Then Rachel came to visit

Rachel!

Me!

 My friend, Rachel came to Belize and blessed my socks off! During her whole trip, I kept thinking, "this must be a dream." What a strange-wonderful thing to have "pre-Belize" and "Belize" life mix together. I surely enjoyed playing the hostess for Rachel, showing her my world. She was a good ambassador too, giving me love and hugs for all those who could not. This is an account of our weekend together.

The first day was a whirlwind. Poor Rachel had jet lag, but valiantly stayed awake and was such a good sport. She met everybody on that day. And everybody loved her (how could they not?). She met Nancy, Sulmi and Kathy, the Toledanos and many of the teachers at school.

From then until Friday night, Rachel did daily life with me. She got to experience what was typical in Belize. It may not have been all that exciting, but it was real. And as Rachel mentioned, exciting doesn't matter: the point is we got to spend time together.

Boating down the New River

sights along the New River

Awesome, vibrant sky

Cruising along

 But it was Saturday where we had the most fun. I got to be a tourist with her! Lamanai (which is a Mayan temple. It means "submerged crocodile") was the best! I don’t know how to explain the whole experience except to say it was awesome. We took a speedboat to the temple, toured the area and then boated back. There were a total of ten people in our boat: an Oregon family of four (who also spoke French!), a father/daughter pair whose wife/mother worked at Lamanai (they didn’t stay for the tour), the two tour guides (Antonio and Henry) and us. On the way there, we stopped often and saw the amazing sights of the river. I liked spying the bats and the all the birds. We did see a few crocodiles and monkeys, too. Midway we rested at Shipyard, I think. There were two Mennonite boys fishing. While I would have loved to take pictures, I didn’t want them to feel like they were on display. Instead we shared our juice and bananas with them. It was the best natural juice ever! Interesting side note: the tour guide, Antonio brought bananas as a snack for us. We ended up sharing ALL the bananas we people or monkeys we met along the river. Isn’t Belizean culture amazing? He was always slowing the speed boat to not disturb other vessels with our wake, offering lifts to broken down boats and chatting as if he’d known them all his life (he might have, it's a small country). Oh, and did I mention it was his birthday? For anyone wanting to tour Lamanai make sure to take HIS tour (contact me or Nancy for details)!

At the top of Lamanai!

Rachel in the jungle

Temple of the Masks

Climbing the steep steps of Lamanai

Breath-taking view from Lamanai

Capturing the beauty

Lamanai, in all its glory

Arriving at Lamanai we had lunch which was made by Antonio’s wife. Yes, lunch was advertised as part of the package, but I don’t know that many American tour guide wives would have willingly been enlisted to make food for EVERY tour. What a labor of love! It was the traditional food of Belize: stewed chicken, rice and bean with coleslaw and potato salad and plantains for side dishes. The tour around all the Maya temples (the Lamanai site has more than one temple) was lovely, as Antonio made sure we got a personalized experience. We stopped often and he always had something to share with us whether about culture, history, animal life or plants. I’m afraid I didn’t retain much of the information. There was just too much! Plus, I was ecstatic to be out of civilization and in nature. My camera was going nonstop! I’m so thankful most of our walking was in the jungle (see Hobbit quote). Rachel and I applied sun block three times and made through the day with no burns! My favorite part of the tour was climbing Lamanai itself. The view from on top was breathtaking. 

Jaguar Temple

On the way back, we didn’t hardly stop at all. That’s because the French-speaking family had to get to their next destination before nightfall. I was lulled by the wind whipping past me, the smell of the water and the pure gorgeousness of the shoreline. I heard Isaiah 30:21 play in my head, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” I have taken this verse grossly out of context, but I think the essence remains the same. All throughout the day, it didn’t matter where I looked or went; I found the fingerprints of God over everything. I felt His approval to continue to explore and glory in His creation. It was so wonderful.

