tonight she is having a girls' night of cocktails at her house on edge of the sea!  (I wonder if any of them know how to play MahJongg!!)  What fun to meet so many people (and there were more whose names I've forgotten at this point)!  Yvette has taken such good care of us!  I don't know how we will ever repay her!

I have a meeting tomorrow morning at the Ministry building downtown to staff a case.  And the week promises to be a busy one.  Next Saturday morning Yvette and I plan on doing the annual Cancerwalk.  Dave will drop us off in Ladyville at 5:00 AM, and we will walk 9+ miles back to Belize City to the Hospice office, who is sponsoring the walk.  Yvette does the walk nearly every year.  And we will be cooked by the time we get back to Belize!  I plan on taking suntan lotion, water, and my camera!