Arrival At Monkey Bay

We have arrived at Monkey Bay and are getting ready for a night visit to the local zoo. The kids have been working on blog entries for the first few days so expect them to be posted over the next day or two when we get breaks from the work on the playground in La Democracia.

All is well. Everyone is having a blast, getting along well, and learning much.

More soon.

Keith, Brooks, Ruby, and Chris

Xunantunich - Part Two

I learned about something i didn't know existed. It was great, and the prettiest, serene scene I have ever seen.

~mary sawyer

Xunantunich - Part One

Have you ever crossed a river on a handcrank ferry? Have you ever seen a tree filled with iguanas? Have you ever visited an ancient Mayan ruin and climbed to the very tip top? Well, our group of intrepid travelers did all these and more on Tuesday morning. It was so neat seeing their wide eyed wonder as we walked up to the ancient ruins at Xunantunich. They listened attentively to our guide, they asked great questions, they saw so much, they learned a lot, and most importantly, they safely made it down from the top of El Castillo. What a wonderful way for us all to learn about Mayan history, archeology, and the history of Belize.

- Brooks

Swimming at Big Rock Falls

Swimming at Big Rock Falls was AMAZING! It was such a reward after a mile hike in the jungle. We all cooled off in the cold water. We also jumped off a tall rock. While some were jumping, others were sitting in the lower part of the waterfall, on the rapids. We were just talking or lying out and habving fun!!

- Jane Anne

Hiking to Big Rock Falls

When we hiked to Big Rock Falls, Juan showed us jaguar prints and many different species of birds and ants. Also he showed us a tree full of wild orchids, with a sweet, earthy smell. We also saw a toucan from the bus window. Juan is very smart about his surroundings and the wildlife in Belize. He is very nice to show us all this. He also makes the best animal sounds, and they come out of hiding when he does that.

- George

Pine Ridge Tour

Cooking with Radiance

The first few days at pine ridge, Mary and I had the opportunity to work with our wonderful new friend Radiance. The first morning she let us help her cook homemade tortillas and scrambled eggs. All of her cooking was learned from when she was little in Belize.

The second day we helped her fry the same tortilla batter and made it so that they puffed up and you could stick any kind of topping inside of it.

Radiance lives in the village that we are helping and has four kids there, so we will get to help them and work with them. Radiance was an amazing cook and im so glad i got up early to help her cook our meals.

-Sarah Crowe-