Third Goal

2010 Swearing in

The belize 2010-2012 swearing in class of volunteers taken May 28, 2010 in Belmopan, Belize

Facepaint

Boy paints his face while painting a world map mural on the side of his school

Yo Creek Sunset

Sunset of Yo Creek Village in the Orange Walk District of Belize

Princess

Yo Creek Princess

Flower

11 year old girl waiting for a cultural event to begin

World Map Initiative

Teaching using world map painted on the side of the school as part of the Peace Corps World Map Initiative.

Reading by candle light

Volunteer reading by candle light in the south western Toledo village of San Benito Poite, Belize

Antarctica is big

boys paint world map while commenting on how big Antarctica is over and over again

Pig Pen

My host brothers playing in the pig pen.

Dinner

My host dad killing a pig to feed the men who helped him plant his corn.

Cacao Drink

A Ketchi Maya women making the traditional Cacao drink.

My House

My thatch house in a village in the Southern part of Belize. Built by a previous volunteer.

Host Brother

My host brother playing around in a tree.

Fan Making

A boy making a traditional fan for the school culture day.

Vegetables

Vegetable stand in Placencia, Belize.

chocolate smiles

belizean music students enjoying a round of birthday cupcakes to celebrate a sunny december afternoon

Boy in cultural clothes

Boy dances to cultural Maya song

Jumpstart

For my secondary project, I taught preschool English to 4 and 5 year old Spanish-speaking children to prepare them for starting school in an English-speaking school system in Belize. I snapped this photo as they were listening to a tape recording of themselves singing or talking. I found that the kids enjoyed singing songs and talking into the recorder as a way to improve their English.

Art projects

I worked on a Jumpstart English program, with the goal of teaching preschool english to youth in my village. I collaborated with other volunteers and I took on the task of organizing art projects for the kids. I enjoyed coming up with new ideas and then seeing the kids experiement with the supplies I provided. In this particular project, we were trying out different stamping and printmaking supplies using tempera paint. I couldn't resist trying out a few things, too!

My Kitchen

I loved my li wooden casita in the village of Cristo Rey. I did a lot of chores in that sink, overlooking the yard of my neighbors who owned the casita. I could throw food scraps to the chickens from that window as I washed dishes, catch a breeze from the Mayan Mountains as I scrubbed my clothes or spy a Toucan flying by as I brushed my teeth.

Father and Son

This Rasta family lived next to a freind of mine on Caye Caulker. I asked the father if he'd let me take a piture of his son - he agreed but didn't want to look into the lense. The baby was so cute, he'd just come out of the bath. Years later someone saw this on my flickr account - turned out to be the child's aunt - she was delighted.

puzzling

in the Belizean village of San Jose Palmar, a soon-to-be preschool student tinkers with one of many puzzles while his mother looks on

puppy love

in a rare moment of stillness, my host sister cuddles her new puppy

Christmas party

This is the preschool, infant 1 and Infant 2 Christmas party. 

Iguana Hunters

Hanging out with the neighborhood boys after they hunted Iguana for their dinner.  (Dangriga, Belize)

I adore my students!

Ismael is toooo adorable. Every morning he comes running to me saying, "Miss! Miss! Gud maning Miss! I pick you a flowa!" (and proceeds to give me a flower.) Today he said, "Miss, ah wan a jress to wear lik u, an a pretti jewls!"

Fun with my Host Brother

Riding bikes around Dangriga, Belize with my host brother and Heather, another PCV.  

hanging out

Kriol BBQ 

My host brother!

Having fun with my host brother, Kerkland. 

Amber

One of my students, Amber.  The beauty of her spirit is reflected in her eyes. :)  (Monkey River Village, Belize) 

Village living

A typical Sunday afternoon in the village.  (Monkey River Village, Belize) 

Men's Yoga Class

The men were jealous that I do Yoga class for the women, so I started a Men's Yoga Class after they play football.  Namaste! (Monkey River Village, Belize.) 

babies!

Babysitting Baby Elton for the day.

Global Handwashing Day

October 15, 2009 Global Handwashing Day at Progreso RC School PCV with Infant I and Infant II students talking about the importance of washing hands with clean water and soap while singing the handwashing song.

Days Like This-Peace Corps Belize

OW Chess Extravaganza

Meet me at the River

This is a video documenting a normal day washing at Silver Creek in the Toledo District of Belize.  After serving two years my husband suggested we record my creek time because that is the thing I will miss the most when we finish our service in October of 2011.