Well, I was supposed to go home on Thursday but I wanted to stay so badly that I took an extra two days. You know I'm desperate to stay if I extend a trip by only two days. I'll take what I can get!
We've stayed busy this past week even though we are done with teaching. Last Saturday we took off and went inland to Cayo. I stayed in a place called Pine Ridge, while the girls went into San Ignacio. I got to hang out in the jungle and tube down the river, enjoy good barbecue and just have a really good time for the weekend.
On Monday I met up with the girls in San Ignacio and on Tuesday we crossed the border into Guatemala to do some shopping at the local market. It was insanely hot out - I can't even describe it. I want to say that I have never been that hot before but I'm sure I have been, especially since I have been to Thailand.
Then....on Wednesday I came back to San Pedro (where I was teaching) to spend my last few days. It is raining today, which they really need at this point. Belize is about to come into the rainy season and although they are desperate for rain right now, in a couple of months it could cause some problems.
Today, we are supposed to rent kayaks and attempt to fish. We'll paddle out to the reef and see what we can do. The goal is to catch something to barbecue tonight. Wish us luck! If the rains continues though plans could change. Not that I'm scared of a little rain, especially being from Vancouver Island but things tend to shut down here when it rains.
I head home tomorrow. I am excited to see my family - especially Sam and Fina. They are my honeys and I miss them so much. I have another long trek to get back to Victoria and apparently it's not very warm there. Not stoked about the weather. I don't understand how I am a Canadian but love the heat so much. Other things that will be weird are jeans and shoes. And getting back into the hot room should be interesting. Anyways, that's the story. I might write another post once I get home and can get my head wrapped around everything that has happened here.
May 24, 2013
May 14, 2013
One more day of school!
I can't believe that we are almost at the end of this amazing experience. Tomorrow is our last day teaching at Holy Cross and then we have a grand finale on Thursday at a school-wide sports day. I am on the green team for sports day and apparently us, the student teachers, have to race against each other in a 100 metre dash and a potato sack race. Should be funny!
We have been here for more than one month and this experience is more than I could have imagined. Initially, it was all about immersing ourselves in the school community and getting teaching experience but it has turned in to so much more than that. We have all made friends in the community and on any given day you can find one of us just hanging out with our new buddies. There are no ulterior motives - just good people looking for good friends. I have always been one to get attached easily and so experiences like this are hard for me to leave. I remember going to Costa Rica a few years back and making friends there and enjoying the culture and community and being so sad when I had to leave. Well, this time in San Pedro has been even more enriching of an experience and it is definitely going to be hard to leave. As a matter of fact, one of the girls has already changed her flight so that she can stay longer. It is real and genuine and is another part of this journey that we call life.
The last two weeks haven't brought anything out of the ordinary. We did get to go to Belize City to participate in a basketball tournament with the girls' team. It was so much fun and the girls had a really good time. We got our butts kicked but the team did play well considering they knew pretty much nothing about basketball two weeks prior. We also talked a lot about what being on a team means and about the sisterhood of women's sports and how this could be the beginning of good times for life with teammates. I know that I am forever bonded with my rowing girls and even if we don't see each other for years, when we get together it is like no time has passed. It was a really cool day for everyone that got to go. I do have to say though that there were aspects that were very un-Canadian. We (15 of us) piled into a taxi van to get to the court and on the way back we all rode in one small pick-up truck. It makes me wonder if we take life too seriously in North America, like we have a stick shoved up our asses - or, if we are actually just smart for being so cautious! It's your call. All I know is that I had a good time!
Next week, we will be heading inland to see a bit more of the country. Our plans are still a bit up in the air but we are planning on going to San Ignacio/Cayo. I'll give the update once we sort it out. For now, we are focused on finishing this week and wrapping things up at Holy Cross. Be in touch again soon. Hope everyone is well.
We have been here for more than one month and this experience is more than I could have imagined. Initially, it was all about immersing ourselves in the school community and getting teaching experience but it has turned in to so much more than that. We have all made friends in the community and on any given day you can find one of us just hanging out with our new buddies. There are no ulterior motives - just good people looking for good friends. I have always been one to get attached easily and so experiences like this are hard for me to leave. I remember going to Costa Rica a few years back and making friends there and enjoying the culture and community and being so sad when I had to leave. Well, this time in San Pedro has been even more enriching of an experience and it is definitely going to be hard to leave. As a matter of fact, one of the girls has already changed her flight so that she can stay longer. It is real and genuine and is another part of this journey that we call life.
The last two weeks haven't brought anything out of the ordinary. We did get to go to Belize City to participate in a basketball tournament with the girls' team. It was so much fun and the girls had a really good time. We got our butts kicked but the team did play well considering they knew pretty much nothing about basketball two weeks prior. We also talked a lot about what being on a team means and about the sisterhood of women's sports and how this could be the beginning of good times for life with teammates. I know that I am forever bonded with my rowing girls and even if we don't see each other for years, when we get together it is like no time has passed. It was a really cool day for everyone that got to go. I do have to say though that there were aspects that were very un-Canadian. We (15 of us) piled into a taxi van to get to the court and on the way back we all rode in one small pick-up truck. It makes me wonder if we take life too seriously in North America, like we have a stick shoved up our asses - or, if we are actually just smart for being so cautious! It's your call. All I know is that I had a good time!
Next week, we will be heading inland to see a bit more of the country. Our plans are still a bit up in the air but we are planning on going to San Ignacio/Cayo. I'll give the update once we sort it out. For now, we are focused on finishing this week and wrapping things up at Holy Cross. Be in touch again soon. Hope everyone is well.
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