There Just Aren't Words ...

First thank you all for the packages and letters! I came back into Belmopan from being at my site and had about 6 packages and letters and all the other Volunteers were soooo jealous he he he. But seriously, it was so great to get the tea and treats and books and notes and know you're thinking of me. Thank you all! I will be back here at the end of November so if you want to send something for me to get by Thanksgiving, please send it by November 7. I'm good on tea now but would welcome trail mixes (especially any from Trader Joes). (Just none with chocolate or yogurt or anything that would melt).

Going forward, I can't really get mail at my site - Peace Corps will hold it at their headquarters and I'll be coming through every 3 months or so and will get items then. I'll be sure to let you know when something arrives so if you send something and don't hear from me within a month, let me know and I'll find out what is going on.

Of course, I totally love and appreicate the emails also, letting me know what's going on for you and well wishes so keep any and all forms of communication coming!!!

Next in terms of being speechless - I can't begin to tell how big of a lucky stick I drew with my Site Assignment in Sarteneja. Let me make you jealous by describing my day:

6:30am - up for breakfast with my host mom, which is often waffles!!!
7am - back to bed
9:15am - up to get ready for work
9:45am - leave for the office
9:49am - turn the corner and see the water
9:55am - walk along the shoreline and arrive at the office

10am - 12pm - check emails, look out the window at the water, think about leadership development sessions for my counterparts, look out the window, chat with some of the fisherman/work on my spanish conversation, look out the water
12pm - head home for lunch which is ready on the table when I arrive. Lunch maybe vegetable soup, flour tortillas, enchiladas, bean soup, fresh squashes ...

1pm - head back to the office or sit in the hammock and watch "Law & Order" (my guilty pleasure)
4pm - head to the small pier for some sunset yoga. Look for sting rays, blue crabs, other sea life off the pier. Watch the children playing in the water. Watch the fisherman bring their catches and boats in for the night

6pm - dinner, my favorite is beans with habanernos (yes, I've gone there) and fresh flour tortillas
7pm - watch novellas with the family or read or work
9pm - under the mosquito net for bed, reading, lights out

I know, sickening isn't it?! I can't believe this is my life!!!

Just to balance it out - here are the not so great parts: the mosquitoes, they are vicious here. But I've discovered the browner I get, the less the mosquitoes seem to bite/find me. Great for the immersion also! Did I mention I have to go snorkeling as part of my work (when we go on patrol in the bay, we do fish population counts)? And I'm going on the snorkeling tours and tours to Mayan sites to help the Tour Guides finalize their programs and prices. Oh wait, I was going over the "negatives" ... There really isn't a beach, you kinda just walk from the road into the water. Which is crystal clear and bathtub temperature. But it's more muddy than sandy. Unless you float out a few feet. Then it's just lovely. mmmmm, ok, any other negatives? There is somewhat of a drinking problem among the unemployed fisherman, but I just stay away from those parts of town (the 3 bars are located right next to each other, by the police station). There are 11 churches all of different denominations (you may recall my last village with the same popluation had 9 churchs, 7 were pentecoastal) and they all have giant speaker systems which they like to blast their sermons and music. Til about 9pm then it's totally quiet and you can see the Milky Way outside, it's so dark. I can also see the lights across the bay to Chetumal Mexico which is suppose to be the bomb for shopping. Will report back on that shortly.

Well, I tried.

Finally, most importantly, I have been match so well with my placement. Not only am I traveling and volunteering (which is what I wanted to focus on at this point in my life) but I am using all the great training and skills from KP with groups and individuals who would never have the opportunity for this kind of interaction/expertise. It's EXACTLY what I hope would happen in joining the Peace Corps! EXACTLY.

And, as of Thursday, I will be sworn in as a PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer) and I will be official. Turns out, the last few months don't "count". Now the 2 years starts. And while I am still under the sponsorship of Peace Corps, pretty much all the DMV aspects are over and I get to be in charge of my life now. Wheeeeeeeee. So I'll be figuring out my living arrangements, daily routines, how I can best help my agencies, and planning my next excursion into Belize.

So blissed out, I can't even tell you. It's just a lovely lovely quiet in my heart and head, I'm exactly where I need to be, doing exactly what I love and wanted to be doing. There just aren't words.

Love you all - will be sending info shortly on the range of options to come visit and see Belize. You HAVE to come, it's cheap, it's gorgeous, and I want to share this great experience with you :-)

xoxo
Manissa

The snail mail option (and mail is welcomed!):
Manissa Pedroza c/o Peace Corps Belize, PO Box 492, 6130 Iguana Street Extension, Mountain View Area, Belmopan Belize

Hint: Use the same address for the return address and it will get to me no matter what!

