Day 10: Mayan Ruins and Night Zoo Tour

We had an amazing fun-filled day. We started out by checking out the Mayan Ruins at Cahal Pech. We were amazed at how the Mayans carved and constructed these impressive structures (that even included drain pipes on the roof). We tried to build our own pyramid, as well (see picture below).

After the ruins we had a nice lunch at a restaurant in San Ignacio. We enjoyed the food and then the students tested their science skills as they figured out how to best balance people of different masses on a teeter totter. It was a really hot day, so we cut our exploration of San Ignacio short and decided to go take a swim in the river.

The highlight of the day was definitely our private tour of the Belize Zoo. Armed with only our flashlights, we set out to explore the activities of Belize's nocturnal animals. We held a 6 foot Boa Constrictor, fed some Tapirs, listened to the Howler Monkeys, and enjoyed the pungent odor of the wild pigs.

In addition to enjoying the sights and sounds of Belize, we've also been brainstorming creative excuses for our absence on Monday. I told the students that I would post the best excuse on the blog so the following excuse was written by (drum roll please): Megan Berry.

"The recent fire in the Miami International Airport has been traced to the work of several young arsonists, believed to be in the 7th and 8th grade. Three have since been detained and sent into custody in Boston, but seven are believed to still be at large."

All the students are healthy and happy and definitely looking forward to our arrival back in Boston (I'll admit, I may be looking forward to that too). We miss you all and see you soon.

-Kelley

See you on Monday!

Day 7 Synopsis:

This day was so amazing that there is not enough space here to share the details, but some of the highlights were: manatees, corals, crazy toilets, octopus, and bioluminescence.

Day 8:

Leaders of the Day: Kelley, Michael and Erin

From the beginning, I think I knew that this was not going to be an ordinary day. It began when Erin and I got a knock on our door early in the morning from two of our lovely students (who will remain nameless) asking us where they should be as it was 5 am and the group was supposed to be having breakfast in preparation for our early departure. Erin and I sprang out of bed fearing that we had both overslept. However, after glancing at our clocks both Erin and I realized that it was actually 3 am. It turns that the students had been using clocks still set to east coast time. Oops. Little did we know that this was just the beginning in a series of mini-adventures that were about to unfold around us.



After our early breakfast, we loaded up the boat and set out at top speed from Tobacco Caye. The boat ride was a bit bumpy, but provided us with an unblocked view of the Belize sunrise. Many bumps later we arrived at the mouth of the channel that would lead us to our dock in Dangriga. As we approached, our motor began to sound increasingly frustrated, until the driver shut it off all the way. It soon became apparent that we were stuck on the sandy bottom of this very narrow channel. Our boat being loaded with students and gear was a bit on the heavy side and we just couldn't seem to get unstuck. As a last resort the driver asked some us to get out of the boat and wade to the shore. Just as some of us were preparing to take the plunge, we miraculously drifted free (well maybe not miraculous, but we didn't have time to ponder any potential scientific reasons behind our sudden freedom). Once the students were all loaded up on the bus the three leaders all settled in for an uneventful drive to the airport. I'll spare you the details of the next bit as I'm sure you are all well-informed.


While we all were a little sad to not see our loved ones that night, we powered through and managed to go for a swim at the river. The river restored our spirits and we engaged in games of "float racing" and "stick swimming." After our swim we picked some fresh oranges and grapefruits and then on the drive back stopped for some surprise ice cream. Needless to say, it was delicious.

SUNDAY:
Our plans for tomorrow look something like this:

9 am--Head to San Ignacio and check out the Mayan Ruins at Cahal Peck

12 pm--Lunch in San Ignacio and then a little sight seeing in town.

4pm--Arrive back at Monkey Bay and have some free time and then eat dinner.

After Dinner--We have an AWESOME opportunity to get a private guided tour of the Belize Zoo after dark. We will do a night hike around the zoo with only the lights from our flashlights to lead the way. This will be a great chance to see some nocturnal animal antics.

MONDAY:

Travel back to Boston!!!!!!!

