Work Week

Hospital Groupies

Monday: Ballers for life… my new project. I know it sounds cool already right? Well this is a basket ball camp for the youth of San Ignacio. Kids come in waves to learn the basics of bball and learn the meaning of teamwork, determination, and leadership. The camp is for two weeks and it runs everyday. Bryant and I went to day to get the camp started off! I helped the four girls who showed up and Bryant helped with the boys. This was a lot of fun to help the kids with something that im interested in as well. The girls always ask for tips or how to do a certain skill. At the end of the camp, ten kids from each wave of age groups are selected to go and play in a tournament in Belize City. It will be very rewarding to see the kids improve and who knows maybe win a tournament! After Bball camp, we went to the hospital where we continue to help build the dialysis center. Today I helped build the celing. We insulated and placed tiles. A lot of work was accomplished.

Tractor

Me being creative

Everyday sight... no big deal

Tuesday: San Antoniooooo… the work still continues to flourish in san Antonio. The rural health campaign is now done with the village of georgeville and had moved on to san Antonio to check blood pressure and blood glucose. This village is much different from georgeville. It is bigger and more hilly. This means more walking! It’s a good thing seeing as our dinner portion sizes could feed not just one but five people! This village is also quiet and clean. Not to cluttered. Everyone has land, gardens, and livestock. And for a added note these people are direct descendants of the Myan people. Bishabell is how are you in myan. Malopp is good. So now being here in belize I have learned some Spanish, kriole, myan, and garifuna.

My favorite. Bernard

Norris sings to me

To continue on with the work week, Wednesday I got to start a new project. As most of you know, my emphasis in school has mainly been focused on the medical field. Well through the old folks home that we would visit, Octavia Waight, we discovered a lady by the name of Dorthee who works as a nurse. She comes to the center three times a week to do physical therapy and to take care of other small medical problems with the residents. Basically myself and another volunteer arrive at 7AM on Monday and Wednesday and work until about 12. In this time we do simple but useful exercises with each resident based on their level of mobility. We help diabetics with prosthetic walk, those who have had strokes regain strength by lifting weights and other activities. My favorite thing about this experience besides the medical part it getting to know each residents story. Most of these guys were mistreated or neglected before arriving at Octavia Waight, so now just to see them smile warms my heart.

Chicks

Beautiful little girl

On Thursday it was back to the rural health care project in San Antonio. I know I have mentioned this project before but just to reiterate, we go door to door to check blood pressure and blood sugar levels. These are just two ways that the main hospital in Belize City has told us will help them in determining which districts need more medical attention. The first village we completed was Georgeville, and lets just say they were pleasantly plump. Haha, But seriously, most of the residents either suffered from diabetes or high blood pressure. So upon arriving in San Antonio, I thought it would be very similar. I was Wrong! Here it is very hilly and farm landish. Everyone has chickens and horses and gardens. They must truly live from the fat of the land. Everyone there except for a few exceptions was Healthy!! It was nice not having to scare people into going to visit the doctor. The day was ideal and successful. Speaking of ideal… I don’t know if I have mentioned this magnificent treat yet, but here in belize they sell these oversized otterpop things. Basically flavored ice for you older generations. They are soo sooo sooooo GOOD! They make them in water and milk so when you have a strawberry one it is like this frozen strawberry dreamsicle. IT IS TO DIE FOR! It just makes me laugh that they are called Ideals because I guess they are the “ideal” way to cool off in the hot belizean sun. Creative huh… no worries I will be bring some home and refreezing them for everyone to try one.

Our house. We live on the bottom!

Well as I have mentioned before, our group has a lady from our church cook for us everysingle night! Bless her heart. She makes amazing meals and today we got to do something special for her in return. We headed over to her house to build her a square foot garden that she will be able to plant all of her vegetables and not have to buy them at the market. Getting people to eat vegetables here in this country is not hard but getting them to cook the veggies to where all the nutrients aren't drained or so they aren't fried is a little harder. Believe me, they think hot sauce is a veggie…hmmm. She is very educated in horticulture and agriculture and she was soo pleased to see us build her very own garden. The work was fun but yet tedious. First we have to build a frame then we have to till the ground where it is going to be. Then we dig it out and mix the dirt with some special dirt and put it all back in. Then we mark off the sq. feet. and begin to plant stuff. We filled her garden with peppers, cabbage, tomatoes, and some other veggies. Great Day! That night the group headed to the bball courts for some basketball. Since we have enough we just played on 5 on 5. Most the time its just for fun since some of the guys don’t know how to play, but I just wanted to tell you my team won… and I might have been the mvp. Just saying. No big deal. After the games we headed into town to follow our rigorous workout with a nice piece of chocolate cake. I know, not what you expected. But there is this shop that sells cakes and other sweet things. The shops name is “Sweet Tings” haha which makes me laugh. Basically their prices for a overrated slice of cake are ridiculous, but it’s the closest thing to american sweets we've seen.

Neighborhood kids