Merry Christmas to YOU!

It's uncharacteristically cold for Belize. I slept in a sweatshirt, pants and socks and under two blankets last night. It has rained a lot these last few days as the temperatures plummeted. I'd say a forty degree drop is substantial especially since these last four months have been so incredibly HOT... It must be VERY cold back home.

With Christmas only three days away, I am imagining what you all have been going through...the preparation, the shopping, the traffic, the crowded stores and malls and the PRESSURE we feel to buy more than what we should. I know...I did it every year since Ashley was born over 29 years ago...And once Bob was gone, I tried to double up and make up for the fact that there was no dad...

As you might imagine, this year is very different...few lights, no Christmas trees, no shopping, and little music. But the gifts I've received have been so heartfelt and meaningful...

Since coming to Belize, I've reconnected (via email) with a friend from junior high school. David was afflicted with polio (born a few months before the vaccine was discovered in 1953). David and I were great friends--I remember visiting him many afternoons after school while he was recovering from back surgery and in a full body cast lying in a horizontal supine position for months on end. When he graduated with us from Bowie High School in 1971, there was a standing ovation and not a dry eye in the auditorium. David wasn't expected to live to see graduation. Many years have passed and I assumed he was gone and was glad that we all lost touch so I didn't have to hear about it. But David is alive and making a difference in other handicapped peoples' lives. He had a stroke 10 years ago and has been in a nursing facility but still has that HUGE heart to try to help others. He even remembers me talking about the Peace Corps WAY back in high school! What a gift for me to find David again!

Another gift has been that YOU have been actively participating in my Peace Corps adventure. Your caring about me has kept me going when times were trying or when I was feeling alone. As I told Cynthia, you are all Peace Corps volunteers. Thank you so much.

I have been blessed by hearing from my wonderful nieces...beautiful notes, encouraging words, and touching sentiments. I'm grateful for this opportunity to discover their depth and beauty.

I received an incredible package from Ashley, Bobby, Nicole, and Aubrey. They replaced the camera that had been broken and added a myriad of other niceties and necessities. But the best part was Ashley's phone call where she could hardly contain her excitement about being able (after 22 years of school) to buy presents. It was crystal clear that she was experiencing the true joy of giving.

My children are all going to try to get here at least once over the 27 month period. Last night as I slept in my sweatshirt and blankets, I also cuddled around my darling, Aubrey and we shivered together and laughed. WHAT A GIFT!!!

These are my moments of Christmas, 2009. This Peace Corps life is beautifully simple. No glitz, no parties, no presents. The only gift I have for you is this simple advice...seek out what is important in life and the treasure it.

For me, it is the knowledge that many years ago, a little baby boy was born in a manger. Allelujah!!!! And having you as my family and friends!

God DOES bless us all...tracy

Perspectives-K'ekchi Style!

Birthdays and Holidays

Everyone in the family knows when someone's birthday is coming. But when Yadira turned two on Nov 21, there were no songs, no cake, no presents, not even a 'Happy Birthday, Yadira' wish (except from me) We just knew that on that day, she was two!

Christmas is right around the corner. Sometimes I hear a radio playing a Christmas song, usually reggae. Again, there will be no presents! What there is however, is the singing in the two local churches that can be heard from anywhere in the village. (One Catholic and a House of Prayer) Services have picked up from three times a week to every night in anticipation of the birth of Christ! Last night, they were still going strong until 2:30 am! (The regular service lasts for over 2 1/2 hours!)

Feet

I wear rubber soled shoes everywhere but my feet always seem dirty. I feel the sharp rocks on the road poke through the soles of my shoes. My host mom, Juvena, walks these roads in excess of 3 miles to our farm BAREFOOT like a speed walker! The soles of her feet always look clean and I KNOW they're tough!

Projects--Plan ahead!

Make sure you have everything you need BEFORE starting a project. If you forgot something, it's an hour bus ride into town at only certain times of the day. But I'm lucky in San Miguel! My PC friends, Sam and Stephen only have bus service two times a WEEK and it leaves their village at 3 am and takes over two hours!

DOGS

Dogs are tools. You know how we might bang a wrench on a workbench when it's stuck? Dogs are kicked when they don't do exactly what the owner wants. They never see a vet, all look underfed (probably have parasites), never are allowed inside, females are in a constant state of pregnancy, and generally, look either sad or vicious! They are utilized as watchdogs and hunting dogs. The two dogs at my host family's house--Bones and Bingo--look better than most. But, yes, even the 2 yr. old kicks them. So when I started doling out affection to these dogs, they lapped it up (and the family called me "crazy Tracy"!) Every time I would come home, they would run and jump on me to greet me. (Totally unacceptable behavior here though, warranting a lashing or kicking!) I went over to my host family's house this past Tuesday and the dogs were SOOO happy to see me! The family told me that when I moved out of the nest, that Bones and Bingo did not eat a morsel for over two days. I've decided that dogs, in general, are truly moral. They ALWAYS want to please and do the right thing and NEVER mean any harm...even the dogs in Belize despite their cruel treatment.

Hard Days Work

I used to consider a full work week was 40 or so hours. The men in San Miguel leave on their bikes for their farm or their construction job at 4:30 or 5 am. Sebastian (host dad) returns at night around 10 pm. I'll do the math--17hrs/day 6 days/wk--102+ hours a week! Occasionally they work on Sundays, too!

Integrity

Speaking of morals, I think dogs have way more integrity than K'ekchi children. I won't condone it but I do understand it!

