Sharing my Reality

Belize has recently received a new shipment of dedicated, ambitious, idealistic and hopeful Peace Corps Trainees. They have about one month left of training at which point those who are brave enough to carry forth will get dressed up, be on their best behavior and attend a prestigious, formal ceremony where they will take an oath of service - officially committing to two years of Peace Corps service as a volunteer - and at that point bringing the number of PCVs in Belize to over 100.

Well, part of their training is a wonderful weekend getaway to the house, hut, apartment or mansion of a currently serving Peace Corps volunteer. The point of this is for the volunteer to show the trainee how we live, what we eat, what we do, who we know, etc. etc. I had the pleasure of hosting Ms Shannon White. We're not related as far as we know but we did have plenty in common and had a great weekend overall. The Cayo trainee visitors arrived Friday evening and we went to the lovely Erva's Restaurant for good food and conversation. We all were getting to know each other and getting through our plates stacked with delicious fish fillets, rice and beans, burritos and stewed chicken, when the sky opened up and a torrential downpour as well as magnificent thunder and lightning started up. We were sitting at outside covered tables but were still soaked as the rain blew and splashed until we were all getting wet as well as the food on my plate. So we moved inside and waited until the storm passed to move out.

Catching a late bus back to Cayo, Roger and I along with our trainees - Larry and Shannon - were walking back to our homes when the power went out making the streets pitch black. The stars took this opportunity to shine bright and it was beautiful to watch the sky for a moment. We were at my house when the power went so I went inside, found a flashlight and candle, and Shannon and I sat around chatting while drinking cups of herbal tea. Roger and his trainee walked onward home, flashlight in hand.

Saturday morning we woke to make coffee, then hand press tortillas which we used to wrap up the egg scramble I made. I was a harsh critic on the tortillas, disappointed in their shapes, consistency and lack of foldability. But Shannon thought they were great. And yes, they tasted wonderful. Even if they looked like a inexperienced gringa made them. After breakfast we went into Cayo for the market, got plenty of veggies and food for dinner, then gathered a group and headed to a river spot called "branch mouth" for swimming and relaxation. It was a blistering hot day and we walked about 2 miles on an unshaded road to get to the river but once there, once submersed it was bliss. The suspended 'hammock' bridge was great for jumping off of too. The girls got a kick out of the ginormous pigs that live on the other side of the river in the village of Santa Familia. We also watched giant sardines swarm us as we dropped cracker bits into the water to attract them. I wished I had a net. After a few hours of swimming, wading and chatting we gathered our stuff and headed out, walking home feeling much cooler at 4:30pm, that magical time when the sun seems to turn down its thermometer.

Shannon and I bought dollar bags of mango slices from a fruit cart, which can be found abundantly in Cayo. The mangoes are finally here. Sweet, delicious and abundant. (I suppose I can stop smuggling them in from Mexico and Guatemala now.) We then hailed a cab to take us home where we each showered, had PB&J and rested for a bit. After a cat nap for me, and reading time for Shannon we headed to the store to grab a few things - bread, beer, sour cream - and walked on towards Roger's house to cook dinner for the four of us. Roger made an excellent shrimp ceviche - a recipe he is perfecting lately. I made shredded BBQ baked chicken with lightly sauteed bell pepper and onion which was all stacked on fluffy sandwich buns & a smear of sour cream to top it off. So good!! We ate and chatted, learning more about each other (Shannon has a pseudo name of Sharon Wright; Larry's favorite tv series was Buffy the Vampire Slayer), then made some popcorn and turned on the new "Alice is Wonderland". It was alright. I definitely like the original one better but wish I could have watched this movie in 3D. Someday I'll find out what this 3D action is all about.

Roger walked Shannon and I home safely and we slept peacefully, she in the hammock, me in my bed, exhausted by the day's heat and swimming and filled to content with delicious food. Sunday morning we slept in. I got out of bed around 9am, made yummy oats with manzana rosa (something between an apple and a pear), raisins, cinnamon, milk and sugar. With coffee, of course. Then we lazed around a bit more chatting and enjoying the morning calm. It wasn't until around noon that we got a move on the day.

We walked down to the entrance of Benque and waited to hail a taxi or hitch a ride. The free hitch came first. A white truck stopped for us and we hopped in the back of it, joining the several women and children who were already there. I chatted with one woman in Spanish for a while as I squatted, hanging onto the bars. The ride is only about 8 miles into San Ignacio but squatting for 8 miles turned out to be just a little uncomforatable. The truck stopped to let us off, I said, "Muchas gracias y que vaya bien" (Thanks so much and travel well essentially) and stepped out of the truck, stretching my legs and rotating my ankles which were beginning to tingle and fall asleep. We then ascended the remarkable Cahal Pech hill and walked into the resort panting. After paying $10 each we changed into bathing suits, rinsed and submersed ourselves in the cool, clean, chlorinated water of the swimming pools. Bliss. Pure bliss. I explained to Shannon that the swimming pool was not typical in my daily life but that it is an occassional indulgence which is healthy for body and mind. :)

After swimming, we wandered home again to Benque, made some easy food for dinner, chatted for a while and went to bed early. In the morning I took her to my work and showed her what I was working on - Earth Day stuff - and then she took off, back to Belmopan to complete Spanish homework and prepare for her return to training. Overall, it was a lovely and relaxing weekend. I think the trainees from Cayo all left rejuvenated and excited to begin the life as a PCV. It was a refreshing reminder to me as well that I am living a pretty amazing life down here. In sharing my 'reality' with a new person, I became aware of the daily activities, sights, foods and people that I interact with and enjoy, and I am truly grateful for all of it.