We have been in Belize for four weeks now. I feel like we have a rhythm and purpose to our day. Initially it would be fair to say that I was not adjusting as best as I could have. The last week has left me feeling more comfortable in my new environment and actually feeling like I could belong as a temporary resident.
Festivities seem to be celebrated frequently. At "Miami Beach" (nothing like the other Miami Beach, and no luxury condos!) which is just a three minute walk away from our house, there seems to be something celebrated most weekends. The seaside road closes off to vehicular traffic and music is played in the large, thatched shelter - locals refer to this as the Roundhouse Palapa - often until very late at night. We even were lucky enough to follow a convoy of vehicles that included the Chinese New Year Dragons. The participants entered each store for celebration and good luck. When they departed from each business, firecrackers were let off and I felt the joy and excitement around me. Valentine's Day had an all day music/food/dancing along the seawall on Miami Beach. Last weekend the East Indian community held their event which highlighted dancers,coconut grating contest, Masala rubbing and a horse and carriage ride.
After school and frequently until late at night, families gather to eat and visit on the beach and under the numerous palapas. The atmosphere usually includes small children running around and perhaps music blaring from a speaker in a parked vehicle while either snacking or eating a meal together amidst a beautiful location. I find it inspiring that there seems to be all the time in the world to stay after dark.
Corozal is located on a beautiful turquoise Bay. The town is compact with a population of 9,000, the streets laid out in a basic grid system. While driving on the Streets and approaching the Avenues, one must know to stop regardless of the missing stop signs. I cautiously slow down even when it is my right of way as drivers here tend to have their own rules of the road.
My favourite time of the day is when Andy and I take an early morning walk after he drives TJ to school and before the temperature rises. Whatever direction we take on our walk, the common denominator that we encounter are the primary, uniformed students. Many young children navigate the busy roads on their own riding a bike. Kids in Belize play outside after school and when I saw two children playing in a dirt pile yesterday, it took me back to when I was a kid doing the same thing. The people that I have met generally have larger families but their houses do not reflect that in size compared to North America's average dimensions. As I see it, getting your children outside to play is a healthy thing! The soft pastel shades of the houses are unique even though most have peeling paint. I see all the goodness and have become comfortable enough to ignore the strewn garbage that is so prevalent here. What I cannot ignore, and what truly disturbs me, is the canine population. I feel pain on a daily basis to see dogs that either roam the streets looking for food or those who are chained for endless hours. Some dogs seem to have skin disorders perhaps exacerbated by the hot sun and lack of proper nutrients. Yesterday I saw an older man walking his dog.......a happy and seemingly healthy pooch. walking a dog on a leash is something that almost stands out of the norm here.
At any given time of the day, it seems you can hear vendors selling their products. Frequently bike vendors will be riding around the neighbourhood ringing their bell. Yesterday we purchased cinnamon buns at our driveway. Every morning our alarm clock could sound something like that of a clown's horn with the shout of "Baked Goods" Every evening in Corozal near the clock tower square, Grackles congregate in the trees. The first time I heard the sound, it felt like something out of Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds". Now I think it is quite entertaining. As this paragraph has to do with the sounds we hear in Corozal, I asked James and TJ what sounds they would describe hearing on a daily basis. The response I got was barking dogs, the roosters including one that starts crowing at 1:30 in the morning, sugar cane trucks with exhaust systems that backfire while we are trying to talk in the house, and other unique bird calls. You can be guaranteed to hear music blaring out of at least a few house. We just laughed about the other sound we hear on weekday mornings........."I can't believe that school starts this early.........I just can't get out of bed!"
One last comment I have about Corozal is how friendly the residents are. No one is too shy to say hello, smiles are given out generously and even when there is a language barrier (me not speaking Spanish or understanding the Creole), people really go out of their way to make you comfortable in their hometown.
I am not going to blog about a very sad event that happened this week. Instead I will ask readers to read Andy's blog about the tragedy. The memories of the service, the walking procession behind the pick-up truck with the tiny white casket and the burial will be forever etched in my mind. I have since met with the young family to offer our help, if in the event they may need some assistance. Just in the short time we have been in Corozal, we have never ceased to be shocked at how many deaths there has been in each family. Please hold your loved ones closer to your heart tonight.
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