There's this dog that I guess came with the house I live in in San Miguel. Homes in the states come with varying amenities...homes here in San Miguel come with mangy dogs with parasites.
So I injected this dog twice with some medicine that the hardware store provided for me ($1.50 BZ) back in November. He started looking great! But recently the mange came back and he's losing weight but this time he won't let me inject him—dogs DO remember! (I'll have to work on this problem?!?)
The dogs here are treated so poorly. I guess people have them mostly to serve as watchdogs. They are kicked by every member of the family and not fed (except at my old host family's home where they gave Bones and Bingo tablescraps). I'm certain Blackie is the only dog in the village that eats dog food AND table scraps.
With Blackie's mange, it is not too appetizing to pet him barehanded so I put on my garden gloves and he 'eats up' the attention. Of course, I greet him every morning as he sleeps right outside my door. I don't 'give' like I would to my own dogs...guess I really haven't claimed him yet and I feel bad about that...
This past Saturday I planned on visiting two peace corps friends in Dangriga (3 hour bus ride away). I decided to catch the bus at the junction of the highway which is about a 5-6 mile trek to the road. I started off on my bike and Blackie was following. The sun was intense so the sweat was profuse as I pedaled up and down the very hilly rocky road. Blackie kept stride. A couple of times I told him to go home but he must only understand K'ekchi... he kept following. We finally arrived at the junction and I took my bike to this family I have befriended that has been kind enough to store it when I take these jaunts. Blackie came into their house and plopped down on the cool concrete. Avelina asked if he was my dog? “No, but he thinks he is!”
The bus was due to reach the junction in about ten minutes. I walked across the road, Blackie followed. There isn't an ounce of civilization for miles in any direction other than Avelina and Jorge's home. About two miles down the road, I see the northbound bus approaching. I do the customary hand signal that indicates I want a ride. The bus slows and I get on. I find a seat quickly but stay standing as I want to see that Blackie crosses the road heading back to San Miguel.
NO! He is sprinting after the bus. I sit down and ponder...
This dog gets so very little and yet is so loving and loyal. The children in San Miguel get so little and yet they are loving to their siblings and dutiful to their parents. There are no toys here, there are no gifts, and there's no recreation. But the responsibility they own for their little brother or sister's comfort or safety is something I witness on a daily basis. (I just looked out my window and saw two neighbor girls, ages 7 and 8, walking back from the river with huge bowls of dishes on their heads that they just washed and holding hands with a younger sibling).
I know we all mean well when we give our children so many THINGS back home. They may lose sight of what's really important like building character or relationships. They might miss opportunities to impact other lives in a positive way or to reach out to their siblings. Their lives can sometimes turn inward and in the process become lost and lonely. Maybe we're doing them a disservice by providing so much that they can't value what is truly important...I don't know...
I came back on Monday and Blackie was lying by my door... such a good dog...
God bless us all... love, tracy
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Thanks for your interest! You're the best!
FIVE of you sent me emails telling me about the recent article in the local paper back home and wanted to know more! Thank you so much for keeping abreast of the happenings here and wanting to share in this Peace Corps endeavor...
There is an organization in Belize (also in West Indies islands like Jamaica) called the Remote Caregivers Program. The RCP's mission is to provide the very young children (ages 8 mos to 3 yrs) in remote villages an opportunity for early learning. There are 4 RCP teachers in my village of San Miguel. They go to the homes where there are young children and teach colors, numbers, the alphabet...mostly through songs! I think the REAL benefit of their teaching is the familiarization with the English language. K'ekchi is spoken exclusively in these homes and yet when the children start pre-school, the lessons are taught in English. This introduction to the English language eases that transition from home to school for the 3-4 yr. olds. My host sister, Yadira, 2, was one of these students so I was able to witness the lessons first hand (twice a week). The stimulation was evident as Yadira was thriving!
About two months ago, one of the RCP teachers approached me and wanted to know if I could help them build a playground in San Miguel. The children have no place to play and recreation is a foreign concept (as are toys and games) I thought this was a great idea so we started with meetings to find out just what their 'vision' was and how we would finance this. (As you know, no one in the village gets a paycheck, it's all sustenance farming to provide food for their families...so funding from the inside is an impossibility) We have drawings in place and estimates of lumber and materials. This country seems so upside down to me as it is so poor and yet costs (like lumber) are so incredibly high...looks like just over $4000 BZ ($2000 US).
