Chicken beans and rice, or rice and beans.. there is a difference. Often with plantains and tortilla. This is a traditional meal in Belize. Comida tipica. However, much to my dismay people don't debone the meat here. So there's always the risk of biting down unpleasantly on bone or at least the certainty of having to work around the bones. Not always a problem but different. ("There's too much chicken in my chicken!") So a few weeks ago now, I bit on a bone pretty hard. My back molar hurts sometimes when I eat now which can be inconvenient. After a week I finally emailed the PCMO (Medical Officer) and told her about this problem. She scheduled a dentist appointment for me in Belize City. So Friday morning, I traveled by bus to the city then took a taxi to the clinic to see the dentist. After a 90 minute bus ride and about the same amount of time waiting in the reception area, I was seen but the dentist can't figure out whats wrong with me. She pushed and poked and prodded but couldn't replicate the intense pain I feel when eating. Mystery. So I think she ground my molar down a little which is strange. She said to relieve some pressure. Ok. So a long trip and a scary dentist visit but no diagnosis. Hopefully the pain will subside.
Rode back with the PCMO and her assistant, Kent, who KNOWS how to drive! Trying to make a left turn at a busy intersection? Turn right and flip a U-turn like you own the place. I was dropped at the bus station, immediately hopped on a bus back to Benque, arrived and walked home taking various turns to eventually weave to my house. Ran into Roger on the way. We chatted and parted ways at Long Lucky tienda. I bought beans in a bag.. mmm... matches. A case of them on accident instead of one box. She asked me if I wanted just one. I thought, "Who buys one match?" Oooohhh... I see. So I have about 10-15 small boxes of matches. Oh well. I'm set and ready for fuego. Also got cooking oil and cheese. The cheese in unmarked in a bag but thanks to my host family experience, I know that I like it at least. Outside the store, I buy tamalitos from a man on a bike with a cooler. Also thanks to my host mom for telling me he's the man for tamalitos. Yum! And only 50 cents each. Amazing! Bought 3 and went home. Shower. Love on the kitty. Make dinner of tamalitos, beans, cheese, tomato and avocado. And Marie Sharps of course. First hot meal on my stove. Granted, I only heated up beans in a bag, but it was pretty exciting.
8pm. Leave for a CACHE meeting. Exceptionally long but fairly productive. 11:30pm done. All in Spanish too. Good gauge for my language acquisition. I am following the meetings more and more and they don't speak English on my behalf anymore - only when I must know the point.
Saturday morning, sleep in. Go to Roger's. Do laundry in a spinner machine. Pretty easy and a new experience. Have coffee and hang out, reading magazines and listening to Roger play guitar. Lunch invitation to Roger's host family for AMAZING seafood soup/chowder. Ahh.. so good. Go back to my house, hang out, write letters, wash a little laundry by hand in the sink and then get ready for a quinceanera -- a 15th birthday party for a girl I don't know, but a honored invitation and a great cultural event to witness. Ate, drank, danced, was merry. Went out with friends to the bar and danced some more. Had a great night. Lost my phone somehow which is a bummer but hoping it surfaces somewhere... :(
Sunday, go to Roger's to retrieve laundry from lines. Mostly dry. Yesterday was quite rainy. Invitation to Roger's host families house again for BBQ this time. Lamb, pork and sausage. Mmm... and to celebrate Sunday I guess, some Johnny Walker Blue? Eessh! Delicious. Expensive. A rare treat. I always feel like an honored guest. People here really take care of me. I'm starting to feel like I'm part of the community and its a good feeling. There are of course peaks and valleys, but this weekend has been pretty much wonderful.
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