Recently, while teaching dental health in the roman catholic primary school, I was passing out balloons for each correct answer on the review. After the review, I asked for a show of hands from the ones that didn't get a balloon so I could give them all one. Half of the balloon winners said they didn't get one. Even when challenged by me and their peers, these kids looked me in the eyes and lied! These children are great children and are taught honesty and integrity everyday in their church lessons. Why lie? Maybe it goes back to the first paragraph of this blog being the havenots. It's too much temptation when you want THINGS especially when you have NO THING (s)??? Still, no excuse!

Privacy

It is common practice to keep doors open during the day in the village. In fact, it would be considered rude to close them other than when you're not home. So children wander in and out and like to pick up and handle everything I have--books, journals, pens, water bottles--it's just what they do. Even at my host family's home, my host sisters would come in my room and pick up my journal or my cell phone and read my notes or my messages.

Recycling

The K'ekchi are innovative when it comes to re-using items. Plastic bags are "gold" here and come in handy for a myriad of uses. When I forgot to buy teflon tape for the seal of my PVC faucet, my neighbor just tore off a piece of plastic and voile!--it sealed the threads! String and rope are useful items too...and used over and over. When I came home from Punta Gorda with 2 gallons of paint (to seal my dusty concrete floor) seven village women individually asked me if they could have the gallon bucket when I was done. I could only oblige two! I would be the most popular lady in the village if I painted the whole house using LOTS of buckets! Apparently, they make good containers for carrying 'masa' from the corn mills. So when you're using string, plastic bags, rope, or containers--think about how lucky these people think you are!!!

Just some insights into the K'ekchi...

God bless the people of San Miguel and us all...tracy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOBBY!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful son! I love you and miss you so much! I hope you had a wonderful day today. You are the most wonderful son any mom could hope for!

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone. Thanksgiving isn't celebrated by Belizeans but all the Peace Corps volunteers gathered together on the Wednesday before. It was a wonderful dinner but have to admit that I had some trouble on that day missing Ashley, Bobby, and Aubrey and of course the nieces that usually get together for Thanksgiving. It just wasn't the same. I miss you.

I will be going back to San Miguel tomorrow and move into my 'cursed' house. So, if you don't hear from me for awhile you might want to call the Peace Corps office to make sure I'm still alive. Of course, we joke but if you could get the 'FEEL' of the Mayan K'ekchi people this is no joke. This past week was spent trying to get things ready. I had to dig a hole for the latrine so Aubrey will have a place to 'go' when she gets here. Then I put in two walls for a shower and ran pvc piping inside so I can have an inside shower It's actually one of the nicest homes in the village but no one would live there...except me!

With the house near readiness, I will be able to dive head first in a number of projects within San Miguel. I had anticipated that my Peace Corps experience would be projects involving hard labor (which I'm always up for). Instead, there are three major goals of Peace Corps. The first is to go to countries that want us there with help in training, technology, health issues,etc. The second and third goal involve the exchange of cultures--both directions. Now I'm supposed to assess what it is that my village wants...NOT what I want to do FOR them. So obviously, there are still questions in my mind where to begin. One thing that I notice is that there is no recreation in the village. The K'ekchi are such hard working and disciplined people with little or no time for anything else. They are staunch in maintaining their culture that they fear is slipping away. Of course there is the disappearance of the ancient Mayan civilization so they are desperately clutching to retain their heritage. I have heard that there are only 7000 K'ekchi people on the planet...most in Belize and some that are still in Guatemala. So you can imagine their trepidation about their youth becoming more 'worldly' aware. They fear the youth will marry outside their ethnicity and the inevitable disappearance of the their ancestry. Personally, I think this is happening right now. It's sad. They are such proud people. So...I wandered completely away from my train of thought (me????) but my point is I wish they had some form of recreation in San Miguel...a playground, a basketball court, a swing, a park bench---ANYTHING that doesn't involve work or school. Perhaps my first project...???

I miss you all. And, God bless us all...love, tracy

Roger visits San Miguel

I have several blog ideas but none have totally materialized to put in print. One of my fellow PCV visited my host family in San Miguel this last weekend and he published his blog on commonsense.typepad.com Roger is a wonderful writer hence paints a vivid picture of some of what I'm doing at present so I happily refer you to his most recent blog--'San Miguel'.

Hope you enjoy. God bless us all, tracy

Jupiter aligns with Mars!

Many nights I have laid in my thatched hut wondering exactly what my purpose here is supposed to be. I received a little taste. Let me tell you a story:

Monday morning, I get a text from my friend (PCV) Erica that there is a medical/dental team in Punta Gorda. They( group known as 'Healing the Children') were discouraged because they had flown here from the U.S. with pretty much a complete operating room setup to do cleft palate surgery but the liaison here had dropped the ball and they had no patients. I get the text from Erica as I am walking the 5 mile trek (hilly, gravel road) to my village of San Miguel. Finally ONE truck comes by and I flag him down for a lift. Turns out he has a son with a cleft palate. Anthony has the surgery the next day. I email all the other volunteers to see if anyone knows of others and that this group is willing to drive to pick them up or pay for their transportation. A volunteer near Belmopan knows of a 14 year old and he rides the bus down on Wednesday with Emily and has the surgery that afternoon. (Turns out the boy was 19--he wasn't sure)

In the meantime, I get to Punta Gorda Tuesday to meet the cosmetic surgeon, oral surgeon, and staff and convince them to come again and I will see that they have patients. One of the nurses was downstairs treating a child with an acute infection--simple antibiotics and tylenol. She asked me to do the translation to the mother as far as the medication goes and I was able. Amazing! The nurse also mentioned that this wasn't really within her auspice but she could see the 'need' (as I did) and I assured her that rules lose their grip when you cross borders. I have already seen children die from innocuous maladies. The child may have been lost had the nurse NOT intervened. It's enough to break ALL your hearts.