Our last night. We wanted to relax from our active day by watching a movie. Before we started, the Toledanos fed us a Belizean burger. I would call it a the equivalent of a chicken salad sandwich…either way it was great food. All too soon, the movie was over and it was time for bed.

 

Lounging on the way back

Mennonite community

On Sundays, Nancy picks up everyone for church. She thought it would be nice for Rachel to see the lay of the land that way (and where people live). We went all over Orange Walk and saw a lot of beautiful Belize.

Church and the sermon were wonderful, but all too soon the taxi came for Rachel. The taxi man was great. I’m sure Rachel had a good time on the way back. When she reached the airport she used his phone to text me. I was touched to receive that text!

In the end, I would say that Rachel got a taste of everything: people, culture, scenery, geography, animal/bird life, history and daily routine. What a blessing it was to me to taste right along with her. I got to re-experience Belize and it was good. I live with such amazing people, in such an exotically beautiful place. May I cherish it just as much now that she's gone.

Friendship is the BEST part of life!

PS If anyone else would like to come visit, PLEASE email me! I would LOVE to share my Belizean home with you!!!

“the quiet was so deep that their feet seemed to thump along while all the trees leaned over them and listened,”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Things that go bump in the night

(Or don't. Which is scarier, I'm not sure)

As a stranger in a foreign country, you stumble upon some interesting rituals. This was quite true for me in my visit to the bathroom the other night. Upon flashing on the light, I came across a bizarre scene. I would say that presence and actions of this gecko raise some very deep questions. I wonder, will his answers suffice? 

"I'm a chameleon! Do not doubt the power of my invisibility!"

"Maybe if I don't move, she can't see me..."

"Oh! Hi there. I've fixed your pipes."

(Shoot, I knew I shouldn't have agreed to this double-dog dare!)

"Quick back to the Secret Lair!"

"Come closer. I dare you."

Thank you Mr. Gecko for surprising a smile out of me.


“Never laugh at live dragons, Bilbo you fool!”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

What can I say about Morine?

Morine!

She’s who I spend the majority of my day with. I’ve only known her a short time, but I’ve already seen her many moods. And she’s seen mine :-) I’m so proud of this little girl who insists on being just like the hearing. I know she is trying to develop her identity. I pray to God that I can help facilitate that process. She’s learning (language, social skills, academics and everything else) like a sponge.

...Morine's back story...

Me interpreting for Morine

She is a part of a family who carries the gene for Deafness. That means many of her cousins are Deaf. In fact, one of her Deaf cousins attends the same school, in addition to a Deaf cousin’s daughter and a few hearing cousins. In her own immediate family, Morine is the only Deaf person. Families here are very tight-knit, so the concept of one member being isolated or different is hard to accept. Thanks be to God, Morine’s family did not give up on her. After two years of Nancy working with Morine, they saw the benefits of signing vs. just talking to Morine. Morine has blossomed. Praise God! Now Morine has the tools to better to express herself. In those two years, she’s gone from minimal gestures to being able to put her own sentences together. 

Yes, Belizeans do get cold! From left to right: Adrienne, Morine and Marisol

However despite having Deaf family members, Morine is the only Deaf girl in Infant 1 and there are no other Deaf kids anywhere close to her age. This makes her very dependent on her sister and hearing peers for friendship. At this age, that’s not a problem. Most communication and socialization is physical anyway. I pray for the coming years, when her class will become more interested in talking than coloring. Because Morine was born into Belizean culture, I think she has a chance at some meaningful relationships. I am so proud of Belizeans! Her classmates include Morine without partiality. All the Belizeans that I have met make an effort to directly communicate with the Deaf person. If that means using gestures or learning signs, they do it. I don’t see that happen in the US very often. Due to the culture’s inclusive disposition and the fact she is going to be with the same peers for the next seven years, maybe a few deep relationships will develop (that’s what I pray for). Who knows? Maybe Belize’s future interpreters are sitting in Infant 1now!

Morine with a mischievous gleam in her eye

...Morine quotes and -isms...

