Before I get started with any new updates, I'd first like to say happy holidays! I'm also sorry about the lack of pictures. They will hopefully be coming soon!
Now, how about those Tigers? Wins over South Carolina and Oklahoma have made it a very nice December here in Belize, especially since I was able to see both games! Coming into town for the S.C. game was a little difficult. I had to hike 4 miles and jump on the bus just as it was starting to leave, but I made it! Luckily, it wasn't as difficult to see the Oklahoma game. All I had to do was pay for a hotel room with a television and BAM! Good to go.
Aside from football, things here have been going well. My cohort had its first In-Service Training (Reconnect) where we all got together and were given some direction for the next year: how to continue to motivate work partners, how to report data, etc. This was also the first time that all of us have been able to get together as a group since Pre-Service Training. I'm happy to say that all of the volunteers that attended swearing in in September are still here today, something that is pretty rare for Peace Corps. In fact, the Country Director informed us that this is the first time in at least a decade that no one has Early Terminated (ET'd) in the first three months of service.
It was great to see everyone and hear all their stories and different experiences! It's crazy how different a Mestizo volunteers service is from that of a Q'eqchi volunteer. Apart from the language differences, Mestizo villages tend to be larger and many sites come with more amenities such as washing machines, electricity, and internet. Despite these perks, there are still many challenges that Mestizo volunteers face. With larger villages come a greater risk of crime. It can also be more difficult to integrate in the village. At my site, I know almost all of the primary school kids by name and I at least recognize almost all of the villagers. For the Mestizo volunteers in the larger villages, this is difficult to do since, in some cases, there are upwards of 2,000 people in the village. Even through the challenges that we all face as volunteers, Q'eqchi or Mestizo, we've stuck with it and are continuing to do great work!
After Reconnect, I returned to site motivated and ready to start putting some projects in motion. One of the needs of the village that has been voiced to me by many of the villagers is the need for latrines. Currently, only about half of the people have a latrine. Those that don't have latrines simply go to the bathroom in the bush, a term that can range anywhere from the forest in the backyard to a spot a few feet from their house. Obviously, there are some health concerns when it comes to not using a latrine, mainly an increased prevalence of diarrheal disease. The idea that my Community Health Worker (CHW) and I came up with is to have classes on latrines, maybe once a week for a month or a month and a half. These classes would talk about the different ways to prevent diarrheal disease and what to do if you have diarrhea. After an individual finishes the class, the CHW and I will make three random house visits to ensure that people are doing what we taught them. If they pass the house visits, them we'll work on getting the materials for the latrines and the family will build the latrine itself. That's the tentative plan for now at least. Obviously, there are some other factors that will come into play, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. This, I believe, will be one of my main projects over the course of the next two years.
To figure out the other needs of the village, the CHW and I will go around the village and ask people what needs they perceive to be most relevant. Some other needs that I've noticed are maternal health, diabetes education, and childhood nutrition. Fun fact about the village: of the 404 people in the village, 242 are younger than 20. Clearly, family planning is something that needs to be addressed. I spoke to the village midwife and she agreed to start a women's group that will touch on family planning as well as other maternal health factors. I'm hoping to get that started around March. My CHW has also expressed an interest in a health fair, so hopefully that will take place sometime in mid to late 2015.
About a week and a half before Christmas, some doctors came into the village to set up a clinic. They allowed me to borrow one of them to go out and do lice treatments with the families of the children I'd found lice in. Hopefully lice will finally be eradicated from the village! On Christmas Eve, I was on my way to give out the second round of lice treatment to the families when my Q'eqchi language teacher came up to me and invited me to watch two pigs get slaughtered at the Catholic church. Being a former vegetarian, the idea was kind of terrifying, but how often in one's life does an opportunity like that come around? After three hours of watching two 350 lb pigs get turned into meals, I finished the handing out the lice treatments.
Later that night, I decided to spend more time with the Catholics. For nine days before Christmas, they have a service at one of the villagers homes and then move to another house where dinner is provided by the family. They next night, the family the hosted dinner the night before hosts the service. This continues until Christmas. All the while, they carry the Virgin Mary, symbolizing her search for an inn. On Christmas, she finally rests at the church. I really enjoyed being a part of this pasada. I really felt like it helped bring together the families in the village, instilling a sense of community. Plus, the service was beautiful! Then, at midnight, I got together with the Baptists and had some more food while the villagers shot off their firecrackers, something that is custom for Christmas in Belize. I can't wait to see what happens for New Year!
Overall, I have no serious complaints. Everyday, I wake up and think how lucky I am and that I have the best job in the world. Thanks to everyone who supports me, too! You guys don't know how much your support helps. The next time I type up a post, it'll be 2015, so HAPPY NEW YEAR!