Oh happy day - got my site assignment today, which is where I'll be for the next two years ...

It's on the COAST Northern Belize, in a small village (about 1800 people)

Working with an eco-tourism alliance. I'll be doing Leadership Development with a wildlife sanctuary, conservation group, fisherman's association, and the local tourism association.

And I'll be trained and rotate on patrols in the wildlife sanctuary WHEEEEEEE

Don't know yet about any ammenities or lack thereof in the village, but it appears I will have internet access at my placement's office...

Head out on Tuesday - will let you know more once I see it then we can really start the vacation visit planning :-)

http://www.sarteneja.net/

my bday and other fun

My bday and other fun

Had a great great birthday, starting with a parade and fireworks at midnight (for Belize’s Independence Day). During the day, went out into the jungle with an expat/local - Wayne who is white South African and self-transplanted to Belize for his interest in Mayan art – and explored three unexcavated Maya burials. The uppermost layers have been looted but there are probably still remains and artifacts lower down (Mayan would lay burials on top of each other to build the temple). It was fun to imagine how the site would have looked in it’s day, probably home to about 1000 Mayans. It was so amazing being in the jungle (Spanish for jungle), as soon as we got off the “road” you’re immediately lost. Every direction looks the same – have to say, would never ever want to get dropped in a jungle and have to find my way out. No way.

We also battled fire ants, an entire side of one temple was covered in them. Boy, talk about motivation to get moving, those suckers HURT. Came across a few more gianormous spiders but didn’t walk into them, thankfully. No other wildlife, unfortunately, the area has been hunted clean. Not even birds are left. But the area is a national park and now under the “protection” of the government and under the management of an NGO so hopefully with time the animals will return.

But I am impressed with how much Belize has done to protect it’s resources – had the opportunity to see the Belize Zoo which is not a zoo like you’ve ever seen, it’s more like a wildlife sanctuary. There is no concrete or bars, it’s more like they sectioned off part of the jungle and let people come in to visit. And all the animals are rescues – either from people who took them as infants and tried to raise them but they got too large and are too imprinted on humans or big cats who start taking cows and sheep and the Zoo will capture them so the villagers don’t kill them. Got some photos on Facebook (link below)

Also went to Caracol last Sunday, which is the largest Mayan site in Belize. Turns out, my host mom’s brother is a licensed guide. You have to have a license guide and armed guard to go into the backcountry of Belize. We went to an amazing cave, then to Caracol, then to some pools on the river and Big Rock Falls (see photos on link below). It was a super fun day!!!

But back to my bday – after trekking around in the jungle, got back home and was whisked away by a fellow volunteer for some bday ice cream. Belize has the BEST ice cream, when you can find it, produced by the Mennoites. Yum. And the store owner gave me a free coca cola.

Back at the house, my host mom had it all decorated with balloons and her sister-in-law who is training to be a cook, made me cake. We had all the children, which included cousins (about 20 total) and about 10 adults. Fellow volunteer Roger played the guitar and we enjoyed papaya and watermelon. We ate the food Antonia had been preparing all day: rice and beans, chicken, pasta salad, and plantains.

Then it was time for the piñata – which was a “Manissa (formerly Dora) the Explorer” in the shape of a purse. Filled with candy and money and gum. I got in the first few swings, then some of the kids, then my teacher, who lives in the village for the 5 weeks also, Frederico, who broke the piñata. Well, broke the handle so then Antonia and I threw the kids the candy. It was so funny.

Then we played games – first musical chairs with the boys then the girls. Then the boys played a game where you run from one end of the lawn to the other, grab a balloon, run back to your seat and whoever pops the balloon first, wins. After the boys, the girls played. Then the three female Peace Corps Volunteers and we literally popped the balloons at the same time. Hilarious. Then the men – Antonia’s brother, Mr. Frederico, and Roger. Augosto won by a large margin but when Roger sat down to pop his balloon, he and his chair fell over. Oh we just laughed and laughed.

Ended the greatest day with cake. With candles that won’t extinguish. Finally got them out, after busting a lung, and then Antonia explained that in Belize, you take a bite of the cake to express your thanks and show how much you are enjoying yourself. I was highly suspicious of this request and tried to take a quick bite. But they wouldn’t let me get away with that! I tried to keep anyone from being behind me and realized that was futile as well. So, I resigned myself to my fate and dropped my own face into the cake. That brought the house down.

It was an awesome day and was so happy to get to see more of this spectacular country last weekend.

Stay tuned for the next big announcement – where I’ll be going for my final Site Placement dun dun dun …

Bday pixs:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=115029&id=640467317&l=78e4508eaf

Caracol/Maya Site:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=115028&id=640467317&l=42edc42d76