So there are a group of dentists coming to a nearby village in February and I volunteered to do the 'screenings' to give them a (very) rough idea of what will be needed.

So it's a start in the right direction...it's good to follow the signs sometimes!

God bless us all, tracy

New address, thank you's, updates, and Marcelino's scholarship fund!

Thank you for all the packages, cards, and emails rec'd around my birthday--I sure am a lucky person! Some of you wanted to know if YOURS arrived so to break it down: 4 from Joann, and others from Iris, Sue Beale, Janet, Susan Dent, Jean, Cynthia, Aubrey, and my brother, Skip. All loaded with goodies for my new Belizean friends and me! Two super cards from the gals at Dr. Nicholson's office (still can't bring myself to think of it as Dr. Lein's) and the greatest (well, at least the one with the biggest hearts!) Garden's tennis team rounded out my wonderful day. Thank you, thank you.

Several of you have asked how to contribute to Marcelino's scholarship fund. I have an account back home with Bank of America that is currently inactive (obviously!) So if the spirit moves you, go to any B of A and deposit your contribution into acc't #001443299545 (Tracy Hodson). Then drop an email to my wonderful daughter (and tax attorney!) Ashley @ Ash1140@aol.com and let her know your name and the amount. She will let me know where we are at toward our goal. If there is any leftover, I know you will trust me to find another needy candidate (there are so many) I feel all I ever do is thank you--for moral support mostly. My faith in our world has increased ten-fold! Thanks

I heard one of the volunteers comparing the bond we have formed surviving training to that of our young men and women enduring boot camp. It was intense, probably more for me than most, because of my 'special needs' status! (Eyes, ears, pee brain) But now the service begins and I'm excited at the possibilities. Today I came into town (Punta Gorda) and spoke with the Public Works minister and was able to move up plans for the speed bump from April to this December. I know that doesn't sound like much but it was #1 on the village council chairman's agenda. Brick by brick... San Miguel will be happy when we get that bump so school children will be much safer! Most of this month will be trying to get the 'house' that I will be living in, ready. First and foremost is that I need to build a latrine! Just getting the lumber to San Miguel will be a feat! Speaking of latrines (and yes, I still get excited when I see a toilet), I have come to see some advantages over toilets...your hand NEVER gets wet while wiping and you never notice an odor after you're done bc it always smells the same! Gotta look at the bright side!?!

Now the 40 of us are scattered about the country. Those that are in the business/organization, education, or youth development sectors are scattered primarily in the urban areas (with some exceptions). Our 'healthy communities' sector are pretty much planted in the rainforest very rural portion of Belize in individual villages. You may recall that I wasn't too pleased with my village assignment. Well, I like it very much now and I think I have my host family to thank! I move out from them into my 'own' place on Nov. 23 (Happy BD J and J!) One more housing adjustment and then maybe I'll be settled...???

My new address is: Tracy Hodson PCV, General Delivery, Punta Gorda, Belize. In the bottom left corner write: San Miguel. If any of you have mailed something to Belmopan, they will forward it or someone from the Peace Corps Office will bring it down once a month. If sent here to Punta Gorda, I just have to come into town periodically to check or sometimes when they see someone from our village that they recognize from San Miguel they will ask him to bring it back to the village. (A LITTLE different than back home, huh?)

Thanks again for all the support. I love you all so much!

God bless us all...tracy

I am so grateful for my friends!

I have got to be the luckiest person on the planet to have the greatest and most compassionate friends! Tomorrow is my birthday and I have the greatest gift of all having you as my friends. Tomorrow gives me great cause to reflect as we do on most holidays/milestones...

Reflect on what is important and that is why I'm here. Reflect on Ashley, Bobby, and Aubrey that gave their blessing and allowed me to be here to do something that I've felt compelled to do since I was 7. Reflect on the wonderful friends I have that makes me cry at this internet cafe writing to you now. When I came into the Peace Corps office on Friday, there were 12 packages waiting for me. A lot of the volunteers get a package or two from their mom or dad back home. But I received 12!!! I am so proud to have friends that take time out of their busy days to purchase items and send them on their merry way to be merrily received! Thank you all for the outpouring of love and kindness. I have also heard from those that want to help with Marcelino's education. I will try to figure out the best way for you to contribute. I'll have to hand deliver as there are no roads, addresses, etc. let alone a post office. I'll keep you posted.

Thursday is a big day for all the volunteers. Having completed our training which has been intense, we will officially be sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers at the Embassy. It is a semi-formal affair that takes up pretty much the entire day. I'm excited at the possibilities because finally the service that I have wanted to do all my life will become a reality. I hope and pray that I will do a good job. The only thing I know for sure is that my heart is into it 100%.

It's hard to be away from you. It's hard to leave the comforts of home. It's really hard to miss my children. And yet I feel more committed than ever. I can truly say that whenever I have had a weak or desperate moment, I would hear from one of you and then I felt peace. You have been a huge help. You are all PC volunteers helping me forge ahead. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Goodnight and God bless us all...tracy

Back to Belmopan for Swearing-In!

Other than athlete's foot, a minor cold, diaarhea (I guess it's just how I'm going to 'go') and a snake in my room this morning, life is good in San Miguel. We're in the mountains in the rainforest so it's picturesque and muddy! I was getting tired of the rats keeping me awake in Armenia.

