To The Zoo & A New Camp

Journal #5
January 7, 2012
To The Zoo & A New Camp

To The Zoo & A New Camp
Today started off with packing up our camp at Kindred Spirits. We had breakfast and then had some time to move our luggage to the central room. Afterwards, we were off to the zoo. The zoo in Belize has a much more natural beauty to it than the ones in the states. How can you compare to a zoo with such trees and flowers? The animals were in cages that were not much more than a chain-link fence, and some had chicken wire around them. Others were in boarded fence, much less than we use in the states for our livestock animals. The animals were very friendly and normally would be very close to the fence, right by the walkway. A lot of the animals were orphaned or born in the zoo, not captured or any other form.

After the zoo, we headed back to Cheers, the outdoor restaurant. At Cheers we had a burrito buffet where we were able to make our own food, we also had chips & salsa, as well as lemonade. After lunch we headed back to Kindred Spirits to grab our luggage and head to Succotz. When the trucks came to get the luggage, I was expecting full size pick up trucks, but instead it was two tiny Ford rangers to stuff all the luggage of over fifty people in! We took it very slowly to Succotz because we were following the luggage trucks, and we went even slower over the pedestrain walkways (ramps in the middle of the road for pedestrians to walk on). When we arrived to Succotz I was super excited because it is a town and there were so many people outside and on the streets. I am excited for the opportunity to interact with the people of Belize. In addition, there are many neat looking structures and buildings in Succotz.

We continued driving to our campground, where we passed many schools and churches. Our camp is right beside the high school and elementary school. Amelia, Sarah, and I are sleeping in the room off of the kitchen that has three beds, to make more room in the dorm room for the other girls. The bunks in there are three high and many girls were actually having to sleep on them. In addition, we volunteered to help out in the kitchen as much as we are needed- and I am excited for that opportunity- not only to cook, but also to interact with the cooks.

After we unpacked and settled in, the cooks had dinner ready for us. Our meal consisted of chicken, rice and beans, fresh pineapple, potatoes, and plantains. Dinner was super delicious and was authentic Belizean food.

After dinner we headed back to our room to pack so we could walk to the city. The walk took about ten minutes and the roads had very loose stones, which made me nervous for some of the people to be walking on, but everybody made it there and back safely. While in the town, we went to Benny's Restaurant where we ordered ice-cream. I had a banana milkshake and it was very good. The milkshake was a little different than I expected because it was more like a smoothie, but I think that because it was a fruit shake, it did not make a difference. Beside Benny's is a little store that literally has everything from washers and dryers to fresh baked bread, and everything in between.

In reflecting on poverty, families, justice, friendship, happiness, materialism, technology, Christianity, and defining self- I feel like the contact that I had today helped me to start forming some thoughts. Poverty is definitely a common thing in Belize, but poverty does not seem to affect friendship, happiness, or many other characteristics about the people of Belize. Almost every single person that we passed today while walking, from ages (approximately) two years to (approximately) sixty years, had something to say to us, a smile to give to us, or a wave to show give to us.