We have a running joke amongst the Americans volunteers down here about what people in the States think we are doing in Belize vs. what we are really doing. Belize is usually thought of as a tropical paradise with a high amount of tourism, particularly in the northern part of Belize. This holiday season we have had a chance to experience that other side of Belize.
We really enjoyed having Bill's parents here and showing them where we live and our favorite spots. They were able to attend our clinic's Christmas party and meet all of the Belizean staff. A couple of days before Christmas, we rented a boat and went out to the Cayes (islands off-shore, out by the reef). We haven't had the opportunity to do this since we have been here and it changes your perspective of where we live. As you head out about 12 miles towards the reef, the water begins to clear and the scenery is beautiful. The guys caught some fish on the way and when we got to Moho Caye, we had grilled fish cooked over a fire - absolutely delicious!
When it came time for them to go back to the U.S., we drove up to Belize City and had lunch on the Belize River before they flew out. We then went into Belize City and caught a water taxi over to Ambergris Caye. As we waited for the water taxi with a group of Americans, we realized that we were no longer Belizean volunteers but tourists for the next few days. We did have the chance to meet a couple from California who are both physicians - a pediatrician and an anesthesiologist. We of course told them of our work and tried to recruit short-term volunteers.
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| Sunrise on Ambergris Caye |
Ambergris Caye was wonderful! We definitely felt that we were on vacation. It is a beautiful tropical island with white sand beaches and crystal turquoise waters. We did a lot of nothing around the pool, beach and climate-controlled room. Bill, Will and Caelan went out snorkeling a few times, including at Hol Chan and Shark Alley. We also got our fill of American food - cheeseburgers, cinnamon rolls and pizza.
It was interesting to see the differences in language and culture on the northern Cayes compared to the southern Toledo district. The street language is primarily Spanish and Creole and then English where we do not have to speak Spanish frequently in the south even though we are sitting right next to Guatemala. Their accents and English are easier for me to understand than in the south. It might be that we are used to hearing English with a Spanish accent but not used to hearing English with a heavy Creole accent.
We came back by water taxi and then bus to Punta Gorda. Once we hit the bus station in Belize City, we knew that we were back to the Belize that we were accustomed to. We noticed right away that the buses don't go slow. We were also serenaded with Caribbean and Spanish music for the duration of the ride through speakers that worked very well. Crossing the Maya Mountains was like riding an old-fashioned wooden roller coaster - slowly going up the hills and then as you reach the top, plummeting down the other side at break-neck speeds, curves and single-lane bridges included. While we have travelled up to Belize City several times in our own car, it was a markedly different experience. The boys will have another story to tell their children.
All in all, throughout our holiday break, we have had a relaxing change of pace and definitely added to our experience of living in Belize.
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