I applied for a 'Kids to Kids' grant and was successful ($500 US) That is what you read about in the newspaper. Now I'm working on a PCPP grant (Peace Corps Partnership Program) where anyone has the opportunity to read what Peace Corps is trying to do all over the world and can choose to donate if the spirit moves them to do so. Once I've applied, I will let you know and if anyone would like to contribute, they can do so privately online and the funds will go directly to the project. The only catch is...if we fall short of the projected amount, the funds go into a 'kitty' that is used for general projects and not OURS.
Thank you all for your interest. I will let you know when the PCPP application has been posted on the PC website. It's yummy food for my soul to know so many of you are sharing this Peace Corps experience with me. We are all volunteers trying to promote better world relations and peace.
God bless us all...tracy
There is an organization in Belize (also in West Indies islands like Jamaica) called the Remote Caregivers Program. The RCP's mission is to provide the very young children (ages 8 mos to 3 yrs) in remote villages an opportunity for early learning. There are 4 RCP teachers in my village of San Miguel. They go to the homes where there are young children and teach colors, numbers, the alphabet...mostly through songs! I think the REAL benefit of their teaching is the familiarization with the English language. K'ekchi is spoken exclusively in these homes and yet when the children start pre-school, the lessons are taught in English. This introduction to the English language eases that transition from home to school for the 3-4 yr. olds. My host sister, Yadira, 2, was one of these students so I was able to witness the lessons first hand (twice a week). The stimulation was evident as Yadira was thriving!
About two months ago, one of the RCP teachers approached me and wanted to know if I could help them build a playground in San Miguel. The children have no place to play and recreation is a foreign concept (as are toys and games) I thought this was a great idea so we started with meetings to find out just what their 'vision' was and how we would finance this. (As you know, no one in the village gets a paycheck, it's all sustenance farming to provide food for their families...so funding from the inside is an impossibility) We have drawings in place and estimates of lumber and materials. This country seems so upside down to me as it is so poor and yet costs (like lumber) are so incredibly high...looks like just over $4000 BZ ($2000 US).
I applied for a 'Kids to Kids' grant and was successful ($500 US) That is what you read about in the newspaper. Now I'm working on a PCPP grant (Peace Corps Partnership Program) where anyone has the opportunity to read what Peace Corps is trying to do all over the world and can choose to donate if the spirit moves them to do so. Once I've applied, I will let you know and if anyone would like to contribute, they can do so privately online and the funds will go directly to the project. The only catch is...if we fall short of the projected amount, the funds go into a 'kitty' that is used for general projects and not OURS.
Thank you all for your interest. I will let you know when the PCPP application has been posted on the PC website. It's yummy food for my soul to know so many of you are sharing this Peace Corps experience with me. We are all volunteers trying to promote better world relations and peace.
God bless us all...tracy
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Happy Birthday Sue Brown (from Mexico!)
Happy Birthday Sue! I called you yesterday from Belize City en route to meet Aubrey in Cozumel today but was just winging it and you questioned the wisdom of that!