Everyone is in good spirits tonight and are showing a really amazing positive attitude despite the many obstacles that we have had to deal with this evening. A HUGE Thank you to our support team back in the states and to the wonderful, understanding, and flexible parents of our kids.

See you Monday--Kelley

Day 6: Tabacco Caye

Leaders of the Day: Amanda and Will

This morning, we woke up at 7:30 and ate breakfast. While we were finishing, we were joined by Aurora, our hostess, who told us more about her culture and elaborated on the role of a healer in the Mayan community. She told us about the spiritual role of the healer and shared the story of her uncle, formerly one of the most renowned healers in Belize. She also talked about what a critical moment in our lives this was; where we had the choice to channel positive or negative energy towards our lives.

After breakfast, we got on our bus and drove down to the community school that we have been working with for the past 3 days. The children had to compete in an inter-school football (soccer) tournament so we did not have much time with them. However, we had enough time to show the students the completed library and kitchen. There faces lit up when they saw all the brand new dishes, utensils, and the sparkling new stove. Kids were relaxing and reading on their brand new mats and pillows in the library, and the smiles on their faces were priceless. Then we walked the older kids to the bus and passed out cookies and juice. Some of the students made bracelets and necklaces and gave them to their new friends (us). By the end of our farewell, many of us had tears of joy in our eyes.

Goodbyes were hard, but before we knew it we were on our way to a tropical paradise. The boat ride was beautiful, the water was a clear blue and the palm trees swayed calmingly in the distance. Without Juan, our guide for the whole trip, we felt lost, but when we got to Tobacco Caye, we made ourselves at home. The island is so small, you can see both coastlines while chilling in a hammock by the coconut trees. Volleyball and frisbee made up our free time, and for lunch we had rice and soup, a basic Belizean meal. We were all covered in sun tan lotion, and we were ready for the reefs.

For some of us, it was our first time snorkeling, and we learned the ropes from our instructors - Matt, Michelle, and Sarah. Once we were out on the reefs, we tested our gear, and saw many different types of coral and fish. We used the buddy system and were able to explore all around the reef, seeing manta rays, barracudas, and sea urchins. We took a short break to adjust any problems with the masks or fins and then went back into the water. We brought underwater cameras and took pictures of unique types of coral. Tired and salty, we walked back to the cabins.

Before dinner, we did an exercise about mapping out our own goals, and identified the coral from our pictures. We had a great time today, and will see all of you on Saturday.

Miss you guys, have fun in Florida, see you guys on Saturday!- Will

I love ya so much and can't wait to see y'all when we get home :-) - Amanda

Day Five: Mayan Center

Leaders of the Day: Dee and Harrison

After having an amazing breakfast at 7:30 AM sharp we took a short bus-ride down the street, carrying all supplies, and arrived at the school. Once again the children were warm and loving just as they had shown us the previous three days. Just before we had to work, we had some time to play around with the kids. But then the bell rang and we knew that it was time to work. Today, we finished two projects, the library and the kitchen.

The Library crew rearranged the bookshelves, swept the ground several times, organized the books on the shelf, moved televisions and tables, and bought supplies for the kids reading area. The Kitchen crew repainted doors, windows, and walls, built shelves, scrubbed shelves and tables, and bought silverware, cups, cleaning supplies and a stove. Despite the bug-bites and the heat, everyone worked extremely hard and the result of the hard work was unbelievable.

After a long morning of work, we told the kids that we would see them tomorrow and headed to the bus. Once we arrived back at the lodge we had a wonderful lunch consisting of grilled cheese, tortillas, and spaghetti. Right after lunch we went straight to tubing. Tubing was located at the Jaguar Reserve (the place we stayed at the first night). You might picture tubing as a tube being pulled by a fast motor boat, but that was exactly the opposite of what it actually was. This tubing experience was calm and relaxing.