My host family is amazing. You would never sense that I live with six children. Everyone quietly goes about their chores and homework without a word from mom and dad. They wash the clothes and the dishes in the river (about a 200yd. walk), wash the pigs, catch and then clean the chicken for dinner, split the firewood for the firehut, hull the corn, and sweep the house (to name a few). They are always caring of the younger siblings and I've yet to hear a cross word in 12 days! The Maya culture is rich in tradition (AND superstition!) More on that at a later blog...

Saturday, we awoke at 4:30am to eat breakfast and then walk for an hour on a hilly gravel road up to their farm. After going through the 'bush', we came to a clearing with their corn field. We all took a section and pulled corn off the stalk and then threw it to a clearing 10-30 yds. away. Sure could have used Jeff's arm for this task. By mid-day we had finished and bagged all the corn. Fortunately, Sebastion has an uncle with a truck and he came to pick up the corn. We all walked wearily home (now it took us at least an hour and a half!!) I ached all over that night!

It's only been 12 days but I foresee some interesting projects where I might be able to help. Some of what I will be doing is formally requesting grant money for these projects through various organizations. (Wish I had Sue Brown's or Carol Pahl's writing skills!!)

I officially become a Peace Corps Volunteer on Oct 22 when we will be sworn in at the Embassy. For me, it's a relief as training has been arduous. Aubrey has received special permission from the Country Director to visit over Christmas (We're not supposed to have visitors until after the 22nd of January).

I have received 5 packages from Sue Brown, Kim C., Betty, Bobby, and Katrin. I can't thank you enough for your generosity. The people here are rich in spirit but poor in possessions. Seventy nine percent of the Toledo District falls below the UNDP (United Nations) poverty guidelines. There are tremendous opportunities to help--I believe I'm in the right place at the right time. Just miss all of YOU!

I'll be in the Peace Corps office on Monday and I'm sure from what I've heard that there will be more goodies from you! Thanking you in advance...

God bless us all...tracy

Life in San Miguel!

Arrived in the village of San Miguel (Toledo District) Belize on Monday evening after a day with our counterparts at a workshop in Punta Gorda. It is a beautiful village of 560 people with 182 students attending the village Roman Catholic Primary School. My host family is absolutely amazing--my host dad is Sebastian (40), my host mom is Juvena (36), host sisters are Renita (18), Luisa (16), Brenda (14), Ellena (11), Felicita (8) and Yadira (almost 2-Nov. 21). I have one adorable host brother and that is Phileon (5). I feel like Maria in the Sound of Music! (Especially with my 'sister' Luisa who is like Lisel who tries desperately to skip out to see her beau!) They are the kindest people helping me with my K'ekchi (especially Felicita who will not let me mispronounce anything!) She's a tough teacher but will help me in a huge way! Sebastian leaves home at 6am each morning and doesn't return until 9 or 10 pm. He told me he does this so all the children will have the opportunity of an education. The oldest sister, Renita, is a nursing student at the University of Belize in Belmopan! They are all so proud of her. I haven't met her yet but I'm sure that will happen sometime in the next two years!

I met with the Village Chairman (like a mayor) and the Alcalde (magistrate) the night I arrived. They feel the biggest concerns of the village is getting a 'speed bump' on the dirt road that runs through the village so the children and the pigs won't get hit. Also, they would like to see that any family without a latrine could build one. The principal is interested in me tutoring during and after school on occasion. Also, there are some special need students that really need extra help so I will be networking with another volunteer who is a special education teacher for advice. Now here is the funny one for those that know me--last night the president of the PTA came over after we were all asleep and wanted my help on an internet lab the community had set up two years ago and then dismantled when they had 'financial issues'. Imagine me helping with an internet lab when I barely can email!?! I just know that my kids are laughing reading this one!! Well, the nearest Peace Corps Volunteer is about 5 miles away in Silver Creek so one of the members of the PTA drove me in his truck to pick up Greg so that he could perform! My mom served him a magnificent lunch afterwards. Three hours later, we were up and running but the computer lab won't officially open for another two weeks or more. I'm taking this opportunity to use it now and write YOU! We officially toasted our success with two cokes and a sprite!

I forgot to tell you that we have 5 pigs (cuihe), 24 chicken (chilan), 2 dogs (tzee), 1 cat (mis), 3 ducks (until last night when we had one for dinner!)--pats, and one rooster(tzou).

Until I write again, God bless us all, especially my new host family! tracy

Got our site assignments!

Well, I'll be in a town called San Miguel. It's north and west of Punta Gorda about a 45 minute bus ride away. It's a poor village (I'm told) that needs lots of help. Unfortunately, the last two volunteers left early. I'm pretty sure it was the least desirable site of our group but I'm certain that site was chosen for me as I'd be the one to complain the least. I had said from the beginning that I'd go where I was needed most--well, this will be a great opportunity!

When I got to the Peace Corps office yesterday there were 4 boxes! I can't express my gratitude for the seeds and other goodies that Betty, Kim, Katrin, and Bobby sent!! BUT, I looked at the postage that you all spent and was shocked! I think the most expensive one was $50.50 ! UGH!! So no more boxes...that's absurd! I'm so sorry. I am headed to Armenia to deliver the seeds and goodies in about 2 hours and I know that they will be overwhelmed!! Thank you so very much.

Everyone packed up all their belongings and left Armenia yesterday and said their goodbyes. I told my family that I would be back today as I anticipated your deliveries. I could not bear to say goodbye just yet. I will miss them all but especially Brella and my host mom, Emetria.