 At the beginning of school, Morine refused to sign prayers.* This is because Morine dislikes doing anything different from what the hearing do. As a result, her prayers consisted of her closing her eyes, folding her hands and moving her lips. Just like the hearing. Every so often, she would peek out of the corner of her eye to assure herself that they were still praying. So cute!

Sulmi reading to both Morine and Adrienne

Morine is smart. She understands what interpreters do. During the middle of a lesson, a bored Morine will get a mischievous look in her eye. Turning to her seatmate she will sign, “You’re pretty” or “I like your hairclip.” Then she’ll glance at me with an impatient look on her face while signing, “Tell her!” Anahely is all too willing to talk.  They have a nice long interpreted conversations, until I have to redirect them back to the lesson.

Morine is a good girl and likes that label. When I first started working with Morine, she would spend so much time telling me how she always paid attention and was never distracted, that she would miss out on the lesson!

Nash asking to share with Morine

As mentioned before, Morine hates being different. She still insists on talking to her peers most of the time. They know some sign and a lot of gesture, but still Morine speaks to them sometimes.

I asked Morine the other day what color my hair was. After looking at it carefully, she replied, “Yellow, orange and white.” What, white?!

Morine is really mellow and stubborn. Nothing, I mean nothing, can motivate this girl when she is determined to take it easy. I know she can do the work, but many times she is the last one to finish. I am so thankful that this is slowly changing the more we’re together!

What?! She's eating??

She’s a picky eater who could really care less about eating. If peanut butter were a common food here, I’d call her a Peanut Butter and Jelly Kid. It’s not (and she hates jam), so I don’t know what to call her. Her food preferences please her sister who is only too happy to “share” Morine’s snack.

Morine and her snack sharer/sister, Adrienne

Morine loves to tease. I cannot tell you how many times a day she enjoys pretending to lose her pencil, opening to the wrong page in a book or throwing her garbage on the ground. There’s usually a smile on her face.

Thanks be to God, for this determined little Belizean girl!

*A tribute to her growth: she is now copy-signing most prayers.

“Where there's life there's hope.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Party!

The Toledanos (and Janine!) with their children (L-R): Omar, Glorycela, Angelica, Amira, Delilia and Froylan

I was introduced to the customs involved in a Belizean celebration (and more relatives than I could count) last weekend. It was Mrs. Toledano's 80th birthday on February 8th. Due to schedules, the party was on Sunday. This is my story of a Belizean party - from beginning to end:

Saturday 

On Saturday, I went into the kitchen, which was the center of activity. Ribs were being prepared, veggies were being cut, and people were gathered. One of the granddaughters mentioned I would get to watch the whole family run around like chickens with their heads cut off. [Side note: I saw no headless people. On the contrary, I was awed by how everyone had a job and knew what to do without asking. While the discussion may have been in Spanish, I would like to think that it was just tradition. Everyone knew what to do because they had done it before and this was the way it was done (in fact, they all assured me if I got married in Belize, they would help with the party).]

Watching preparations for the Rellano Soup

It was very interesting to think that no one expected me to be caught up in the preparation. I wanted to help anyway and I did get to. I started by peeling garlic (ajos) and then onions (cebollas). The Toledano family says if you cry when you peel onions, you are jealous. I must have MAJOR jealousy issues because my eyes were gushing! The crazy thing was, I didn’t even cut them. Mrs. Toledano did. I just separated the rings. We were making Escabeche for lunch because that is the birthday girl’s favorite soup. Me too! It was the best Escabeche I’ve had so far! Sour oranges make it SO much better than vinegar.

Cooking Escabeche the Belizean way!

