finally here

hi all! i am so sorry that it has taken me so long to post anything new. i arrived in belize on august first and have been so busy since then. in fact, i've been so busy that i don't even know where to begin this note.

we have just completed phase 2 of orientation. that means that all the JVs (both from the belize city house and the punta gorda house) have been hanging out and doing activities. the second year JVs planned talks and adventures for the first years, to introduce us to belizean culture.

we first were in belize city for a few days---it was basically a blur of talks and trying to get to know our house and housemates. then all 10 of us went on retreat to a place called banana bank. we went horseback riding through the jungle and saw howler monkeys up in the trees! it really was incredible. the downside was that there were more mosquitos (and bugs of all kind for that matter) than i've ever seen in my life. you know when you're sitting around and you get the feeling that there is a bug on your arm, but you look down and realize that it is just the way the breeze is blowing through the room? well that doesn't happen in belize. every single time you look down, it IS a bug on your arm! but most don't bite, so that's good!

let's see....next the punta gorda volunteers went down to their home while the belize city folks stayed put. the three new first years went to our homestays. i stayed with a man who i will be working with at hand in hand ministries. after homestays, we went down to punta gorda for a week to run a summer camp with the jvs down there. PG probably has the same amount of bugs as banana bank and my legs still have the evidence of them! the pg house is pretty old and rickety, but it is RIGHT on the water and the view is absolutely breathtaking.

each day after summer camp, there was an activity planned for us. one night we went to the mayan villages for dinner and then to spend the night. we all broke up into pairs and had dinner with a family and then reconvened and spent the night all together. the ride to the mayan villages could possibly be one of the prettiest rides i've been on. driving up and down roads flanked by trees and plants of every shade of green imaginable. the trees seem to go on forever. it is just so beautiful. having dinner with a mayan family was such an honor. my partner and i were served first and we ate by ourselves because we were the guests, but then the kids came out and we played with them for a while. the parents eventually came out and we were able to ask a lot of questions and learn a lot about their lifestyle.

another one of our activities was seeing garifuna dancing. the garifuna people are a ethnic group in belize, just as the mayans and the mestizos, etc. garifuna are closely tied to their african ancestry and are amazing drummers and dancers. we were treated to a private show of drumming and dancing, and we even had to get up and try some moves on the dance floor. i don't think we impressed anyone but it was fun.

we also spent the night in a different mayan village and the next day went to a waterfall. we jumped off a ledge into the pool beneath the waterfall and it was so fun. i was TERRIFIED to jump....absolutely terrified. but it was such fun. i'll try to attach some pictures.

geez, i have been doing so much---this note does not do anything justice. it's hard for me to just write this, because everything i've been doing has been so much more meaningful than just the words on this screen. but i wanted you all to know what i've been up to, so this will have to suffice for now.

i still have not started my job, officially, but went out on a few home visits today and will slowly work my way into being there full time. a nurse from the outreach center took me around to meet some of the families whose children attend the center. all the houses we saw today were in very poor condition; i'm interested to get to know the families and their situations more. i was telling one of my housemates about my day and i was saying that i wasn't shocked by the poverty beacuse i feel as though i've seen a lot of families living in similar conditions in various countries, but that doesn't stop me from being saddened by it.

there is so much more i could write about---so much. please email if you have more questions; i would LOVE to elaborate on anything i've written or haven't written. i'm just going to stop this now because it's getting late!

i miss you all so much. i really do. the things i have been doing are absolutely amazing, but it still is difficult to be away from everyone and everything you love! i hope this finds you all well. drop me a line and let me know what's going on....any news, events, fun stories....i want to hear them all!

love, maria