The life I lead . . .
Trip Start
Jun 14, 2004
1
10
27
Trip End
Jul 30, 2006
San Ignacio,
Belize
Friday, September 17, 2004
"things I never really thought about in the states, that are unavoidable in Belize."
So here goes, hope that it amuses all who read it. No, there are no updates on my "up in the air, have no idea whats going to happen" life, but as the saying goes, you can only take it one day at a time :)
1. Sweat. Which i guess you could say that i did once in awhile think about sweat in the states. How much of it there was when I excersised or layed out on my boat on Loon Lake, but the sweat Im talking about here is in a category all its own. I think I am finally coming to terms with the fact taht sweat is not an enemy, merely a way of life here. I used to treat sweat like a problem i could solve with the right clothes and the right speed of walking. But sheesh, boy was I wrong. It is something to endure and will be a constant part of my life for the next two years. Under the heading of sweat also includes the things that really make you feel sexy, such as the chub rub, for those unaccostomed to this term, refers to the rubbing and sticking of the inner upper thighs while walking, sitting or any other position which requires them to be in close vicinity of each other. Also would be the attractive wipe of the moist to drenched forehead with the palm of the hand followed by the wiping of the sweat on the back of pants. Or in my case, and a highly memorable moment of training that I am still reminded of by my friends is the swipe between the boobs, followed by a look at the hand to gauge how much sweat can really accumulate there and then the wipe on the pants. And a little thing that I like to call visible sweating. When dark patches start cropping up on your back, your neck, your chest and of course the arm pits. This leads to my next topic:
2. The sweat rag. Yes, everyday, at all times except at night when its finally below the scorching 245 degrees that it feels like during the day, i carry around with me a bandana or some sort of cloth apparatus that i use glamorously enough to wipe the sheets of sweat from my head, back, neck and in between my boobs. Also in a pinch could beused as a snot rag if need be.
3. Powdered Milk. Who even knew that existed. How does one make powdered milk? Its not like you can put milk out in the sun and dry it and then make it into powder. Yes, I use powdered milk becausethe real stuff scared me too much. If one does have the courage to buy the read stuff, its always whole milk, which I cant even stomach and the expiration date is always dangerously soon . . .
4. The Market. And no, i dont mean a quaint little market that people talk about in the states, that is so much better then the supermarket because its fresher. Im talking about a place that for reasons outside my logical realm, in ten times hotter then the already oven like normal air. I blame it on the blue tarps that are set up like roofs because I think they absorb all the heat. And the flies. There are flies EVERYWHERE and all over the food. so its like, if I buy that tomato Im probably also buying about two thousand flies worth of throw up or poop whatever they do when they land on food. Yum!
5. An Umbrella. I was never a fan of using an umbrella in the states. whats a little water right? Well here, people use umbrellas not for the rain, but for the sun. If one ventures to walk without an umbrella druing the middle of the day it will literally feel like there are hairdryers permanently on full blast attached to a mysterious apparatus that curiously enough follows you wherever you go and also forces all of those hairdryers directly on you. You must then employ the sweat rag to wipe the ceaseless waves of sweat from your body. And you ask yourself amist all this torture, "dear god why is this happening to me, (just kidding mom) and how can my body possibly sweat this much without turning into a shriveled raisin?" which segues into . . .
6. Water. You have to have it with you at all times. You need to be drinking it at all times. If you forget your nalgene at home, there is a moment of terror as you think to yourself, Im going to sie of dehydration and all of a sudden in a slightly neurotic and hypocondriac way you think you are getting dizzy and your insides are drying out. That when a frantic search commences for a store where you can buy a bottle or in my case sometimes, a gallon. For me, sharing water is like sharing a candy bar or a cigarette. You really just want it all to yourself. You internally roll your eyes when someone asks, but graciously give to them, all the while thinking selfishly, go get your own freaking one.
7. The never ending and always continual search for anything free: books, clothes, food, dishes, cups, silverware, soap, pens, paper, pretty much anything. Peace Corps mantra: If its free, always take it because you'll end up using it at some point, and even if you dont, another volunteer will.
8. Internet cafes. Which not only applies to my time in Belize, but also the five weeks that I spent in Guatemala. Ive learned that when you dont have continual access it then because this incessant need. If you go to a new place, the first question is, "where is the internet cafe." it becomes a topic of conversation, "how much did you pay," "how fast was it," "how close is it," "it is better then the other place," "does it have AC of fans," etc, etc, and the fact that I have to pay creates a neverending race that will never be finished, because as everyone knows, there is always something to do on the internet.
9. Patience. Everyone in the Peace Corps jokes about the Belizean saying "rite now," because rite now really means in fifteen minutes, or maybe an hour or maybe tomorrow, or maybe next week. I have had to let go of things called being early, on time or late. On time really means about a half an hour after the prescribed time and Im not even sure there is such a thing as being late. Patience because there is no use in getting frustrated. Patience because the pace of life is just different here. Patience because in the words of the rastafarians, "hey man, slow down, this is BELIZE."
Hope you enjoyed!
Hope to hear from you all soon :)