Speaking of Emetria...she has a twin brother and has two other brothers and three sisters. The youngest brother is Marcelino who is 14 and is in Standard 6 (similar to our seventh or eighth grade.) No one in her family has ever been allowed to go past grade 6 because even though it's public education, it costs $300 BZ or $150 US just to register. I sat down with Marcelino the night before last and asked him if he would like to continue on to high school? He said "of course, but my family can't afford it." I told him that his grades need to come up (currently in the 80% range) and that I would check back with him after his December report card. I told him I would love to see him continue.

Peace Corps is not a donor driven organization but rather a cooperative of self-help and training so a village can remain improved and continue to thrive after someone leaves. Marcelino is an exception. If anyone wishes to help with his education so he can be the only one in his family to get a high school education, please help me help him. This is a charity where you know 100% of your donation goes directly to the source. Many of you have asked how you can help; I think this way could be great and there's only the $.98 stamp. Gmail me for more info directly at tracyhodson@gmail.com

We leave for our sites tomorrow. I wish I was more excited about my site. I'm just struggling inside and have to accept that all is in perfect order...

Thanks again for all the packages. You ALL are so special and can't thank you enough! Happy Belated Birthdays to Grandma Joy and Cristina!

God bless us all...tracy

Updates and our trip to Toledo!

Hi everyone!

First, let me say I'm overwhelmed by everyone's generosity and kindness hearing from you that various items are on the way! Thank you so much.

I wasn't able to 'caption' the pictures on the last blog so just to let you know...1. everyone participating in Raul's garden which is anxiously waiting for your seeds! (The other family there is the one I mentioned in an earlier blog...the lady in the orange dress is the widow) 2. Brella decked out in my reading glasses from Sue Beale and my $.50 consignment hat from Aubs! 3. A jaguar 'kitty' that I had to enclose for Pete Carantza! and 4. my pet 'tarantula' (not hardly) and no, Sue Beale, we didn't need a machete to kill it but there just aren't tons of options...fly swatter wouldn't do!!!

I am in a town called Punta Gorda which is the southernmost town in Belize right on the Caribbean Sea. It is quite quaint here but we are mostly enjoying air conditioning, toilets, and the first WARM shower I've had since leaving Florida! The ten of us have been visiting our future sites...it became clear to me today that the log cabin I've always dreamed of building in North Carolina is really supposed to be my future 'home' here in Belize. It's incredibly beautiful here in the rain forest. We traveled miles on dirt roads in the two Toyota Land Cruisers. (We'd make a great commercial for Toyota as these two vehichles are built tough!) The sites are incredible but we're really going to be out in the middle of nowhere--or everywhere. Maybe one of you will come visit me...we could backpack all over Belize!

I will find out exactly where I will be this Friday. I trust it will be where I'm most needed!

Pictured is our group of 'fearless 'community health volunteers! I'm sort of the odd-ball (for more reasons than one!) because all are young, recent college grads and then the one older married couple.

God bless us all, love, tracy

One More Week

It’s been a tougher week—have a little touch of dysentery that’s lasted almost the entire week. I may be checked for parasites today—ugh! Also, I found a tarantula near my bed. My host mom killed it with my machete…oh well, the life of a peace corps volunteer!

It’s been a month now that I’ve lived with my host family. My family and our hut are considered well-off compared to most of the villagers and yet they have never seen a train, a plane, TV, a movie, any kitchen appliance, etc. Even though Raul can speak 4 languages and is very bright, he is illiterate. The children have no books, few toys and spend most of their time helping their mom who goes non-stop from 4:30 am to 8 pm. She washes the dishes bent over in the grass with 3 buckets (wash, rinse, dry). She does laundry everyday at the creek and carries heavy buckets of wet clothes back to the yard to hang on the line. She prepares three hot meals every day including hand made tortillas with each meal.

Despite this description, they are exceptionally happy. When Raul comes home from work, the three children SPRINT to him. The interaction between family members is fun to observe…they playfully ‘punch’ each other and then laugh. The kids are resilient and tough. When they get hurt, mom and dad just laugh so the child never cries too long. In school, the children receive ‘lashings’ for misconduct. Now when I walk to class, many children call out, “Hi, Miss Tracy”. Today the group of Standard 4 (six grade) came to my class to hug me one by one and thank me for the presentation I did yesterday on dental health to their class. Gratitude abounds.

Tomorrow the ten of us leave for a 4-day trip to our sites in Toledo (even though they keep the final selection a surprise!?!) I think I should be able to do one more blog before I actually get placed in the rain forest of Toledo. I love you all.

God bless us all… tracy

One little seed!

Only have a second as I am at the Peace Corps Hdqts. 'listening' to a lecture on handling stress so I can't be long...

So I had mentioned to Raul (my host dad) that if he wanted a garden I would help him...I did not get much response at the time. Then on Thursday of last week, when it was a national holiday, he said "Tracy, are you ready to start the garden?" I was happy to hear this as I know that if it's only my idea, it won't be kept up after I'm gone. So, we proceeded side by side to dig up a section of the yard quietly making suggestions to one another and getting the soil ready.

The next day as I was working again (Raul had gone to work) several neighbors came to 'pitch in'. They were asking me what we were going to plant and I told them the only seeds I had at the time (leftover from the Peace Corps Community Garden) was cilantro, okra, tomato, radish, and cucumber. I offered half of what I had left to the mother of the group. With that she said, 'thank you so much', then started crying and walked away. Her son and daughter stayed to help me transplant 'pups' from their plantain and banana tree. As we were doing this, I asked the daughter, who was 17, why their mother had left crying. She quietly told me this story. Their father (on this past Father's Day) had been drinking heavily and drank rat poison and died. Their mother had been so worried about how she was going to take care of herself and the eight children. Now, because I had given her those seeds, she knew that she was going to grow vegetables and sell them to provide for her family.

