Most of the time I sit at this computer and have something mulling in my mind that's ready to put in words...this time however, I was just coming to our computer lab in the village to check emails...not to write a blog but just HAD to tell you what just happened...
I was walking over to the Village Chairman's house and I could see that between the thatched huts, Mickey (my favorite dog in the village) was chained up at his house. Once he saw me, he started crying...howling. That abated for a moment while I was out of view. Then he spotted me on the road between the next two thatches...more howling. I ran into Mauricio on the road and was chatting with him about one of our projects when I turned around to see Mickey. He had his collar on. He had his collar still attached to a heavy duty chain. And the collar attached to the chain was attached to a heavy 12inch by 8inch by 6inch cement block that he was pulling through the grass, onto the gravel road, making his difficult way to me.
WHO says that dogs aren't man's best friend?? I am feeling sooo loved right now!
God bless us all (again, doggies, too!)...tracy
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Meet Three Special Friends!!
I am fortunate enough to have three very special friends that all have birthdays today--Jan 3!!
Happy Birthday Vinnie Schoenfelder!! I met Vinnie and his wife, Marianne back in 1976...Vinnie is better known as 'Marianne's husband' and doesn't mind shining his own little glow in her shadow. (As her friend, I hung in her shadow and loved it!) Vinnie was an 'athlete extraordinaire' in a northern New Jersey high school and went on to play college baseball. In the most delightful of ways, when sitting with Vinnie for more that 10 minutes you are bound to hear the replay of his 'glory days'... Vinnie and Marianne were Bob's and my best friends back in some of the best days of my life. Bob and Marianne were the jokesters and Vinnie and I provided them a good audience. Fond memories...A year after Bob died, Vinnie suffered a massive heart attack at the way-too-young age of 40. I remember driving down to Roanoke with Sue Brown to be with Marianne and Vinnie. The three of us girls climbed on the bed with the convalescing Vinnie...the doctor came in and asked if Vinnie was trying to have another heart attack??!? And because we obeyed 'doctors orders', Vinnie is celebrating his 64th (??) birthday today. Vinnie, so glad you decided to hang around a lot longer...love you!
Happy Birthday, Bobby Downs!! Bob and I met Bobby Downs (a golf professional in Hilton Head, South Carolina) the year after Bobby had graduated from Ferris State in Michigan (well known for it's golf academy and golf management courses). My husband, Bob had talked to Bobby about trying to teach me how to golf (a rather hopeless endeavor). Bobby Downs was patient and tried hard (he really did!) but as I said, it was pretty hopeless. There were a few moments of 'greatness'--potential, I guess you could stretch it? Anyway, we came back every year (as we had a timeshare there) and I took more lessons from Bobby. The year that Bob was diagnosed with his brain tumor, we took Vinnie and Marianne and Sue Brown with us...Bobby Downs was so distraught that his buddy Bob was dying, he made sure that we had everything we needed on the golf course...including free golf. After Bob had passed away, three of my bestest buddies, Carlene, Sue Beale, and Sue Brown began a 22 year tradition of gathering for the week of timeshare. And over all these years, Bobby Downs has taken care of us...we figured we have saved well over $20,000 in green fees. Thank you Bobby...you are the BEST! Don't think Bobby is following this blog but just in case, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Bobby!!
Happy Birthday Susan Dent!! Those of you that know Susan Dent would never forget her!! She is a force, a freak of nature, an amazing woman...Way before there was the 'Survivor' show on TV, there was this sports/adventure/nature event called the Raid Gauloises that is held yearly at varying remote places on this planet. A team consists of five members and had to include at least one female. (Guess you know who the female was!!) Yep, Susan plus three Navy Seals and Mark Burnett (founder of the TV 'Survivor' obviously inspired by this event...) That year, the event took place in Madagascar that started with parashooting out of a plane, navigating treacherous mountain terrain in frigid temperatures, crossing desert plains in heat exceeding 115 degrees, paddling over 100 miles and walking well more than that with all their gear. Had they not made one critical navigational error (because they were in first place at that point), they may have taken home the gold. Just finishing the race is an unbelievable accomplishment as more than half the teams entered from all over the world don't cross the finish line. If any member of the team has to be medevaced(sp?) the team no longer qualifies for competition. After twelve days, Susan's team finished 11th out of the 40 that crossed the finish line out of the 85 teams that had entered. Years later, she picked up a tennis racquet for the first time and was an instant ace! I know that better than most as I had the good fortune to be her tennis partner. My best fortune was to be her friend.
