Halloween and moving into my new house
Trip Start
Jun 14, 2004
1
12
27
Trip End
Jul 30, 2006
San Ignacio,
Belize
Thursday, December 2, 2004
Hey hey hey. There has been much time since the last time i wrote, and much has happened since then.
The most important things: I have moved! I was living in Belmopan, but unfortunately my living and working situation there was not good. I pushed to move to San Ignacio (referred to as Cayo in Belize) since my job brought me there two days a week. The only work difference would be that I would work in Cayo three days and travel to Belmopan two days a week.
As just another testament to how amazing and wonderful the Peace Corps Belize staff is, they were supportive of my decision even though I then had to receive a housing stipend despite the suffocating budget cuts and my organization that I have been working with were less then excited about my move.
BUT through all the messiness, HERE I AM
group pic on halloween
! in beautiful cayo. For the first time in my life, I am living alone with just my thoughts and music (could anyone imagine me without my music?) to entertain me. I live at the crest of Cahal Pech Hill, which at times when I walk up feels more like a mountain, but at the very least, is amazing exercise. It takes me about 30 minutes to walk from downtown to my house, 80% of that being a steep incline. Once I get to the house though, all thoughts of taking a cab or just lying down on the ground from sweatiness and exhaustion leave me. I have the most amazing view from my house and a lovely breeze that quickly cools me down.
The house itself is nothing I imagined my "peace corps" house to look like. It is made of wood, cream colored on the outside with red trim. I have two bedrooms, a spacious living room and kitchen, bathroom and shed complete with a washing machine. It came completely furnished, so a for sure headache was avoided with a simple deposit of $1,000 BZ which will be returned to me at the end of the two years, kind of like my own personal savings account that I am not allowed to touch for two years.
Halloween (there are some pics from that night) was a big event in the world of Peace Corps Belize. My roommate at the time, Doren (I was still living in Belmopan at the time) decided to throw a party at our house, which compared to most Peace Corps houses is enormous
Me as a tree & katy as pregnant and bare foot
. It is the "hurricane house" meaning that if there is a hurricane, the majority of Peace Corps volunteers in the country will congregate there so Peace Corps can keep an eye on us to make sure we aren't blown away or something. Anyways, as a four bedroom, two bathroom house, its like a mansion to us. A good time was had by all, a highlight being the judging of the costume contest. As you can see in one of the pictures, I showed up as a tree, thought up and made within a five minute span hehehe. Astonishingly I wasn't in the running as best costume, but Brian, dressed as Mr. Peanut, and Nate, as some sort of Booty Pirate (booty not as in the treasure, but as in HIS booty) tied as winners. At this point, it was someone's amazing idea to have a dance off to see irrefutably who the winner would be. Anyways, it was hilarious to watch mr. peanut dance and of course from all the cheering we gave him, he won. check out my next travelpod!
much love everyone, keep in touch