We spent one hour calmly drifting down the river and as we were drifted we saw wonderful wildlife. The sun was shining and we all splashed each other in the river as we basked in the joy of having finished our work. After tubing, we went on a 20 minute rigorous hike to a waterfall. Once we reached the waterfall, everyone jumped in the water courageously except for the scaredy-cat teachers. The water was extremely cold at first, but that did not stop anyone from reaching the waterfall. The water fell hard on us, and it was refreshing from hiking in the humid weather. After the fun in the waterfall, we had another hike ahead of us. It was probably half an hour.

Day 5 was amazing and extremely fun, and the lodge we were staying at is going to be deeply missed!


WOOOOHOOOOO TUBING!!! But I fell so many times… it was kind of tragic! - Dee

I love you guys so much and I miss you all very much love you mom and dad - Harrison

Day Four: Maya Center

Leaders of the Day: Eli and Caroline

After awakening to a wonderful breakfast of eggs and fruit, we packed our bags and headed over to the school for our second day working with them. Continuing our two major projects, creating a kitchen and organizing the library, we displayed positive attitudes and great work ethics. The kitchen was originally dirty and worn down, creating an opportunity to improve the building. After re-painting the doors and making new shelves, we made a moulding for the walls to ensure cleanliness of the room and protection from scorpions and tarantulas. With additional help from our guides Erin and Juan, we are very close to completing the interior of the kitchen. The library was originally dirty and unorganized but with the efforts and coordination of almost half of our group, the library has been transformed into a resourceful area for school kids.

We returned for lunch, and then headed back to wrap up a few loose ends with our projects. We had a great time playing with the young kids after they were dismissed for the day, and all came back smiling. We then got on the bus for a half hour bus ride to Dangriga, the nearest large town and home to the closest hospital. We went to a large market, which was surprisingly similar to American supermarkets such as Shaws and Star Market. There we bought supplies for the school kitchen we were building, such as cups, plates, and pots & pans. We had a bit of extra time, so some of us used our money to buy things like soda and candy bars to remind us of home.

We drove throughout Dangriga a bit more and noticed what a contrast there was to the community that we were staying at. In Dangriga, there are large billboards, rows of large shops, and houses that would be luxurious even in the United States. We picked up a stove that Liberato, the principal of the school, had been saving for for almost a year. This stove will be a huge help in making meals for the school children.

After returning to our cabins in the Maya Center, we had dinner with the influential leaders of the Mayan community, Fredrica, Julio and Liberato. There were many lessons about styles of leadership that were learned from talking to these fascinating people. Each one impacts the community in their own special way. Fredrica has an economic and cultural impact on the community by opening stores run by the local women's Co-Op with hand-made Mayan objects for sale made by women from the village. Julio also has an economic and cultural impact on the community by creating a museum of Mayan culture. Liberato is unique, while he impacts the educational system as the principal of the school we are helping. Each of these figures are crucial to the progress and conservation of the Mayan community and were very inspiring to hear from.

Although we toiled through a hot day in the sun, it was rewarding and we look forward to making even more of a difference tomorrow. We miss you a lot!

Eli & Caroline

Day 3 - First day of service work

Day Three: Mayan Center Village
Leaders of the Day: Megan and David

After a chaotic (scorpion and dog filled) night, we prepared to start on our community service project. We are working with the local school of this community, building a kitchen and library, and weed-whacking with machetes. First, we had some time to interact with the students, particularly the younger ones (croc-a-dilly-oh-my (spelling?) and duck, duck, goose). Then we set to work.

There were several tasks to be done, and, of course, we're still far from finished. We started by dividing into groups - painting, weeding, and fixing up the kitchen. The weeders spent their time weeding with a machete (and accidentally burst a pipe with their machetes), the painters applied their first coat, and the carpenters constructed stuff. Soon enough, groups shifted around when interests turned, especially when some of us offered a plan for the library over lunch.

Later in the day, we performed a challenge with some of the students that were our own age. We had twenty pieces of spaghetti, some string, and some tape. The goal was to produce the tallest possible free-standing tower that was strong enough to balance a marshmallow. As incentive, marshmallows were given to the winning group. This turned out to be surprisingly difficult, and when the time was up, most groups' creations did not exactly perform well. However, Tynan's group won having the highest standing tower within the time limit, and Megan and Caroline's group came second, building a higher tower but needing extra time.