So January 3rd is a pretty special day...love you all and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
God bless us all...tracy
Happy Birthday Vinnie Schoenfelder!! I met Vinnie and his wife, Marianne back in 1976...Vinnie is better known as 'Marianne's husband' and doesn't mind shining his own little glow in her shadow. (As her friend, I hung in her shadow and loved it!) Vinnie was an 'athlete extraordinaire' in a northern New Jersey high school and went on to play college baseball. In the most delightful of ways, when sitting with Vinnie for more that 10 minutes you are bound to hear the replay of his 'glory days'... Vinnie and Marianne were Bob's and my best friends back in some of the best days of my life. Bob and Marianne were the jokesters and Vinnie and I provided them a good audience. Fond memories...A year after Bob died, Vinnie suffered a massive heart attack at the way-too-young age of 40. I remember driving down to Roanoke with Sue Brown to be with Marianne and Vinnie. The three of us girls climbed on the bed with the convalescing Vinnie...the doctor came in and asked if Vinnie was trying to have another heart attack??!? And because we obeyed 'doctors orders', Vinnie is celebrating his 64th (??) birthday today. Vinnie, so glad you decided to hang around a lot longer...love you!
Happy Birthday, Bobby Downs!! Bob and I met Bobby Downs (a golf professional in Hilton Head, South Carolina) the year after Bobby had graduated from Ferris State in Michigan (well known for it's golf academy and golf management courses). My husband, Bob had talked to Bobby about trying to teach me how to golf (a rather hopeless endeavor). Bobby Downs was patient and tried hard (he really did!) but as I said, it was pretty hopeless. There were a few moments of 'greatness'--potential, I guess you could stretch it? Anyway, we came back every year (as we had a timeshare there) and I took more lessons from Bobby. The year that Bob was diagnosed with his brain tumor, we took Vinnie and Marianne and Sue Brown with us...Bobby Downs was so distraught that his buddy Bob was dying, he made sure that we had everything we needed on the golf course...including free golf. After Bob had passed away, three of my bestest buddies, Carlene, Sue Beale, and Sue Brown began a 22 year tradition of gathering for the week of timeshare. And over all these years, Bobby Downs has taken care of us...we figured we have saved well over $20,000 in green fees. Thank you Bobby...you are the BEST! Don't think Bobby is following this blog but just in case, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Bobby!!
Happy Birthday Susan Dent!! Those of you that know Susan Dent would never forget her!! She is a force, a freak of nature, an amazing woman...Way before there was the 'Survivor' show on TV, there was this sports/adventure/nature event called the Raid Gauloises that is held yearly at varying remote places on this planet. A team consists of five members and had to include at least one female. (Guess you know who the female was!!) Yep, Susan plus three Navy Seals and Mark Burnett (founder of the TV 'Survivor' obviously inspired by this event...) That year, the event took place in Madagascar that started with parashooting out of a plane, navigating treacherous mountain terrain in frigid temperatures, crossing desert plains in heat exceeding 115 degrees, paddling over 100 miles and walking well more than that with all their gear. Had they not made one critical navigational error (because they were in first place at that point), they may have taken home the gold. Just finishing the race is an unbelievable accomplishment as more than half the teams entered from all over the world don't cross the finish line. If any member of the team has to be medevaced(sp?) the team no longer qualifies for competition. After twelve days, Susan's team finished 11th out of the 40 that crossed the finish line out of the 85 teams that had entered. Years later, she picked up a tennis racquet for the first time and was an instant ace! I know that better than most as I had the good fortune to be her tennis partner. My best fortune was to be her friend.
So January 3rd is a pretty special day...love you all and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
God bless us all...tracy
Thursday, December 23, 2010
I have no gifts to bring... pa rum pum pum pum
Dear family and friends,
Ashley was so happy to text me to tell me about her Christmas bonus and that she just couldn't wait to deposit money in mom's account.
Aubrey's Christmas package to mom arrived today in Belize with wrapped goodies that I will save til Christmas morning. Her group of contemporaries at the VA hospital decided to make Aubrey's mom's Peace Corps playground THEIR Christmas project this year. They reached their goal yesterday and were so excited to pass on their generous gift to the children of San Miguel for a separate swing set next to the primary school.
Katrin made the trip to Belize for five days decked out in a Santa's hat and carrying stockings for Roger and myself with goodies and necessities... a lot of effort and expense...a warm demonstration of kindness and friendship.
I have received emails from many of you passing on wishes for a joyous Holiday Season and sharing life back home...from work to tennis to poker :)
It is Christmastime... and that just seems like the time for giving. But being a Peace Corps Volunteer doesn't lend itself to much, if any, disposable income... so that part of the equation, the 'giving back', for me is missing. It is humbling to have so little and most of the time it doesn't bother me at all. But at Christmas, it is a bit sad for me to not be able to give my children a single present. But, when I talk to them and listen to their stories, I realize that I must have given them something over the years...something that wasn't wrapped under the tree..something without a price tag. Because these three children have discovered that giving back of themselves to this planet is perhaps the greatest gift of all.
So, no Christmas tree here, no lights, no hustle and bustle at the Malls, no gift giving or receiving... it's pretty simple. All that energy for the busy holiday season is not needed in a third world country.
But it makes me think of what is really important... And for me it is that we are all brothers and sisters... not very different at all...and that we all want peace.
I have no gifts to bring but my sincerest wish... Peace on Earth...Goodwill towards Men. Merry Christmas and love from Belize...
God bless us all...tracy
Ashley was so happy to text me to tell me about her Christmas bonus and that she just couldn't wait to deposit money in mom's account.
Aubrey's Christmas package to mom arrived today in Belize with wrapped goodies that I will save til Christmas morning. Her group of contemporaries at the VA hospital decided to make Aubrey's mom's Peace Corps playground THEIR Christmas project this year. They reached their goal yesterday and were so excited to pass on their generous gift to the children of San Miguel for a separate swing set next to the primary school.
Katrin made the trip to Belize for five days decked out in a Santa's hat and carrying stockings for Roger and myself with goodies and necessities... a lot of effort and expense...a warm demonstration of kindness and friendship.
I have received emails from many of you passing on wishes for a joyous Holiday Season and sharing life back home...from work to tennis to poker :)
It is Christmastime... and that just seems like the time for giving. But being a Peace Corps Volunteer doesn't lend itself to much, if any, disposable income... so that part of the equation, the 'giving back', for me is missing. It is humbling to have so little and most of the time it doesn't bother me at all. But at Christmas, it is a bit sad for me to not be able to give my children a single present. But, when I talk to them and listen to their stories, I realize that I must have given them something over the years...something that wasn't wrapped under the tree..something without a price tag. Because these three children have discovered that giving back of themselves to this planet is perhaps the greatest gift of all.
So, no Christmas tree here, no lights, no hustle and bustle at the Malls, no gift giving or receiving... it's pretty simple. All that energy for the busy holiday season is not needed in a third world country.
But it makes me think of what is really important... And for me it is that we are all brothers and sisters... not very different at all...and that we all want peace.
I have no gifts to bring but my sincerest wish... Peace on Earth...Goodwill towards Men. Merry Christmas and love from Belize...
God bless us all...tracy
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
THIS FEELS LIKE CHRISTMAS!!!
What a wonderful surprise to go to my gmail and see a message from Diana that said we reached our goal!!! That last push wasn't a push at all...it was Katrina's STORM SURGE!! Holy cow! So very, very excited and I am filled with gratitude for the help from family and friends...thank you ALL so very much.
I will keep you posted on the progress...not even sure how the funds get here but I'm sure I will hear shortly.
Also, Peace Corps doesn't divulge the names of donors or the amount of contribution so I have no way of individually thanking those who participated. But I know this was a group effort whether in thought or thought and deed! So thank you to each and every one of you.
Aubrey has a sister playground project going on through her VA Hospital in Gainesville. If you missed out on all the fun, just call her 308-0417 or write to: Aubrey Hall, 800 NW 19th Avenue Unit D, Gainesville, FL 32609
Happy Holidays!! You certainly made mine..
God bless us all...tracy
I will keep you posted on the progress...not even sure how the funds get here but I'm sure I will hear shortly.
