Appreciation: week 2

May 18 – May 24

59: I appreciate long bike rides through the jungle, listening to Howler Monkeys, frogs, and the many birds
58: I appreciate the sunrise over the Caribbean as I turn the corner into Punta Gorda at 6:00am after an hour on the bus
57: I appreciate coffee, a morning routine that has traveled with me where ever I go
56: I appreciate my washing spot, an excuse to cool down, slow down, and relax while doing a chore
55: I appreciate friends that visit from other sites in Belize, they break up the routine
54: I appreciate the calming turquoise of the Caribbean Sea and kayaking on a clear day
53: I appreciate whole wheat flour that allows me to make pizza crust

Appreciate: Week 1

In the spirit of embracing and recognizing all the great things that have made up these past two years, I am going to devote a moment each day to an appreciation. Over the next two months, I will compile and share these recognitions once a week, so that by the time I leave Belize I will have 66 reminders of the great things that I too often take for granted.

May 11 – May 18

66: I appreciate my hammock and the time to enjoy it. Even the worse days (like today) are rectified by a little R&R in my hammock in front of my fan.
65: I appreciate my mosquito net. Even when it is too hot to bring it down, the magical canopy keeps the fantasy of my jungle life alive.  
64: I appreciate the sound of the water coming through the bridge. A low gurgling complemented by the whistling birds and rustling iguanas.
63: I appreciate the bittersweet, slightly gritty chocolate made from fresh, organic cacao grown in my backyard.
62: I appreciate the “pool,” a deep, shaded, waterfall-fed spot in my river that turns hot afternoons into paradise
61: I appreciate the Snack Shack, my PG breakfast spot with real coffee, wireless internet, and a giant burrito by the sea.
60: I appreciate mango season and all the 13 varieties of sticky, juicy, sweet, mangoes that are now at the market

A letter to the moms in my life

Today is Mother's Day and it is also my Mom's birthday, which makes it doubly difficult to be absent for the second year in a row. Instead, I am dying of a relentless heat and facing a reality that does not include water. The village well, for the first time ever, has run dry. Thank you climate change. But today, it's not about me, it's about moms.

Really, my mom only has herself to blame for me being here, so far from home. Had I had a more conventional, less passionate person for a role-model, I might have been content to stay where I was instead of pursuing a dream. Without her love of travel and other cultures, that deep-seeded curiosity and wonder that drove me out of the PNW may never have surfaced. And had it not been for her ability to face and conquer insurmountable challenges, I am not sure that I would have known how to summon my own inner strengths during the times when life has been less than ideal. So mom, it may your fault that I am not there today for brunch and a historical home tour, but I am truly grateful for that. These past two years have been difficult, but they also have been important, and amazing, and irreplaceable. And the good news is that soon I will be home, where I can continue being your stubborn, self-righteous, rigid daughter.

And then there is my sister, a mother as well as my best friend. I know she thinks me crazy for being here, but that has never stopped her from being there whenever I needed her and to listening to all my crazy stories and reading all my ranting, boring, and occasionally sentimental blogs. Like our own mother, she has met challenges that I don’t think I would have been able to face. Everyday she works towards being a better person and a better mother to my beautiful niece, whom I miss more than anything. I don’t think she knows how much I admire her for her strength.

And to all the mothers, thanks for raising some amazing people, especially the ones I have had the good fortune to know and work with closely. And if your child tells you one day that they want to run away from you two years to join the Peace Corps, chances are, you have only yourself to thank, and for that you should be proud.

The Beginning of the End

My Toledo Buddies: Jeff, Matty, and Michael

Peace Corps Belize: 2006 - 2008

The countdown has begun, officially I have 68 days of being a Peace Corps Volunteer left and now that my training group has completed our "Close of Service" conference, I can truly feel that only a couple of months, some hard work, a little traveling, and a bunch of sad goodbyes (not to mention a whole host of medical tests) separate me from that plane ride back to "reality." I have, of course, mixed emotions about leaving; mostly I am excited and looking forward to being home, but I also have a very real and fulfilling life here in Belize that I will wrap up and process. Today, I said goodbye to close friends, some of whom I know I will see again, but who knows what will happen as we all start to focus on the journeys that we will take following Peace Corps Belize and whether our paths will cross again. Above is a photo of our group, down from the original 40 but still close and strong, in Corozal with the beautiful Caribbean Sea at our backs. 

Dust to dust

The rooster's voice cracks mid cock-a-doodle,
The palm trees loose their pride;
The hot breeze brings negative relief,
And the jungle waits for rain.

The Iguana searches for a shady pool,
The river stalls then reverses;
The off-white clouds melt into a haze,
And the jungle waits for rain.

The buses stampede past the boiling school,
The students stare into their ice dreams;
The laundry collects a coat of dust,
And the jungle waits for rain.

The throat begs silently for something cool,
The damp skin is gritty to touch;
The eyes burn from the billowing smoke,
And I am waiting for rain.