If this story doesn't make you want to buy a pack of seeds and mail them to me, I'd be surprised. PLEASE, all of you, KNOW that one little seed can change the lives of a whole family.

God bless us all. Love, tracy

Sunday in Orange Walk Town!

Greetings from Orange Walk Town! I am living in luxury this weekend! This weekend all the new volunteers are visiting with the volunteers that have been here for a year. My pen pal, (the contact that I had before I left home) Diane, invited me to come to her site in Orange Walk Town which is in the northern part of the country. She is in the education sector and works with a counterpart here (the principal of the elementary school). The principal (Letty), Diane and I are going for some Cerviche in a couple hours. Diane has an apartment above a small church that she has fixed up very comfortably. Yesterday, I insisted on buying her a fan for her apartment. It feels quite comfortable right now even though the thermometer is reading 98.8. In her kitchen, it reads 99.9. The breeze from the fan feels delightful while I'm typing away on her computer. She (obviously) has electricity, has running water, and a toilet downstairs! This is quite a treat! She is waiting on me hand and foot and even gave up her bed while she sleeps in a hammock in the kitchen. I am taking advantage of the electricity to get 'caught' up with my computer contacts! It's a nice break from the rats that scurry around at night and the frequent tarantula sightings in Armenia.

I will be in Armenia until Oct. 2 when we will be heading to our individual sites in the Toledo District (south Belize). At that point, they drive us to our individual villages and drop us off with a new host family. We are required to live with the family for a minimum of a month, after which you can choose to find your own 'place' or stay with your host family. Apparently, most choose to live on their own for privacy and freedom's sake. I hope there are SOME people in the village that speak English as I feel incompetent in K'ekchi at present. Then for the next two years I will be trying to facilitate positive changes to improve the quality of life and health of the 'village people'. I think they have it all over us in the U.S. when it comes to finding happiness...much for me to learn from them! The K'ekchi people as a whole are nomads that have for the most part fled from Guatemala and the slavery imposed on them there by the Spaniards a hundred years ago. They are mostly farmers and hard workers. The men within the family are definitely the head of the household. For instance, my host mom, Emetria stays at home with the children, cooks three hot meals a day, does the laundry almost daily down at the river, serves food to her husband, Raul, first, then me, then the children, and then sits down finally after everyone is nearly finished. My family seems quite happy with their existence and even though Raul and Emetria speak Maya (Mopan) in our house to each other and the children, it is crystal clear to me that they love each other deeply and have so much fun with the 'little' things in life. They are always laughing together (maybe they are laughing at ME?!?!) but I don't think so. Just talking about them now makes me miss them! I will be taking the bus (4 1/2 hours) back to Armenia tomorrow. I bought Emetria a frying pan which I know she will flip over! They love to hear stories about Ashley, Bobby, and Aubrey and my friends back home--YOU! It's a simple and happy life. Were it not for the illnesses, diseases and sanitation issues, I wouldn't want them to change one bit. Hopefully I can help them with those issues. It's interesting how they just expect to lose someone in the family from things like a snake bite (fertilance kills you in a matter of just a few hours), a very treatable (to us) disease like bronchitis, malaria, or even a dog bite. (For the record, I have had a total of 5 shots already (2 hepatis, 2 rabies, and 1 typhoid and still need to get another 5 within the next five weeks. We also take an anti-malaria pill every Friday for as long as we are here). This is on top of all the innoculations I had before I left.

Last week, Brella woke up vomiting and was running a very high fever. With my own children, that wouldn't have freaked me out (as they will be quick to tell you that I never 'babied' them) but being here with all the infection and bacteria transmission gave me cause for more concern. She improved over the next two days so it was probably a routine virus but it makes one think. I've grown so attached to her. You all would adore her! The thought of possibly losing her that night to a routine malady really scared me.

I hope I haven't bored you but I wanted to take advantage of the use of Diane's computer because I may not have this opportunity again for quite awhile.

God bless us all! Love, tracy

Happy Birthday Dino!

Happy 50th Birthday honey! Wow!! Happy Birthday Craig, too! Soon is Betty and Katrin’s birthday too! I miss you all so much and wish you all the happiest of days and year!

This week has been a real integration week with my community. I find it interesting and refreshing to see a ‘neighborhood’ that is so diverse in culture and ethnicity to get along so wonderfully. Because most of the huts have no windows or doors people just naturally go visiting and all are so graciously welcomed. I’ve yet to encounter a toothbrush and even though my host family has a latrine, only the parents and I use it (the children still prefer the yard). There are several health issues right here in this village and the need for assistance is great and yet this is just our training site!! I’d love to stay here because there’s need but the Peace Corps has designated 9 other sites in Toledo as being much more in need of our help. Peace Corps only goes where it is asked and only addresses concerns that the village sees at ITS needs, not what we think it needs.

I really miss all of you but I feel I’m in the right place for me to have the greatest opportunity to help others. I lie in bed at night and my mind races with all kinds of ideas of ways I can be of service to these people. I hope you all will be honored that a lot of my plans revolve around my best resource—YOU!!! I’ve already called upon my team to donate a frying pan to my host mom. I’ve asked Dr. Gandhi to donate 50 toothbrushes and floss for a presentation I’m doing on Oral Health Care to the school here. ( Dentistry is non-existent here unless someone has a toothache and then they go to either Belmopan or Belize City to get an extraction.) It’s the tip of the iceberg but it’s how all great ideas start…inch by inch, row by row. Speaking of rows, I have decided to put in a vegetable garden at my host family’s house so if any of you could send me seeds (tomato, pepper, cucumber, squash, watermelon, broccoli, etc.) it would be most appreciated. They say they have never heard of broccoli so I’d love to get some seeds and try that. Don’t worry about sending too much, they will be used while I’m here I promise you! The diets here are so deficient in fruits and vegetables—could be the reason for so much illness and malnutrition. I told my family I would put in a garden if they promised to keep it up once I leave. They said they are excited about their new garden!