Also, Peace Corps doesn't divulge the names of donors or the amount of contribution so I have no way of individually thanking those who participated. But I know this was a group effort whether in thought or thought and deed! So thank you to each and every one of you.
Aubrey has a sister playground project going on through her VA Hospital in Gainesville. If you missed out on all the fun, just call her 308-0417 or write to: Aubrey Hall, 800 NW 19th Avenue Unit D, Gainesville, FL 32609
Happy Holidays!! You certainly made mine..
God bless us all...tracy
Monday, November 29, 2010
Almost at our goal!!
Dear Friends and Family,
Sorry to bother you and I know many of you have been sooooo generous with your support of my project in my village of San Miguel to build a playground for the children.
I checked the amount that we need to reach our goal and it's only $305!! Problem is we seem to be stuck there so I am appealing to those of you that may want to donate but haven't yet. The VA hospital in Gainesville where Aubrey is working has decided to support Aubrey's mom in her Peace Corps service for their Christmas project!! What they would like to do is fund a single swingset to be built at the school! We will already have had the gravel and sand donated and will have the 'labor force' in tact so this sounds like a great idea. I'm telling you this so that you know that if we get so fortunate as to reach our goal and possibly surpass it, the additional funds would be funneled into this sister project. San Miguel will have many smiling faces, I believe!!
Conversely, as I mentioned before, if we DON'T reach our goal, all your donated monies are pooled into a separate Peace Corps fund, which I think, stinks. The money that you have donated for my project may be used for other projects. Please, let's not let this happen...
You can click onto this address www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=535-151 and you will go directly to my project in San Miguel. Thanks so much! We can do this, I'm sure..
God bless us all...love, tracy
Sorry to bother you and I know many of you have been sooooo generous with your support of my project in my village of San Miguel to build a playground for the children.
I checked the amount that we need to reach our goal and it's only $305!! Problem is we seem to be stuck there so I am appealing to those of you that may want to donate but haven't yet. The VA hospital in Gainesville where Aubrey is working has decided to support Aubrey's mom in her Peace Corps service for their Christmas project!! What they would like to do is fund a single swingset to be built at the school! We will already have had the gravel and sand donated and will have the 'labor force' in tact so this sounds like a great idea. I'm telling you this so that you know that if we get so fortunate as to reach our goal and possibly surpass it, the additional funds would be funneled into this sister project. San Miguel will have many smiling faces, I believe!!
Conversely, as I mentioned before, if we DON'T reach our goal, all your donated monies are pooled into a separate Peace Corps fund, which I think, stinks. The money that you have donated for my project may be used for other projects. Please, let's not let this happen...
You can click onto this address www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=535-151 and you will go directly to my project in San Miguel. Thanks so much! We can do this, I'm sure..
God bless us all...love, tracy
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
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
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARLENE!!!
Things have been pretty busy in the village. The best news is that we have almost reached our goal for the playground. It is a sizeable amount so therefore I was never convinced that we would meet our goal but now we are down to the last $600 so I'm sure we will be successful...then the fun begins...Can't thank you enough for your outpouring of love and support. Once we reach the goal, the funds come directly here and we can begin the process of ordering materials and having them delivered here...then construction...lots of planning and preparing but should go smoothly with Roger overseeing construction (That's what he did back home before Peace Corps) All the villagers are onboard for clearing the land and the actual construction! Again, thanks so much!!! I will be sending you pictures of our work!
I'm at our computer lab in the village and things are really busy in here right now. But had to write TODAY because it's my good friend, Carlene's birthday!! Hope it's wonderful...I will call you sometime today and sing! Bet you can hardly wait!!
Hope all is well with everyone. I am so grateful for the friendships I have back home. Can't wait to see all your beautiful faces SOON!! I love it here but also miss home terribly...so see you soon!
God bless us all...tracy
I'm at our computer lab in the village and things are really busy in here right now. But had to write TODAY because it's my good friend, Carlene's birthday!! Hope it's wonderful...I will call you sometime today and sing! Bet you can hardly wait!!
Hope all is well with everyone. I am so grateful for the friendships I have back home. Can't wait to see all your beautiful faces SOON!! I love it here but also miss home terribly...so see you soon!
God bless us all...tracy
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