Today marks the end of my first two weeks in Dangriga, Belize. Moreover, it marks the first day of Ramadan. While trying to ignore the rumbling noises in my stomach and the feeling of dry mouth, I will do my best to share with you what my life has been like these past fourteen days.
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| View during the Miami-Belize flight |
My journey started with a sleepless night
in Washington DC to catch a 4am flight to Miami. After some visa and baggage
size complications, I finally got to catch some sleep on the plane. Luckily, I
got to sleep some more during my layover in Miami... and some more on my flight
to Belize. Well rested and excited for the adventure ahead of me, when I got
off the plane in Belize and I was
immediately struck by the heat.
87°F.
2pm.
I heaved a sigh of relief as I saw my
suitcase on the baggage carousel. It was time to get some Belizean lunch and
hop on the next plane to Dangriga. As I walked onto the tarmac to board yet
another plane, I felt a sense of dread as I saw the incredibly tiny plane. I
was convinced it was one of the original creations of the Wright brothers. Hesitantly,
I boarded the plane and reminded myself it would only take 15 minutes to get
from Belize City to Dangriga. Those dreaded fifteen minutes ended up being
truly breathtaking. . I could not help having my face stuck to the window the
entire plane ride. The clear water, the white Caribbean beaches, the
vegetation, the lakes, the rivers... it all looked like a magazine cover.
However, landing in Dangriga, the reality was a little different. After waiting
in the tiny Dangriga airport for two hours, I started getting worried. The man
at the front desk helped call some of my contacts in Belize, but it turned out
the numbers I had were either incorrect or unreachable. Thankfully, the panic
came to an end once I saw Jessica Rice, the Peacework coordinator, walk into
the airport. During the ride home, I was stunned by the little colorful houses
that were aligned along the unpaved roads, the deserted and the busy streets,
the little kids running around and the women on their bicycles. Once at the
house, I was greeted by my landlord Pinkie who showed me around and gave me the
keys to the house before both her and Jessica left. The house was as colorful
on the inside as it was on the outside. The outside was painted yellow while
the walls on the inside were painted green and blue. This very modest house,
right on the beach, had a certain Belizean charm that made it so unique for me.
SeaBreeze was the name of the house.
Suddenly, there I was, by myself, in
Belize, standing in the house that would be my home for the next two months.
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| Sea Breeze: Home for the next two months |
That night, I took a cold shower (since
that was the only option) and slept until the next morning. I woke up to the
sound of the birds outside. Confused, it took me a few seconds to realize where
I was. I pulled up the curtains and admired the beautiful view of the ocean
outside. After unpacking, and showering, it was time to go do some grocery
shopping. As I left the house, I heard some loud reggae type of music playing
outside. As I approached the source of the music, I could see a big gathering
of people. People were celebrating Commonwealth Day. Boys and girls were
dancing, parents were swimming with their kids, and many others were having
lunch under the palm trees. Few meters away under a tent, one of the leaders of
the United Democratic Party was giving a speech. As the politician’s
penetrating voice got louder, the crowd seemed to gain greater momentum and
enthusiasm. I was in complete awe as I stood there watching, momentarily
forgetting my quest to get groceries. After the speeches were over, I started
wondering around town looking for a supermarket or a place to eat.
Unfortunately, a number of shops and restaurants were closed that day so I
ended up going back home empty handed and with a rumbling stomach. I remembered
that I had brought some snacks from home with me and thanked my lucky stars for
them as I munched on them, quieting my rumbling stomach. During the next few
days, I was able to familiarize myself more with the place thanks to Jessica’s
help as well as Bob’s (aka the coolest taxi driver) who was willing to show me
around.
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| 8am view from the house |
Although I did not do much work with the
Belize Family Life Association (BFLA) during these two weeks since my
supervisor Kenrick was busy, I still got to participate in some of the events
that they organized which I will talk more about in my next blog post. At the
moment, I am excited for what is coming and a little nervous about my first
Ramadan away from home. These first two weeks have been everything from hectic
to scary to relaxing. But first and foremost, it has been a very exciting and
eye-opening experience. Moving to a new country, living by myself, having to
plan my meals and budget my money with no parents or any familiar faces
around... these are some of the things that give you a taste of the adult
life... both a curse and a blessing.
