Weekend Adventures

For two weekends in a row, we had some very exciting excursions! First, we went on a cave tubing adventure. We drove about 20 minutes out of Belmopan and ended up at a lodge kind of area where we met up with our guide, Pablo, and we each picked up an inner tube. We carried these tubes down to the river and then crossed it, pausing a bit to swim and cool off before the hot hike before us. The water was an incredible clear blue and was definitely a refreshing rest. We continued on our hike and walked on a path through the jungle. We peered into a few dry caves and saw some bats and then carried on. We walked for a fair bit, saw a cashew tree, and came to the spot where we would begin our drift down the river. After the optional jump off a cliff into the river, we swam in the river a bit, and then were seated on our tubes and began our journey into the dark cave that the river cut through.

We turned on our head lamps and drifted slowly into the cave, our voices echoing off the smooth brown walls that surrounded us on each side. Looking back the crystal blue of the water and bright yellow light got smaller and smaller as we continued on into complete darkness, only our weak head lamps guiding us into the cave. We learned how the Mayans came to use these caves and how they explored them. How they believed the sun gods lived down here and how they came to these caves to offer sacrifices (human sacrifices) to appease their gods. Even children were sacrificed and it was considered a great honor.

Awhile later we reached the end of the first cave and broke into the bright day light. Swallows flew overhead as they ducked in and out of the cave. We took a rest and swam again. We then continued on into the next cave a little while later. This cave was much longer and we even passed by an opening in the cave that we didn't float out of. We heard rushing water and passed by a small waterfall cascading in through the opening. A little while later we passed by stalagmites and stalactites and then through the opening. We kept drifting down the river past the river bank and jungle until we reached where we had started and could hike back to our car.

It was definitely one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. To be able to float on a cool river through a very long and dark cave with nothing to listen to but the echoes of our own hollow voices. Such a thing I didn't know existed, but would definitely recommend to anyone who has the opportunity.

Resturant at Caye Calker with a swing bench and sand floor.

The next weekend we were able to hang out with the kids at a church social on Saturday night where they nearly froze to death because of the 60 degree weather. It was definitely a fun bonding night for us. The next day we were up early, headed to the coast. We started out on a water taxi, heading out of Belize City. We went along for about an hour and saw flying fish passing along our boat. We began to reach water that I called a Caribbean Blue color. A color that I never knew truly existed.

We reached Caye Calker first and spent the afternoon there, walking around and eating dinner at a very cute little place. The island was very small but had a very sweet little community.

Ice cream fun at Caye Calker.

We headed off again and reached San Pedro on the Ambergris Caye, which was our destination. We spent the weekend at a resort right on the beach. We walked around and visited different shops and just enjoyed the view of the beautiful beach and ocean right in front of us.

We also went out on a snorkeling excursion to the reef. We grabbed our snorkel gear and fins and took a 10 minute boat ride out on the water over beautiful blue waves. We reached the first spot and hopped off the boat into the water. We swam around a bit then headed closer to the reef. We saw many types of fish and coral and even some sting rays and an eagle ray! We swam over a deep area and saw guides skin diving. They dove down to the floor and would touch areas of sand where sting rays were, and they would soar off as if they were flying through the water.

We went to another spot called Shark and Ray Alley where we could swim with both nurse sharks and sting rays. As soon as we got there we saw sharks swim up and rays because they attach a boats motor to being fed by the people who come. We hopped right in before they swam away and we were able to swim right beside nurse sharks. The sting rays hung around for a lot longer and some of the guides were even holding them up. It was an incredible experience to see what we usually perceive as dangerous animals up so close.

The Caribbean blue water.

We headed back home on a Tuesday morning and my friend Kelsi and I asked to sit up on top of the boat by the captain. I could not stop taking pictures from the boat the entire time, in fear that I would somehow miss something or would not truly capture the true blue of the ocean.

A boat sailing out on the water.

It was a beautiful place to visit, a real paradise. It was amazing to see such vibrant colors on the water and such interesting creatures beneath its surface. To see such a different ocean from one that I am used to was a very interesting thing. I could never imagine that the sea could hold such beautiful colors. It was truly breathtaking.

My friend Rachael Coon and I.

Sunset.

Heading out to Shark and Ray Alley.

The group that went. Amy, Rachael, Kelsi, me, and Alisha.

A Normal Day

We have started to fall into a regular schedule, here in Belize. We begin waking up at around 5 am to the sweet melodies the dogs start barking and the noise of a work area behind us where people always seem to be dropping things or dragging around large pieces of sheet metal. We get up at around 7 am when the heat starts to permeate our blinds, and we begin the day with prayer and our own personal devotions. Breakfast follows and we head downstairs for a bowl of corn flakes and soy milk, usually with a delicious, locally grown orange on the side.

The dining area where we teach preschool and the kids eat.

We get ready for the day and head out the door with our hands full of preschool supplies as we head over to them home at around 9 am. We round up the four kids we have a preschool: Erwin, Emmerson, Moses, and Rabonni, and have them all sit around a table to begin. We have worship, sing songs, work with numbers and letters, have them practice their writing writing, and have a craft. We end this at 11 am and head back to the house, drop off our items, and pick up our purses to head to the market (which is open Tuesday and Friday.) We always make sure to stop by the post office on our way there to check in with Mr. Aaron to see if we have received any mail. After biding farewell to Mr. Aaron, we head over to the market to pick up some fresh fruit or vegetables. This market truly is a gem for us because we can usually pick up 8 bananas, 10 oranges, 1 pound of tomatoes, and 1 pound of onions, each for about $1 Belize (which is 50 cents U.S.) After picking up everything we need at the market we head back to our house, which is about a 10 minute walk away, and fix ourselves lunch.

The front of the King's Children's Home.

We have free time until about 2 pm which is when we head over to El Shaddai, which is the Elementary school the children attend, to walk home the younger students who get out at 2:30. Of course, this is directly during the hottest part of the day, so by the end of the 20 minute walk over to the school, we are absolutely drenched in sweat, and continue to be so as we walk back. We begin our tutoring students with our Infants (which are grades 1 and 2), I with Dion, until about 3:30 which is when the older Elementary and Middle school students arrive at home. We then end our tutoring with the Infants and begin work with the Standards 1-6 (this is equivalent to grades 2-8). I work with Standard 5, which consists of four boys: Keith, Joel, Wanige, and Calvin. After we get homework done we try to read a chapter from a certain book with each of them. This leads us to about 6 or 6:30 and so we put up a dot for those of them who finished their homework, and leave them to dinner, usually grabbing a piece of bread on our way out.

The play area outside.

We walk back home and start our own dinner, which is mainly made up of homemade tortillas, homemade beans, rice, and coleslaw, that we put together to make burritos. When we finish dinner it is about 7:30, and so we head back over to the home and pick up a few kids to work on reading with for about an hour. We take them back after we have read, and come back, making sure to lock all five of the locks on our doors. We try and exercise a bit, dodge and sometimes kill cockroaches, and hop in the shower to wash off the day's grime and sweat. We turn up the fan to its highest mark, and lie in our beds, all sprawled out in an effort to lose as much body heat as possible. We turn off the lights and again fall asleep to the sweet, sweet sound of dog fights and cars zooming by.

The living room.

This definitely represents a very standard day of our lives here. Yet I see each day in the possibilities that lie before us in the people we may meet or the events that may occur. Just seeing our "kids" everyday makes each day exciting and fun as we get to know each one more and more. Any day here in Belize is a good day indeed.

The basketball court outside.

The library at KCH.

My buddies Jaleel, Keith (from Standard 5), and a boy named Lucas, who was visiting.

My buddy Gigi and myself.