8.30.2006

Toucan Sighting!

Yesterday Drew and I were visiting St. Matthew's Anglican Primary School in Pomona, a small village outside of Dangriga. We were walking around the site taking pictures for the Agriculture department's potential project of designing and planting a school farm to feed the students and possibly provide some income for the school. There are at least 50 children who attend school who are unable to pay for food, and the school can only afford to feed 10. They have to rotate who is able to eat for the day. Awful.

Anyway, the farm has the potential to feed, teach and provide income for the students. It's a good thing. While we were walking around the site, we heard this loud whooshing sound and we looked up and saw big black bodies and flashes of color. Drew's face lit up and he yelled (in that way only Drew can yell), "I think that was a toucan!" We searched and searched in the leaves, but we could find nothing. Bummer.

Then, we heard the same whoosing noise again! And the toucan flew from one tree to the top of another where we could see it. It was gorgeous! Big black body, bright yellow chest, and huge bill with red and yellow and green. Drew and I were running around, as quietly as we could, trying to get a better view and a picture. Unfortunately, the sucker was too high for a picture. But it made our day anyway!

8.26.2006

hogwarts ?

Apparently, I am a computer expert - or at least I will be after I leave Belize. This week, I've taught myself how to use Dreamweaver. I'm working on websites for Peacework and the city of Dangriga. Check it out:


I'm also going to be helping with the computer lab/computer group at the local junior college. They had orientation yesterday, where I introduced myself to the incoming class.

Before the orientation began, I was handed a manual of sorts which told me that the college has four houses: toucan, mahogany, tapir, and orchid that the students belong to. This excited me, as my mom gave me a copy of the first Harry Potter which I just finished. All I could think was, "where's the sorting hat?" and "I think I'm volunteering at the Caribbean Hogwarts!"

8.23.2006

Punta the Futbol



Garifuna Dancing on Vimeo

Last night, Drew, Jenne and I cheered on Belize as they valiantly battled Guatemala in a heroic game of soccer. Unfortunately, there really wasn't much cheering - in fact, it was the quietest sporting event I have attended, except maybe tennis. Despite the low decible level and Belize's loss (sad, but not unexpected - they have lost the past five years), the game was a lot of fun mainly due to the entertainment and refreshments.

Pre-Game Show:
Women from Dangriga performed traditional Garifuna dances out on the water soaked field. The video shows a clip of their performance.

Half-Time Show:
After having a Coke and an orange (total cost $1.25 BZD = $.625 USD!!) Supa G performed some of his famous songs from his debut album "The First Chapter." Punta Rock: thumping drum beats, synthesizer keyboards, carribean rap and booty shakin' like you've never seen before.

Post-Game Show:
Local Cashews and more Supa G! Supa G is a local hero - born and bred in Dangriga and a chart topper in Belize. He played and sang and danced and wiggled and thrusted and screamed for over an hour. He only stopped when some crazy man took a 5 ft. snake out of a bag and tried to throw it on stage. I would have run away too! I did run away when they called for a foreigner to come up and punta (somehow manage to move your butt in circles while the rest of your body is amazingly still). Some short Guatemalan embarrassed himself instead.

8.21.2006

Falls

On Saturday we hiked into a new national forest with a waterfall to reserach a potentail project site. A biology group could do biomapping, and it could be a nice weekend construction project to work on improving the trails.

To get there you had to walk along/in a river. Here's Copenhaver on the journey:


There are several layers of falls that you can climb and explore.


Here's one that's further away.

Today we've met with the mayor, who I'll start working with tomorrow, and the director of the women's department, who Danis will start working with tomorrow.

8.16.2006

Toucan Sam

Here's something educational for you:

The national bird of Belize is the toucan.

(I haven't seen one yet, but I'm quite determined to.)

8.14.2006

Salt water

First off, I promise pictures soon - as soon as we get to the house in Dangriga. We've spent this first week mainly in Belize City. The HIV/AIDS training was very interesting, and we met lots of cool teachers from around the country.

This weekend we went to Caye Caulker, which is a little island about 30-45 by motor boat out from Belize City. Its sleepy and beautiful. Yesterday morning we got up early and went snorkling out on the reefs and swam with sharks! and sting rays!

My moustache did not work well with the snorkel mask - it broke the seal and let in salty water up my nose.

8.10.2006

type type typing

Today Danis and I are playing secretary. We're getting ready handouts for training Anglican School teachers. We've also been observing training in HIV/AIDS education for teachers to implement into their classroom. They want to educate the youth to protect themselves and to be more understanding of those already infected. Seems like a good idea to me.

Yesterday we played tourists and went to an area called "Old Belize" in the afternoon. We skipped the tour of recreated items from old Belize, and stuck to the beach.

8.08.2006

we're here, we're here

First post from Belize City:

We've about to go back to our second hotel (we'll be back to the first tomorrow) to take some serious naps. All's well and we'll be posting more detail soon.