I can’t believe how much I value my friends and family back home. I feel like I’ve been living in a place of ungratefulness and wasn’t even aware. The things I took for granted amaze me. I’m sorry and I promise that when I see each of your faces, I will let you know how much I care.

God bless Ashley, Bobby, Nicole, Aubrey, Jeff, Dino, Duchess and Chunk and every one YOU! Love to all, Tracy

Friday in Belmopan

This has to be short but because I have to catch a bus back to Armenia before dark and the sun is going down. K'ekchi lessons are going well and the technical training is intense. Tomorrow on our day off we are planting a village garden and Sunday on our other day off we are building a latrine! So much for relaxing... Love to all and sooooooooo appreciate hearing from everyone

God bless us all

Raul, Emeteria, William and Brella















Here is Brella holding up the "book" that they are just dying to see each morning. They scream "Bobeeeeee"!!!

William (like Bobby)

Shakira (like Aubbie)

Brella (like Ashee)

Brella and neighbor, Gionvani with G's pet.

View from back of my hut to hut above

Brella standing at the doorway to our home

Shakira posing with crayon

Brella (always smiling!)

The neighbors with Brella and William

This is an experience! Right now I'm writin from my bed??? that has a mosqito net surrounding me. I live in a thatched roof hut with mud floors. There's a latrine out back and an open shower (like M*A*S*H) but no running water, just a bucket. Everyone goes to bed shortly after 6 (as there is no current!) so I'm writing this by headlamp.

Today after language class, I bathed in the river with my Maya sister, Brella who scrubbed my back. I'll be here in Armenia for the next 5 weeks with my host family. Oh, did I mention that the parents, Raul (23) and Emetria (21) sleep on the other side of this only interior wall with their 3 children, Brella (5), William (3) and Shakira (2)? Their room can't be any larger than 6' x 8'. They are a lovely family that is taking their job as a Peace Corps host family quite seriously--three hot meals per day that always includes tortillas and rice and beans--so much for losing weight!! Raul speaks K'ekchi and Emetria speaks Maya (mopan) so the children speak Maya. My host mom and dad speak English very well. I learned two phrases in K'ekchi today--Ma sa aach ool? how are you? and Anih ak aba? what's your name? It's a very gutteral languange with some clucking. Quite interesting!

We're in the rain forest so the walk to class is in this thick, sticky, heavy mud. Needless to say, I had to purchase boots!

We have three chickens in the yard that know to stay there. Raul said when they first get purchased they stay in the backyard in a chicken coup for a couple days and then let them out and they just KNOW to stay in the yard!

I asked Raul how many brothers and sisters he has and he said, "I think 8 sisters and 7 brothers...I'm not sure."

You hear the rain all night (no windows or doors). The roosters start crowing around 4am and you hear dogs barking the rest of the night. I won't go into the dog situation right now. That's a whole story to itself. I roll over and go back to sleep until 5:30.

Hope this paints a picture...Enjoy your AC and lights at night! Better turn it in--it's WAY past my bedtime--almost 9pm! The family has been asleep since 6:30!

God bless Raul, Emetria, Brella, William, Shakira and us ALL!!! Tracy

postscript: It's Sunday, Aug 30 so I borrowed Raul's bicycle so I could ride about 30 miles (thanks Katrin!) into Belmopan so I could call my darling Ashley to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! Her email address is ash1140@aol.com if you would send her a note to help me celebrate her big day. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

off to armenia

Tomorrow, eleven of us leave for Armenia which is not too far from Belmopan. I will be staying with a host family for 5 weeks. This is when we really begin our cultural integration and hopefully get a grasp on my new language--k'ekchi. Technical training begins also so we will be spending time educating and building (most likely latrines) Our host families have been told not to speak any English as this will facilitate quicker learning and integration.

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed right now but just have to trust that all is in perfect order. I worry that I'm too old and that my hearing is impaired enough to make learning the language even tougher. I miss all of you so much. So far, I haven't been one of the ones to get any dysentery. We have been warned about botflies and scorpions...so far the only dangerous creature I've seen is a tarantula. (As long as they stay out of my bed, I'm ok!!)

I've been told that the next five weeks we will be using an outside latrine for obvious purposes. It's likely that I'll be sleeping in a hammock (that's ok) and eating all kinds of new dishes...iguana, turtle, gibnut. (Nothing that Dino hasn't eaten!!!) This is really an adventure.

From what I can tell, these first six months are all about adaptation and integration into the communities or villages. Once we have established trust, it is then that we may make a difference that might last. I'm excited about the possibilities.

Internet service and satelitte connections will be spotty so this is probably the last blog for awhile.

Thought for the day...don't take running water and electricity and a nice comfortable bed for granted!!!

God bless us all....tracy

I mispoke

Correction on our history lesson. The hurricane that hit Belize City was Hattie in 1981. The government buildings were moved soon after to Belmopan. It's the smallest capital I've ever seen!