Thursday, I took the bus from Punta Gorda up to Benque and stayed the night with Roger. That was a 6 1-2 hour bus ride. Friday morning (Sue´s birthday) I left Benque and traveled east to Belize City (bus was 4 hours). Waited half hour and got on another bus heading north through Orange Walk on to Corozol and supposedly, Chetemal (which is just inside of Mexico). Come to find out that if you reach the border after 5 pm you have to get off the bus and walk across, go through immigration, and then take a cab to Chetemal. (Oh yes, the bus ride from Belize City to Corozol was 3 hours). So I´m walking across the bridge and texting Ashley and get to the other side and no more cell service in Mexico. Take the cab to Chetemal...cabbie no habla ingles and I don´t speak much Spanish but we manage. Get to the bus terminal in Chetemal and wait 3 hours for a bus leaving at 1030 and arrives in Playa Del Carmen (on the mainland opposite Cozumel) at 230 am. Doesn´t seem to make sense to get a room so I am the ONLY person in the bus terminal at 230...it´s freezing in there and I have no warm clothes. I ask an attendant there if ...si es posible, puedo dormir alla? (If possible, can I sleep over there?) Si. He lets me lay down on the floor behind a partition where I cover my whole body with clothes from my bag and bury my head in them to generate some heat. So the next time you see a bag lady or other indigent, be kind...it could be your old friend!!! I must have dozed some because at 530, I hear, senorita, tiene que salir. (Maam, you have to leave). I walk 6 blocks down and 4 blocks over and get to the area where at 8am I can ride the water taxi over to Cozumel. That was a 45 minute boat ride. Finally arrive in Cozumel to find out that where the cruise ships are is a taxi ride away. Get to the port and realize that Aubrey never told me which boat she was on so I´m wondering now if I´ll be able to see her at all. Lucky for both of us, she has my innate sense of sensing gpa´s. I get off the taxi, walk maybe 29 yards and there she is. Thank God! And thank God, I love her so much cause now I´m back in Playa Del Carmen, waiting til 1235 am to ride the 4 hour ride to Chetemal and then catch the 6 am bus from Chetemal to Belize City. Then, 5 hours back to Punta Gorda. So this is from Playa del Carmen, exhausted, no reading glasses so I´ll apologize ahead of time for errors! I´m dead tired but Playa del Carmen is awesome. Actually, all of Mexico seems awesome after Belize...just feel out of touch with no service. And blessed to have seen my little girl.
Moral of this whole story is my insanity is now confirmed and Sue Brown is always right! Hope you had fun at Darlene´s and Happy, happy birthday!
God bless us all...tracy
Thursday, I took the bus from Punta Gorda up to Benque and stayed the night with Roger. That was a 6 1-2 hour bus ride. Friday morning (Sue´s birthday) I left Benque and traveled east to Belize City (bus was 4 hours). Waited half hour and got on another bus heading north through Orange Walk on to Corozol and supposedly, Chetemal (which is just inside of Mexico). Come to find out that if you reach the border after 5 pm you have to get off the bus and walk across, go through immigration, and then take a cab to Chetemal. (Oh yes, the bus ride from Belize City to Corozol was 3 hours). So I´m walking across the bridge and texting Ashley and get to the other side and no more cell service in Mexico. Take the cab to Chetemal...cabbie no habla ingles and I don´t speak much Spanish but we manage. Get to the bus terminal in Chetemal and wait 3 hours for a bus leaving at 1030 and arrives in Playa Del Carmen (on the mainland opposite Cozumel) at 230 am. Doesn´t seem to make sense to get a room so I am the ONLY person in the bus terminal at 230...it´s freezing in there and I have no warm clothes. I ask an attendant there if ...si es posible, puedo dormir alla? (If possible, can I sleep over there?) Si. He lets me lay down on the floor behind a partition where I cover my whole body with clothes from my bag and bury my head in them to generate some heat. So the next time you see a bag lady or other indigent, be kind...it could be your old friend!!! I must have dozed some because at 530, I hear, senorita, tiene que salir. (Maam, you have to leave). I walk 6 blocks down and 4 blocks over and get to the area where at 8am I can ride the water taxi over to Cozumel. That was a 45 minute boat ride. Finally arrive in Cozumel to find out that where the cruise ships are is a taxi ride away. Get to the port and realize that Aubrey never told me which boat she was on so I´m wondering now if I´ll be able to see her at all. Lucky for both of us, she has my innate sense of sensing gpa´s. I get off the taxi, walk maybe 29 yards and there she is. Thank God! And thank God, I love her so much cause now I´m back in Playa Del Carmen, waiting til 1235 am to ride the 4 hour ride to Chetemal and then catch the 6 am bus from Chetemal to Belize City. Then, 5 hours back to Punta Gorda. So this is from Playa del Carmen, exhausted, no reading glasses so I´ll apologize ahead of time for errors! I´m dead tired but Playa del Carmen is awesome. Actually, all of Mexico seems awesome after Belize...just feel out of touch with no service. And blessed to have seen my little girl.
Moral of this whole story is my insanity is now confirmed and Sue Brown is always right! Hope you had fun at Darlene´s and Happy, happy birthday!
God bless us all...tracy
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