Overall, we were incredibly impressed by how welcoming and open everyone was. It's hard to imagine what it would be like if some random kids walked into your school, but despite the intrusiveness, they still were enthusiastic and friendly and seemed happy to see us. Even though we'd hardly seen them before, they still remembered our names. They would just walk up to us and hug us.

More updates tomorrow…

- David and Megan

Day 3 - First day of service work

Day Three: Mayan Center Village

Leaders of the Day: Megan and David

After a chaotic (scorpion and dog filled) night, we prepared to start on our community service project. We are working with the local school of this community, building a kitchen and library, and weed-whacking with machetes. First, we had some time to interact with the students, particularly the younger ones (croc-a-dilly-oh-my (spelling?) and duck, duck, goose). Then we set to work.

There were several tasks to be done, and, of course, we're still far from finished. We started by dividing into groups - painting, weeding, and fixing up the kitchen.  The weeders spent their time weeding with a machete (and accidentally burst a pipe with their machetes), the painters applied their first coat, and the carpenters constructed stuff. Soon enough, groups shifted around when interests turned, especially when some of us offered a plan for the library over lunch. 

Later in the day, we performed a challenge with some of the students that were our own age. We had twenty pieces of spaghetti, some string, and some tape. The goal was to produce the tallest possible free-standing tower that was strong enough to balance a marshmallow. As incentive, marshmallows were given to the winning group. This turned out to be surprisingly difficult, and when the time was up, most groups' creations did not exactly perform well. However, Tynan's group won having the highest standing tower within the time limit, and Megan and Caroline's group came second, building a higher tower but needing extra time.

Overall, we were incredibly impressed by how welcoming and open everyone was. It's hard to imagine what it would be like if some random kids walked into your school, but despite the intrusiveness, they still were enthusiastic and friendly and seemed happy to see us. Even though we'd hardly seen them before, they still remembered our names. They would just walk up to us and hug us.

More updates tomorrow…

- David and Megan

Welcome to Belize! (Day 1 & 2)

Leaders of the Day: Becky and Tynan

This morning, after a long day of traveling, we very tired and dressed for a walk in the jungle. This walk started with a tour of the jaguar reserve at which we were staying. After a history of the jaguars and a tour of the visitor center, we set off.

The woods were moist after a night of heavy rain and as the breeze blew, the drops of water falling from the leaves and the sound of howler monkey's in the distance really reminded us we were in the rain forest.  We were walking carefully so as not to disturb the highways of clipper ants, carrying leaves and flowers in twisting paths along the jungle floor. Leaves were strewn across the path, decomposing and, according to Juan (our awesome guide), being recycled into a part of the earth.

Then we drove to the Mayan museum. It did not look like much from the outside, but inside it was a full replica of an old Mayan house, complete with a kitchen and beds. We were shown how the Mayans slept and where they kept their children. We also were shown a replica kitchen where we were allowed to grind coffee and corn. We also engaged in tortilla making, which quickly turned into an aggressive competition. After an interactive display of traditional Mayan dancing we all returned to the bus for our next destination: The shrimp farm.

We went to a vast expanse of manmade ponds full of Belizean shrimp that would soon be caught and exported to Mexico. We had an AMAZING lunch at the shrimp farm, where we all gained at least 10 pounds. We returned to the lodge and visited the community that we would be helping for the next few days.

We interacted with local people in their hand built straw and clay houses, astonished about how they live their lives so comfortably without the luxuries that we find vital in our lives. There is really too much to say about the community so we can explain when we get back after the "How was the trip?!?!?!? TELL ME EVERYTHING!"

Finally we returned to the lodge for dinner and now we are here writing this blog…

I love all of you so much and really miss you…. and I will see you soon! -Tynan

I wish you all could be here and I promise to show you all the videos and pictures I have taken (after I edit them of course ;)) -Becky

Until Saturday… keep checking for daily blog updates!

-Tynan & Becky

(p.s. pics below!)