God bless us all! tracy

Today was culture day. We took a bus ride to San Ignacio and Benque and had dancers and a flutist perform for us at a local high school. Later, we traveled to the ruins at Xunantunich and hiked a mile up a road that led to the ruins and then climbed to the top. I'll enclose some pix at a later date when I have the help of a knowledgeable friend with me. Tomorrow is an off day (Sunday) and some of us are going to the river to wash our clothes in the river. I'm not sure I'll be losing weight as every meal is delicious and full of carbs! Every lunch and dinner has beans and rice or rice and beans. The people here are very kind. What impresses me the most is how there are so many different people speaking various languages and they all seem to respect each other. I've heard lots of Kriol, Spanish, English, and (get this) Chin-Italian. (All the business owners in Belmopan are Chinese descent. Speaking of Belmopan--Terri Stephens was partly right about Belize City being the capital. Apparently there was a big hurricane here back in the 80's and the capital was moved from Belize City to Belmopan. The government hoped this would bring business and industry to this inland town but it never materialized. The Peace Corps Belize office is here in Belmopan but it is a tiny town that never expanded other than a few government offices. There are about 4 roads, maybe 50 houses, a market place and a bus terminal.

We leave Belmopan Thursday and go to our prospective training center. My group (healthy communities) will be going to a town called Armenia. After five weeks we will all be sent to individual villages in the south(Toledo district) and will be quite remote so these blogs I'm afraid (mostly for me!!) will be fewer and further between. And Betty, half of the healthy communities volunteers are women and we will be going to these villages alone. I can only hope and pray that the people will be as kind as they are here and I'm sure they will be. Kekchi will be my new language.

Leaving to go have my eighth burrito for dinner (not alot of variety)

God bless us all. Tracy

I'm here!

We were wakened at 1 am this morning, flew to Miami (made me real homesick and wanted to jump as we passed Jupiter!) then flew to Belize City and arrived here at 10:30 am (12:30 your time.) Went through a brief orientation after a local lunch (which was awesome--but I haven't met too many foods I didn't like!) and then on to Peace Corps Hdqts. in Belmopan. There are stray dogs roaming everywhere, it's really hot, and I'm so tired I can hardly think. It's only 5 pm here but we've been up 19 hours. I'm sitting in a back alley internet cafe with my new best friend, Erica. She's 22 and doesn't mind hanging with an old fart. Anyway, I'm sure my outlook will improve with sleep. Miss all my buddies and especially my family...so much I could sob on the spot ...I'm just trying to focus on why I'm here and get grounded again. Long day and hot as poop!

God bless us all...tracy

Don't look back

As the pilot carefully navigated around the ominous thunderboomers, for the first time I was forced to look back at West Palm Beach. Until now I had done nothing but forge ahead...finish my jobs at Dr. Gandhi's and Dr. Harts, move my children into their new places, clear out my townhouse AFTER the big garage sale, get it ready for Ron and Cristina, sell my car, pay my bills, plan Aubrey's fiscal budget for next year, etc., etc. Don Henley sings "don't look back, you should never look back" and maybe that's bc you might second guess yourself. Right now, I'm hoping and praying I've done the right thing. I've had this itch for such and long time and this was the first time the window even cracked open a hair! But leaving my children and Dino and friends is quite difficult.

Because I've been so insanely busy, I've hardly took the time to thank you. I was honored that so many planned and so many attended 'going away get togethers. Thanks so much to Terri and Deb who planned the 'working girls' party. I learned more about Belize at Terri's than I have in all my reading! Thanks to Sue Brown and Carolyn for the Maryland visit...so great to see my good old friends! Thanks to Janet, Carol, and Professor for the Garden's tennis gathering! It would have been a crime to not play catch phrase one time before I left! Thanks to YoYo for doing the Ironhorse tennis get together...quite special as always. Nicole and Aubs planned the family get together and we all had such a great time at Ouzo Blue! And the last party was the poker party that Betty and Pete hosted with the mosted! And thanks everyone for letting me win that last game...that's gotta last awhile! All of you planned, prepared, paid, and positively perfected wonderful send-offs. It was so very kind and I'm deeply touched.

Thanks to Ron and Cristina for renting my townhome. Nobody in their right minds CHOOSES to move but they did this to 100% help me out--You both are gifts straight from heaven! Thanks to Sue Brown, Sue Beale, Carlene, Katrin, Sally, and Betty for their continued acts of kindness. You are such great friends and I'm totally indebted and grateful.

And now my children--Ashley, Bobby, Aubrey, Nicole, and Jeff--(here comes the lump in my throat) I could never do this if I thought you couldn't handle it. But you're all so strong and smart with deep roots in sensing what's right in life. And even tho you'd prefer that I not go, you were all 100% supportive. I so appreciate your open mind and broad vision of the world outside your own. I love you with all my heart. AUBS, what a Clydesdale! Here you have two weeks off from school and you choose to scrub floors, load garbage, pack and re-pack! I never could have done this without you

Thanks to both my brothers, especially Skip for help beyond compare. I will try to represent our family well in Belize!

Dino, I'm not leaving you, I'm fulfilling a dream. Thank you for your endless help in spite of a broken heart. I love you very much.

Ok, I must get back on track and forge ahead--"don't look back, you should never look back"--you better Belize it!

God bless us all---mom and Tracy

P.S. Love and hugs to Duchess and Chunk!

Countdown...six hours!

Finally, everything's in order... my bags are packed, I'm ready to go. Thanks to all of you that have been so kind and supportive...I feel so blessed. It's 1 am and I need to wake up at 5 am but I had to write my pre-journey entry and let you know how much I will miss you all but I've heard the calling and it's my time! I hope I'll have access to the internet from time to time and keep you updated. Let the adventure begin...

All my love,
Tracy