Yo Mom I’m writing the blog tonight. Today was yet another wonderful day in Belize. We started our day off like every other morning; showing up to breakfast late and meeting with the team. We ate the equivalent of Belizean pancakes and watermelon. Once we finished our meal we got into our two fifteen passenger vans and headed off to the first elementary school of the day. After about fifteen minutes we arrived at Presbyterian Day School. We split up into groups of three and were assigned a class room for the morning. Walking into the class rooms, we were greeted by heads turning and smiles that lit up the room as well as our hearts. Class started off as normal with a variety of subjects depending on grade level. As the day went on the kids became increasing difficult to control. Restless excitement built up as we waited for break to start. The bell rang and within seconds we were running around, playing tag, reading books, etc. Unlike us, the kids seemed unbothered by the heat and seemed to be able to run forever. Within minutes we gringos (white peoples) were exhausted. Once the bell for class rang, we headed back to class in an attempt to learn… it didn’t go too well. The defeated teachers gave the students the rest of the day off to spend time with us in the field outside their school. We played soccer, gave the kids cooch (their word for piggybacks) and casually chatted amongst them. Then we said our final goodbyes to the kids and boarded the bus in preparation for the next school.
After another fifteen minutes of driving we arrived at Conception Elementary school. There we ate lunch and snacks before being put into a new set of classrooms. We helped the children with their school work and before we knew it the day was over and it was time for us to play against the kids in a friendly soccer match. Judging by the size of the kids, we were not expecting them to destroy us at the sport, but, they proved us wrong. Running circles around us we shortly realized that they were going to be a lot better then we had thought. Those that didn’t player soccer spent time on the playground. After the game both Canadians and Belizeans were out of breath and exhausted from the heat. We retreated inside to cool off and enjoy our last few minutes with the children. All of our team agrees that saying goodbye to the children was one of the hardest things we have done so far. Although we were sad seeing the children go, we found comfort in knowing the impact we had on these kids and the impact they had on us.
We got back to the hotel with time on our hands to swim in the ocean and get drinks at a sea side restaurant (leaders said no to alcohol). We spent time unwinding and bonding as a team.
From
-Evan and Josh
(MESSAGES FOR PARENTS OF EVAN AND JOSH)
Josh: Mom can we have steak for dinner once I get back???
Evan: Mom hurry up and finish moving all our stuff so I don’t need to when I get back J
Josh: Mom, tell dad to buy steak.
Evan: Kent, finish whatever project you are working on so I can actually have time to sleep.
Josh: I want garlic bread too.
Evan: Don’t forget to pick me up at school on Friday, I’m not walking again.
Josh: I want mine medium rare.
Evan: Mom can I eat at Josh’s on Friday??
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