When lunch was finished, one of Mrs. Toledano's daughters and I started decorating for the party. She decided we needed supplies and I offered to join her shopping trip. It took one long time! I really enjoyed it because it was just like shopping with my aunts. We first went to party shop in someone's house to buy a castle princess piñata. I should mention that this party was not ONLY for Mrs. Toledano. It was also for her two granddaughters. One was born on 8th and the other on the 9th. One of them was having her Quinceañera this year! She loves piñatas. Everything we bought had to be in three – from masks to cakes (yes, we had three cakes) to balloons. As Mrs. Toledano's daughter herself admits, she likes to go all out. Through her dedication we found some pretty “rare” things, like balloons that said "Quinceañera"on them. 

Birthday girls!

After going to the piñata shop, a party shop, A&R, SP Warehouse and Western Dairy, we came home. Then it was time to do the actual decorating.  Midway through, we went out again for paper plates because, “nobody else was going to worry about what to put the cake on.” We tried out three different stores and found them at Beijing Store. While I went to bed before the decorations were done, the results that I saw in the morning were beautiful!

For dinner, I had a bun with the leftover pork stuffing from the Relleno. Relleno is a Belizean soup that is generally only eaten on special occasions, like Christmas and birthdays or weddings. It is chicken stuffed with ground pork and egg. It also has jalapenos for flavor. I have to say I was shocked at the color of the stuffing. It was so gray, but it tasted good. I was looking forward to trying to whole soup.

Sunday

Interesting tidbit: in the morning all close family members started pouring in to help with the party. They all had breakfast here before they started working. The thing is, they all ate the Rellano. I was so confused. What were we going to eat for lunch, if we ate it all for breakfast? I needn’t have worried (we had SO much food leftover!), but I didn't expect to eat the special food before the special meal...

Birthday Mass

Before the party there was a Mass. It was set for 11am, but the actual start time was midday. The Father has lived in Belize for umpteen years but even I can recognize that his Spanish accent needs help. I can’t complain (or criticize; mine is atrocious too) because it meant that more of the Mass than I expected was in English. The service was simple. There were some prayers and songs (in Spanish), the Father said a few words about Mrs. Toledano and her granddaughters (in English), then we gave the sign of peace and it was done.

While the mass was happening, I noticed that all the daughters were in the service and their husbands were monitoring the food. I thought that was really cool!

I helped serve drinks and food, until I realized my help wasn’t helping. There were too many willing hands. So, I sat down and ate my Rellano. It was good. The conversations that flew around me were mostly in Spanish. Unless, someone was talking to me, I zoned out. Everyone was talking SO fast, I couldn’t even recognize the topic of conversation. I realize now that the Toledanos had been speaking very slowly to me. That's okay; now I know that I still have a lot to learn! I wasn’t a wallflower though. Many relatives came up to me to chat. The Toledano family has produced MANY teachers (at least five maybe more) which is why Mr. and Mrs. Toledano call me, “La Maestra.” It is quite an honor.

The Toledanos love pork (or maybe all Belizeans do too). We had Rellano, Pibil (pork that has been smoked underground for 8 hours on hot rocks) and ribs! Wow!

Time for the Rellano!

Being at this party was similar to partying with my family. In fact, I couldn’t help but remember Dzia Dzia’s* 80th birthday party. I kept noticing similarities: traditional food was served, family was reunited after many years, kids were running around, many pictures being taken, there was dancing and lots of laughter. I guess it doesn’t matter which culture you grow up in: family is family.

After eating, I moved outside. It was there I got to see the piñata smashed and the kid games. They dragged me into the games, so I got to partner with one of the kids to pop a balloon. It sounds simple but the balloon was placed in between us and we had to hug each other tightly to pop it. We won, so we must have been skilled.

From about 5-7pm (some 8 hours later), people started to trickle out. The festivities hadn’t ended though, which is why some people stayed. Around 8pm there was supposed to be a memorial for Mrs. Toledano’s sister who passed away last year. I was pooped and so I bowed out of that event. I think it was a good idea for me because it didn’t actually started until 9pm. That would have been a full day!

Mr. Toledano, Me, Mrs. Toledano!

 That was my experience of Belizean party!

*Polish word for "grandfather"

“There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit