Welcome to a New Way of Teaching

As I started this week of teaching, I began to think about the differences in teaching here in Belize and teaching in Wilmington. One thing is for certain and that is the teaching here in San Pedro is a lot less stressful and little pressure exists. In Wilmington I would constantly be thinking about every lesson and every detail in every lesson to make sure everything was ready and perfect. Life is not as face-paced here as it is in Wilmington so all those worries have dissipated into the air.

During the school day teachers do not fret over making sure everything is done perfectly. They have so much confidence in their students and in the abilities that exist in the classroom. I have taken on this attitude during my time here and it has made teaching so much more enjoyable.

One thing that is certain is that technology is not readily available here as it is in Wilmington. I cannot Google something or print out worksheets easily; I cannot even look something up when my students have questions. I have had to be as creative as possible and utilize all the resources that I can put my hands on. It has made me appreciate teaching in a whole new way!

Pageants, Parasailing, and Paradise

As it was our last weekend here in San Pedro, we had to make the most of every opportunity. We started by going parasailing- my first time ever! We met someone from North Carolina who owns one of the "adventure companies" down here and so a whole group of us got to go out for the day. That is a relaxing thing to do and not at all strenuous- I mean we don't want to overdo it! While I was above the turquoise water and seeing the whole Caribbean Sea, we spotted sea turtles and stingrays. Beautiful!

What a better way to close the day than by performing in the Miss San Pedro High School pageant?! Of course we got asked to perform and share some of our "culture" with the people of San Pedro. We did shag dancing to “Carolina Girl,” a line dance to “Country Boys and Girls Getting Down on the Farm,” and a hip hop dance to “North Carolina” by Petey Pablo. It was the perfect “representation of our culture.” Everyone cheered us on and laughed with us.

The next day, as if we hadn’t had enough fun, we went on a catamaran for the day. Our entire group and a few close friends from here in San Pedro went to Hol Chan Marine Reserve where we swam with fish, turtles, eels, and of course in the coral reef. It is one of the breaks in the reef and absolutely beautiful! After that we sailed over to Shark Ray Alley. As you can imagine there were plenty of sharks and stingrays. That adventure didn’t last too long in the water with sharks all around us! We then sailed over to Caye Caulker for lunch and shopping. It was spectacular! While we were sailing dolphins came and guided us back home! The boat rocking and sun on my skin put me right to sleep as we glided back to San Pedro. Manellys to finish the day and it was perfect. I am going to miss this place!

UnBelizeAble Week at School

This past week of school flew by! Now that I have been teaching full time all week, I am ready and prepared for what comes my way. Things here in Belize are not always exactly planned out well and so it is not that unusual for my teacher to be fifteen minutes late to school or ask me to teach on something that I don't have lessons for. The whole idea of being a "flexible teacher" has really been tested and grown during my time here. I have been bringing in new children's books for them every day and the first thing we do now is "story time." They had only a few books in their classroom that were torn or missing pages so an actual children's book was like gold!

We had PE class this week and it was the highlight of all the student's day. There is a sand/cement playground, but my teacher says she always takes the children to the beach because there is a breeze. So off we go to the beach for "PE." I made the children do some stretches and then had them play games that involved a lot of running, hopping, and skipping. They laughed and whenever tourists would walk by they would stop and say hello. The five minute walk back to school was an entire chant with the children shouting "hop two, three, four." People came out of their houses to come and see this sight and a sight it certainly was!

So many of the children are just starting to get used to us "gringos" that they don't want us to leave! I don't want to leave either and I told them I had to go home to graduate. From their sweet faces they said "Then you'll come back down here?" I can only hope so!

Guatemala for a Day

Our inland adventure was truly an adventure. Every day had it’s own surprises and as Dr. Kubasko has said, “Life is an adventure- Embrace it.” Traveling in itself was crazy getting onto different buses and taxis. We drove through a wild fire like it was no big deal and put as many people on school bus as possible. The main attractions we visited were the Belize Zoo, Tikal, Actun Tunichil Muknal cave tour, Caves Branch, and River Tubing. All I can say is that each had it’s own amazing thing about it. We had to travel over the border into Guatemala for the day to Tikal and I forgot that every other country in Central America speaks Spanish so I had to dig deep for that! In all of this, the Mayan culture was such a focus and really where these tours and explorations originated from. I really appreciate that piece of history now!

We traveled into San Ignacio for most of our trip and it is a completely different place than San Pedro. Whenever we told people we were teaching on the “island” they would all tell us what a fun place, or that everything is so expensive, or its just so laid back. I really began to view San Pedro as my “home” during my time here and missed the turquoise waters and white sandy beaches while we were away. In our time there we met a few teachers at some of the schools. Hearing about their classes and comparing ours was interesting. I’m extremely thankful to be in San Pedro than in San Ignacio. It appears there is more poverty and crime in that area and why have that when you can be in a place that is laid back, comfortable, and enjoyable. But if you’re in Belize you’re in Belize and you will love it!

The Easter Bunny Found Me in Belize

HS Band interviews and documentary
Easter Sunday- Living Word, Estels, packing
*privileges

Getting ready for our trip inland was exciting and worth the wait. We made it through Easter weekend and kept ourselves busy until the very last minute before we left. Natalie, Jeanne, and I interviewed Derrick and the high school band for our video. They had practice at their high school and we listened to them laugh and goof off as we got our video. This is coming together in a surprisingly good way and there is a fundraiser being planned for him. Things are looking good for him!

A Belizean Easter is a sight to see! After a leisurely Easter breakfast at Estels, we ventured over to the Living Word church. This day was full of performances from the youth with dances and skits. Everyone was joyful and Easter eggs were passed out with verses and candy. After the service, there was a potluck lunch with homemade Belizean foods. Delicious! Seeing the differences between the Belizean Easter and American Easter was interesting and makes you think about the privileges that we have back home.

We experience power outages frequently for many different reasons. People cannot pay, people cut the lines for intentional looting, or the weather factor. Can you really imagine? During the middle of school there may be no power for a while because the government increases the taxes and somewhere along the line someone cannot afford it. The same goes for the water around here. Believe it or not, even though we’re on an island, all of Ambergris Caye was without running water for three or four days. Something about no payments and lack of filters. Can you really imagine this more so than the power? Businesses suffered and people suffered including our smell!

Overall I’ve learned that people make do with what they have and if they don’t have it they don’t need it. What a great way to live and so unstressful. The Belizeans have a thing or two they have taught all of us and I am forever grateful for it!

Mayan Adventure

Since Natalie, Jeanne, and I began our video documentary of Derrick we have found many new friends. Derrick has a high school band with his brother, Maverick, and two friends William and Lucio. They wanted to take us to an unexcavated Mayan ruin and as they always say "When in Belize..." So of course what do we do but rent bikes and go on our adventure. We pack our bags for the day and peddle several miles south on the island and then turn off into the jungle. All they kept saying was "go fast" so to us Americans that’s code for "What were about to do could be illegal." So what do we do but peddle fast! We have to put our bikes in trees so as not to be seen and we begin to trek through a mucky jungle. After I fell into the water I gave up on trying to stay somewhat clean and embraced to mud. We walked for half a mile and came up to a mound of dirt surrounded by trees and conch shells. This was it! There was broken pottery on the ground, stairs, walls, and wells. It was amazing to see all of this. The "guides" got us a little lost and after running from mosquitoes and eating almonds off the trees we made our way back. What better to end the day than going straight into the ocean to clean off with shoes on and everything!

Dancing in the Moonlight!

I am officially enjoying my Easter break this week. After hosting an “Easter Camp” at the library for the children in town, we are exhausted and relaxing. Every day we read to the children or with them, did arts and crafts, played games, and sang songs. On Wednesday, the last day of the camp, there was an Easter egg hunt in the library. It was so fun to watch all the children scurrying around to find the most candy and eggs. Children all around the world get this concept I guess.

We are also officially celebrities here in San Pedro. Today we walked into our usual grocery store and the man working told us we were in the newspaper. Granted I don’t know how much it takes to be in the local newspaper, but there we were on the last page! It was a story featuring the “teachers” hosting the camp at the library. Not only that, but we are known all around town now. People we know stop and offer us rides on their golf carts and we get good deals on things. Who knew teachers were appreciated so much!

Last night we went to eat dinner with Dr. Paul, the consul to Belize. He and his family were down here on their spring break and invited us to their place for dinner and dancing. You can only get there by water taxi so we got on and saw the most beautiful sunset as we rode the seventeen miles north. Dr. Paul and his family were waiting for us at the dock when we arrived. We ate the most delicious American meal that I have longed for- hamburgers, French fries, and ice cream. It was splendid! I think all of our plates were clean after that- rice and beans doesn’t give you the same satisfaction as a hamburger! After dinner we danced with everyone in the outdoor pavilion with the full moon reflecting on the Caribbean Sea behind us. Truly a beautiful sight!

Toes in the Sand

Yesterday Natalie, Jeanne, and I began our video about Derrick. This is a sixteen year old guy here on the island who truly has a talent in music. He mainly plays the six-string bass with a high school band and with a group of older musicians at different places. He played at a place called Crazy Canuks and we danced with our toes in the sand! We went to where they were performing yesterday and talked to Derrick about his music, how he learned, and what he wants to do. His goal is to go to a summer camp at Berkley in Boston this summer in hopes to get a scholarship to go to school there after high school. There is a big group of supporters behind him and he also is a very driven, humble guy. He has been fun to get to know and learn from.

This week while we are out of school we are doing community service on the island. I guess it's not all fun and games! But we are helping with an "Easter Camp" at the library. We read to them and do arts and crafts activities. It was great to see all the parents come by and drop off their kids. I do think that children are valued in the culture here, their education not necessarily, but their overall well being. This has been evident through extravagant birthday parties, family involvement, and the constant love for children. When we get back to teaching I hope to get a better idea of how a child's education is valued, if at all. Americans have such a different standpoint on this so I hope to see more of how the Belizeans feel this!

Every Day is the Best Day Ever

Now that school is out for a few weeks we are taking San Pedro by storm! Yesterday we all rented bikes and began the day at Pan Dulce with only the best pastries in town! Navigating the streets was somewhat difficult because the "road signs" are not too visible. That being said there was a lot of turning around and sudden stops, but we got out of town alive and rode on the beach up north on the island to Ak'Bol. This is a yoga retreat that is a very serene place right on the sea. We went swimming in the pool, laid in the hammocks, jumped on the trampoline, and ate lunch. Every day seems to be the best day ever here! I do love Wilmington, but life could not get any better than this!

When we finally woke back up to reality we hopped on our bikes and rode back into town. We had to get ready for "Earth Hour" down here. In Belize people are on their own time and own agendas. So because of that we rode our bikes around the beach and were in search of the "parade," which consisted of thirty people and a drum line. This "Earth Hour" required ice cream and while we were standing outside a young boy who I have befriended came up to me and gave me a big hug. His name is Alex and he and his brother go around town every night of the week to sell necklaces and other jewelry. I asked him how late he would be out tonight and he said somewhere around eleven o'clock because this is a busy time for him. A lot of people are coming onto the island over the next two weeks so this is ideal for Alex and his brothers to find the tourists and sell to them. He gave me another hug and said he had to go back to "work." I always see Alex around town and as bizarre as his situation is to me, it is his life and it is all he has ever known.

I know for Alex that his family relies on him to bring in money every day and therefore he is valued in his family. Other children are valued in other ways as being precious and the hope for the future. Most all children go to school on the island except children with severe special needs. There is no school for them or special services so they do what little school they can and that is it. There are a few students at Isla Bonita with special needs who do what work they can and then usually move on to the next standard so as to get through school faster. My teacher was telling me about all of this and I asked her why there were no services and she said that the people have to beg and beg for things and they are not guaranteed so they do the best they can in the mean time. This made the idea of Belize being a third world country very evident to me.

School's Out!

My first week of school is over! Now we are out for two weeks for the Easter break too bad right? On Wednesday we went to a little boy’s birthday party, which consisted of tents, tables, decorations, fondue, karaoke, plenty of food, and of course a piñata. It was great to see how much effort a family would put into a little boy’s birthday. Friends and family came and of course wondered what all the Americans were doing there. They quickly found out we were teachers and greeted us happily. That’s the key around here- you have to tell people you’re a teacher and they love you and give you discounts.

Thursday was a day for class parties at school. We had Fanta, chips, and dip or queso as we call it! After break we were going a park and I didn’t know where it was, but one thing I did know was that we had to walk on the beach to get there. I loved this class party! We went to park near the toll bridge and the children played in the water and we played games. After plenty of sunshine and laughs we got back in line and walked back to school where the day was concluded with an Easter egg hunt. After that early dismissal I went to my favorite place to eat on the beach Estel’s and relaxed and layed out in the sun.

That night was the Creative Arts Festival at the high school. All the elementary schools and some from other islands came to compete because it’s similar to a talent show. We took tickets from people and sold desserts with other teachers from our school. It lasted for a very, very long time, but we saw some fun dances from the children.

