Wrap it Up

Traveling IKEA in Belize

Pretending to be sharks

Swimming the channel

New Victoria Secret model of course

Disgust

Ya i touched that SHARK!!

So this was basically my dream come true... I came to belize hoping i would get to swim with dolphins but to my amazement the local tour guides on the Cayes told me dolphins dont even stay in this area because of the boat traffic... depressed i decided to go snorkeling anyways knowing sharks and stingrays were the next best thing... well as we were heading back in to shore what did i spy with my little eye... DOLPHINS!! it was amazing!! there were like 5 of them and the guide was like "oh my its our lucky day" and he told us that they were feeding on lobster that had been captured and the dolphins turned over the crate. I didnt get to swim with them but i was lucky enough to see them!

Ali anh waatta noh mix. This is Kriole for "Oil and Water NO Mix"... belize advertising for conservation of their reef.

Tikal Mayan Temples

Today we woke up super early to catch a ride with Pacz Tours, who took us to guatemala to see the hidden timples of Tikal. These are the largest mayan temples in central america. We had a wonderful tour guide to lead us through the jungle to see 7 huge temples. Supposedly Tikal was all under ground and in the past few centuries they have excavated it to where we can see all the temples and many of the sacrificial altars. This place really is amazing and makes my mind run in a million directions at once. It is amazing to ponder the life of a mayan and see what their lives could have been like. The Temples were only for the kings and priests to climb to the top to be closest to the heavens. Here they would worship and receive revelations, however these were not a result of holiness rather drugs. There are also ball fields where myans would play a game where they bounce a rubber ball off their hips and elbows to make it through a hoop on a wall. This is much like the game they play in the movie Road to Eldorado if you have seen it! Well the winner of the game is sacrificed… yeah they find it an honor to be sacrificed. Crazy. In one of my pictures you can see and amazingly tall tree, the myans believe the roots lead to the under world. Basically similar to Hell. The myans are a very mystical group of people. Learning their ways was fascinating to me. We were able to climb to the top of the temples and see for miles around us! It was amazing! Sitting up there was relaxing and there was no way you could sit up there and not be baffled by the mayan people and their architecture. Just be baffled by the world in general and be thankful for this beautiful world we live in. The day was gloomy and rainy but the rain on my face just made me appreciate that place even more. After the temples we took a hike throught he jungle and spotted some spider monkeys! They were fun to watch as they jumped from limb to limb! Before we headed back to Belize we stopped at a place in the jungle to zip line! We got strapped in and climbed up a tree to where we had our first line. WAH!! It was exhilerating! We rode superman style and upside down! Hido and Samuel we our trusted guides and were kind enough to take all of our pictures! It was a great end to a great day!

Hardcore

First Time like a PRO

Monkeys in a tree

WAHHH

The gang with samuel and hido

Supergirlll

Soooo Excited

Sunday was off to a great start with church and me wearing my guatemalan belt. Then halfway through church I got really sick. I mean like I felt nauseated and feverish. So I got a ride home from church and the instant I walk in the door I ran to the bathroom to throw up! This followed for the next 5 hours, my sleeping and throwing up. I was miserable. Nothing like being sick in a tropical region where they have no ac and no medicine adequate. The whole day I spent in bed and the bathroom and by night time I was feeling better! I started off with gatorade and then some soda crackers. Slowly but surely i was able to walk around and fully regain my strength. And a special thanks goes out to all the people in the house for taking good care of me! Thankyou!

Upside downnnnn

Another day. Another memory.

Monday, yet another great day with the residents at octavia waight. After doing all the exercises we decided to stay a little bit longer and play some bingo and parachute ball. They residents really do love the interaction and seeing them smile lets me know that. Even if I cant make their pain go away or come visit them everyday, I know that just the small time spent with them  has made their day a little better. The pictures show their excitement while we played parachute ball.

Tuesday was a rainey day!! We started off the morning in San Ignacio going door to door telling everyone about the nutrition that we were going to hold on Wednesday. Most of them seemed interested but that might have been fake just to get us off their front porch haha. Who knows and if you don’t try you'll never be able to succeed. After that some of us headed to the Internet cafe where we did work on other projects. Today I started research on teaching a music basics class to young kids! Basically Amanda and I will be working together to teach some of the youth in San Ignacio. I'm super excited to share my love of music and help other kids understand what music has to hold for them!!

MUSIC

Wednesday was spent at octavia waight again, but today was different. We completed all the work and then chatted with Dorthee for a while. She took us around the center and told us the stories to each resident! Heartbreaking yet warming at the same time. All of the residents are now in a better place here at octavia waight. It was sad to here their stories of struggle and despair. But to know that they are well cared for makes me happy. This place is different from homes I've seen in America, it is truly a happy place with plenty of activities and good people taking care of the residents. So many of the residents are funny. They always compliment me and ask me to stay the day with them. A man named Norris sings to me. And a lady named Juanita is always having me sit next to her. Let me tell you this place makes you appreciate life so much more! In the afternoon Amanda and I headed to the church to teach our music class. Success! About thirteen kids came and it was amazing! They were excited to learn and they even took notes!

Thursday was an exceptionally great day. I say exceptionally because today was and exception. It was our country director, Calvin’s, Birthday. Everyone in the house was gone except me and three other girls, so we headed to the resort to swim and lay out. Of course we brought the lap tops to do some work but really we just played! After playing in the sun we had to do some work so we headed back to the house and then went to a computer class where we teach one kid Trinidad how to type and other comp skills! Trini is one of my favorite children that I have worked with here in Belize. Trini is 11 years old and just recently  a convert to the LDS church. He is constantly coming to the lessons or classes we put on for kids in the community. He attends our leadership seminar, music , and computer classes. He told me that when he grows up he wants to be someone important and he know that’s only possible if he starts now learning everything he can. I think he’ll be the President of Belize some day. Its awesome knowing that someone appreciates our hard work.

 

Before

Friday: Today was probably one of the most rewarding days I've had here in Belize. Today I went with a team of girls to a Arenal, a village not to far from Benque. In Arenal we have been communicating and educating many of the community members on proper stoves. You see, most of the families have a open fire stove in their homes which leaves their roofs blackened and causes lung damage in everyone living there. We have devised a way to build an adobe stove with a chimney . They are extremely reasonable sense they are built out of rocks, mud, water, and corn husks. First we mix the mud with corn husks to create a adobe like mixture. We mush and mash the mud with our feet then slam it in the barrier built for the stove. All the children love to join us to throw mud. Haha its quite the scene. Anyways once the stoves were done the family had prepared us the most amazing chicken soup and corn tortillas I have ever tasted! After the meal we cleaned up at the river and went for a walk around the village. Of course we had a local kid give us the tour and he took us to a crazy rickety bridge! It reminded me of something out of Indiana Jones movie. So we chilled on the bridge and then walked across the Guatemalan border. No big deal, the town of Arenal is half Belize and half Guatemala! So I was in two countries today!On our way back we spotted a boy riding a horse Anyways before we left the community kept thanking us and telling us that we really made their lives better! This is where it was so rewarding to know that their children will be healthy and be able to build their own stove one day! 

Finished!

Local tour guides

Indiana Jones Bridge

Guatemalan women

Guatemala

Sorry its sideways

Girls

This horse has no name apparently