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