Friday was the last day before Easter break and we did an Award’s Ceremony for all the standards, or classes. All the parents came it could have possibly been the hottest day ever! You know when the locals say it’s a hot day that we Americans are going to die! A rain storm came and rained out the classes presentations of some things they had been working on. My class did all the vowel sounds and made elaborate posters for each vowel. They were so excited to read them for their parents and I got to meet so many more parents in my class. They were so friendly and welcoming of us! We were out for another half day so back to Estel’s we went and celebrated with smoothies on the beach!

British Invasion

Now that I knew what more or less is expected during the school day, I was prepared for a lot of workbooks. All of the children are so joyful and their moms drop them off at school. Their children were talking about the “new teacher” so several of them came into the classroom and I got to meet them. It was great to see how much parent’s care about their children and their education. Although they are about to get out for a two week Easter break, the children are just full of joy.

That afternoon all of us were making lesson plans or emailing at our hostel when all of a sudden sixty-five British Military Officers came pouring in. Were they happy to see all of us wonderful teachers! They had been training inland for a month and had the night off so what better place to come than San Pedro. The only people left at the hostel were us and them. They were above and below us and I’ll put it this way that we did not get much sleep. What a rowdy bunch- I guess what they say about military officers is true!

School Days!

First day at school and of course I have stories! Before I tell you about my day, I have to say that the Belizean people have got the schedule figured out for the school day. We arrived to school a little after eight o’clock this morning and assembly was called sometime around eight-thirty, just whenever they felt like it. Every day is started off when the Lord’s Prayer and the singing of the Belizean national anthem. How do you think that would go over in our schools?!

My teacher was about fifteen minutes late and the principal came into the classroom and told me to just entertain the eleven eager faces staring back at me. A name game it was! We all went around and now I really know my student’s names! My teacher came in and we did a workbook page and wrote sentences then colored in coloring books until our thirty-minute break. We came back in and all the students were busy in their workbooks saying “Teacher Anna Teacher Anna” every minute for me to check their work or help with a question. Very different than any classroom I’ve been in before. We have a great lunch break and we go to the delis around school to try new things. It was interesting to see how laid back everyone was about doing work and instruction. A lot less stressful than anything I’m used to. I could get used to this kind of living!

Belize and the Power Bill

I have not even been in Belize and feel like I’ve lived through more things than I have back home! So Sunday we get back from church and the power is out. No big deal as it tends to flicker off every now and then. Well an hour or so goes by and still no power and now no water. Come to find out that the entire country of Belize was out of power. Now my question was how did we find out that the entire country was out of power if there was no power to receive information! Just kidding.

Think for a moment though if the entire country of the United States lost power for at least five hours. I have one word- pandemonium. But not here in Belize. Everyone acted like this was normal- what?! Instead of that American attitude of panic we did what anyone would do in that situation so we danced, laughed, told stories, acted silly and sang.

It was all fun and games until the sun started to go down. We all got our jackets on or whatever warm clothing we could find and went out on the search for food. Plenty of people were out and about, but when we asked why the power was out the main answer we got was “Belize forgot to pay their power bill to Mexico.” We still don’t know what happened. We finally found a little lady in a “Pupusarria” who was still cooking by fire. Bingo- we got our pupusas, which are like cornflower tortillas stuffed with beans, cheese, and pork. With pupusas in hand we walked briskly back to our hostel. Luckily we ran into some friends who walked with us the rest of the way. My pocketknife out and a friends pepper spray out could have stopped anything, but I guess there is more power in numbers!

We ate our pupusas by flashlights and book lights and finally reached the end of our rope. Just as I decided to go to sleep because what else can you do, the power came back on. There is power in prayer! I guess in the end we at least had a good story!

Wonderful Weekend!

It has been an exciting and adventure filled few days here in Belize. On Saturday we went to “Community Center” for a fundraiser for the High School faculty. We all thought they were going to Orlando this summer for a big conference to learn about new teaching strategies, etc. But no- turns out they go on some kind of vacation every summer to Orlando and that is what the fundraiser was for. The barbeque was good though!

After that, what else to do but get ice cream and lay out on the beach. It’s bizarre because there really is no “laying out” space or people swimming in the sea. I have to figure that one out soon. But there was a wedding on the beach that was beautiful and a marching band doing fundraising. Like I’ve said before- never a dull moment in Belize!

