Other Side of Peace Corps

I am happy because things are happening. The PCPP grant goal has almost been reached. Thank you, thank you! When that happens, we will begin the process of constructing a playground here in San Miguel. We recently received funding for cleaning and painting the school and installing six trash receptacles in the village. Five latrines have been constructed so now every family has a latrine. Four gardens have been started and we are all working together for the success of each others gardens. With this new awareness comes nutrition classes and I hope , exercises classes (but not likely due to lack of interest) Sewing classes for the ladies and a second computer camp for the children are in the works. My most recent project is trying to contact the Ministry of Health and Education to see WHO can replace the asbestos roof in one of the classrooms causing a critical health threat for the Standard VI (seventh grade) students. So you can see, much to do and much getting done! That feels good...

But the other side of Peace Corps service are the friendships...the human connections ... There is one young man in the village, Mauricio, that came to me months ago and said, “I love my village and I want to volunteer to make it a better place”. With this kind of attitude, we have set out to make things happen. It is refreshing in a culture where much has been given to them (mostly because of severe need but now, partly because they have become accustomed to the handouts, the projects, the financial aid from countries all over the world, not just the United States.) But here is Mauricio, still in high school, but ready to reach for his dreams and the dreams of his K'ekchi people. I LOVE this guy. We initially 'bonded' back in June when he was supposed to help me with something and I expected him at my house at 8am. But he text me to say that he would be later, that with the torrential rains from the night before, his firewood was drifting away. I asked him if he needed help. He text back that that would be great! So for the next four hours, he paddled his little handmade dinghy through the flooded bush collecting his wood and I carried each log, one by one the quarter mile to his house through knee deep mud. That's NOT easy!! Ever since, we have been helping each other...

Another friendship is Ruthilia. On a day back in January, I was riding the James Bus north from Punta Gorda. A man and his young daughter boarded the bus and since there were no seats together, the father sat a few rows up and his daughter sat next to me. We proceeded to talk...she was an eleven year old Maya K'ekchi girl from the village of Bella Vista (about 45 min bus ride north of me). We had a delightful conversation and when she was ready to get off at her village, she asked if she could have my cell phone number. Since then, there have been multitudes of texts, a few phone calls, I visited her village and met her family, and then she came to San Miguel and spent three nights here in the village with me. She has a golden heart, a sweet personality, and is driven academically. She is quite proud to tell me that she is at the top of her class. (During the year, the students are told their ranking within their class.) She has a dream of becoming a teacher. I foresee a lifelong friendship.

Then there is Mickey...my favorite dog in the village. Spirited, loyal, loving... a great friend!

There are many friends in the village but I'm a pretty private person. I think I am regarded as helpful and kind. I learned long ago not to attend church because that's the chief polarizing factor in our 'two-church' village. I had gone to one and then attended a wedding at the other and MAN, did I cause an uproar! No more...

I am happy to report that I have more Belizean cell phone numbers in my phone than Gringo numbers...I think I have integrated nicely... not only in my village but particularly on the roads of Belize.

God bless us all...love, tracy