That night we went to a fundraiser for a boy named Derek who is sixteen and from here in Belize. He is one of the most amazing bass players I have ever heard! You can tell he really can hear and feel the music. He is going to Berkley Music School in Boston soon and also a music camp this summer in the “States” so that he can be recognized hopefully. It is neat to see the whole town coming around to support Derek and his dreams!

Sunday morning was relaxing! I sat by the pool as pictures slowly loaded onto Facebook and I got some sun. Some of us went to the Living Word church right behind our hostel. Wow- they know how to really do a church service! The first hour was all music, which was contemporary and songs we sing at PC3. There were “back up” singers who were in the youth and it was some of the most beautiful music from young children. I just knew their voices were reaching the heavens. Then the pastor spoke for an hour. That was full of power points and blunt information. It certainly made the hour go by quickly. After the church service the pastor greeted us as well as some others- we do kind of stick out with our “pale” skin and some blonde hair. It was incredible to know that people from all nations can sing the same praises and love the same God- halleluiah!

Good Food and Good Times

I'm writing this as I'm sitting by the pool at our hotel and looking at the most amazing sunset- wow! That is a great way to sum up this day here in San Pedro. We got our classroom assignments at Isla Bonita Elementary School today. I am in an "Infant II" class which is like first grade, which by now I have plenty of experience in. I have twelve students and they were happy with big "banana smiles" to see all the Americans. They called "assembly" for the classes and they all came out and stood in line so quietly until Mrs. Addie, the principal, started talking and we introduced ourselves. Little shouts of joy came from the classes when they heard who would be with them for the next few weeks. It made me feel welcomed and I was excited to be there.

We then had to go take a "food siesta" at one of our favorite places, Estel's. It is right on the beach and they always have live music. What's not to like about that- good views, good music, good food, and good friends. People are starting to recognize us as the "American teachers" around town. This is good and bad and here's why. It's good because most people are very friendly and offer us discounts on food and the toll bridge. It's bad because the little old ladies who run the fruit stands (and sell the best homemade juice) have upped their prices on the fresh fruit. It's a good thing there are plenty of fruit stands!

We all went to dinner last night as a group (and I ate conch for the first time!) and as expected in any third world country children, boys ages nine to fourteen, were trying to sell us jewelry. They knew all the right tricks calling us "pretty ladies" and putting necklaces on us. Some of us finally broke down and indulged these boys. But they lingered around until several of us bought things. It is crazy to think that these boys go to school all day and then their mothers send them out with a bag full of jewelry until late hours in the night to bring home money for the family. It's one thing to see that while you're on a vacation, but not while you are living and teaching here.

But with that said, there are plenty of wonderful things to enjoy about San Pedro. I hope to go snorkeling soon- pictures to come!

New Schools

Finally a warm and sunny day in San Pedro! It is the perfect temperature and therefore a perfect day. We had an early start because we are still getting used to the time change- so six o'clock it was for this girl! After a wonderful breakfast and homemade juice we set out on our journey. We were in search for Ambergris Caye Elementary School. We found it tucked away in a neighborhood spread out in a field with two lunch cabanas and a playground. We walked inside the 6 classroom building with 54 students. It is more like a "rural" school away from the main town. The principal is a passionate medical doctor who is out to improve Belizeian schools. It was encouraging to know that we are now the "experts" in the classroom and hold a lot of resources for these teachers to learn from and hopefully use. Our journey continued to the other end of the island to San Pedro High School and Isla Bonita Elementary School. These really are back to back and considered a "urban" school. There is only one high school on the island so all the children 14-17 go to school here. All of those students were thrilled to see us!

We walk most everywhere on the beach to go places. Tough life right? I feel so blessed to be here and to have this experience. Wonderful people, wonderful place, wonderful life!

First Day in Splendid San Pedro

We finally arrived to San Pedro, Belize. The flight was great, although the "puddle jumper" was something out of Jurassic Park because it was overcast you could not see where you were going. I was just hoping we would make it to some land, much less an air strip. We got in our taxis to Pedro's Inn where we were happily greeted by our new host and former Brit- Peter. Oh this is going to be a good few weeks! Our rooms are like camp meets college dorm and all white. Nothing a few pictures can't fix. After walking around to find Estel's on the beach we ate burritos in the sand. What a great first meal of hopefully many. It's a fun and interesting place where everything has a view or is on the beach- including all the school yards. I think I'm going to get used to this!