Work Day

     Today (Saturday) was work day at Kuxlin Ha Gov't School. This was like a community day where teachers, parents, students and everyone from the community were invited to come and help work on the school. Work day consisted of painting shelves and tables for the preschool, raking leaves, cutting weeds, laying down gravel for walkways and putting up a fence around the school. Despite the small number of people that came, we were able to get a lot done. All of the preschool furniture was painted and gravel was laid down for the walkways.

    This work day experience has helped us to see the importance of taking pride in your school.

'Stomping' the pathway down, in hopes the rain won't wash it away.

Sports Day!

     Today (Friday) was sports day at Kuxlin Ha Government School. The sports day was in celebration of Children's Week. Games such as: lime and spoon, sack race,balloon burst and running were part of today's fun. Each grade had a specific color to wear. D'Elise wore orange for  Infant I and Lisa wore blue for Standard 3. Both D'Elise and Lisa enjoyed sitting on the sidelines and interacting with the children that waited to participate in the games. Unlike Standard 3, that stayed outside all day, Infant I returned to their classrooms after lunch and watched a movie.
     Sports day is very similar to a field day in the U.S. however, it is not in celebration for Children's week, usually it is for the end of the school year or a specific event.  Lisa also feels that because their are coaches in the states, the field days are much more organized.

Happy Thanksgiving From Belize

     As our families were preparing for a day of food and relaxation, the girls of room 15 headed off to school.  Today we learned about the crime issue in Belize.  What most of these children have seen and experienced is truly heartbreaking.  The schools teach the girls to never be at home alone and to always observe their surrounds.  We were both shocked to hear of the crimes that had been committed so close to the school. The children told stories of rape, murder, and human trafficking. In each of our classes review week is wrapping up.
     We are both thankful to be American, where we truly have the opportunity to become anything we desire.  We are also thankful for the group of girls that we are working along side with.  The Bull Frog was even able to make the night special with a feast of ham, turkey, stuffing, cranberries, potato salad, pumpkin pie, and of course rice and beans. 

Happy Thanksgiving From Belize!
D&L

"Oh, It's Nemo!"

     After medicine and rest the girls of room 15 have had another amazing day at Kuxlin Ha Government School. Infant I continued with their review. D'Elise taught language arts today. Ten students were each given a letter and called to the front of the class. The students showed the letter to the class and matched the beginning sounds with pictures that were posted. The Infant I students did an excellent job with the language arts review! D'Elise was very proud of them.

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"Oh! It's Nemo!"

Older siblings bring their younger siblings snacks during break!

   
     Standard III began today with the students learning 'Every Move I Make!'  Lisa was excited that the children loved the song... some even had the nerve to tell her that they loved her voice (which has been off-key since she was three).  The students also practiced a quote that they will recite at the end of the assembly.  After practice, the students reviewed odd and even numbers, prime and composite numbers, addition with 3 digits, subtraction with 3 digits, subtraction with zeros, nouns, mammals, fungi, and animals.  The students are preparing hard for their finals next week. 

No Prescription, No Problem: Part 2

   Lisa's momma knows best.  While talking to her family Lisa's mother commented on her having a case of the sniffles.  Lisa brushed it off and declared that she felt fine. Until... she realized momma knows best.  At breakfast, she decided that she still wanted to go to school and did not feel too terrible.  

     This week at school is review week.  All the students have final exams next week.  The adorable Infant I children, reviewed their math, language arts and science. Ms. Caliz reviewed the numbers 1-10 and D'Elise reviewed the ten letters they have been learning about. In science, the students reviewed about animals and their habitats. In between listening to Miss Lisa's sneezes, the Standard III students began their review as well.  The students reviewed place value, expanded notation, nouns (common, pro, possessive), landforms, bodies of water, and conflict resolution.  We were BUSY.  Next Monday is also our turn to lead the assembly.  Therefore, today we also discussed proper line position.  It is also important for the students, "When singing the national anthem [they] should be standing like a shoulder." The students are memorizing two bible verses to recite, and Lisa will be teaching them the song Every Move I Make (Waves of Mercy) tomorrow. 

      Back at the Hotel, Papa John (D'Elise and Lisa's favorite nickname for Dr. K) instructed Lisa to go on antibiotics so that her cold does not get any worse. Once again he was able to walk into the pharmacy without a prescription and get 12 amoxicillin pills.  After pumping Lisa up with antibiotics and Vitamin C, the group headed to Corkers' a nearby restaurant.  Papa John is leaving to go back to the states tomorrow and choose here for his last supper. He will be missed. Until... the new Papa John (Dr. John White) comes into town.

Lisa's delicious chicken tenders and fries

D'Elise's HUGE chicken burrito

Beautiful sunset captured off the balcony of Corkers'

Don't you wish you were here?

Garifuna Settlement Day

     Today we went to a Garifuna Settlement Day celebration in Dangriga, Belize. The University of Belize provided us with a van that came to pick us up at 4:00 a.m! We arrived in Dangriga at 5am and some of us enjoyed coffee and Johnny cakes for breakfast. The whole town was full of festive people as they gathered to celebrate the day that the Garifunas settled into Belize. The main event of the festivities was the reenactment of the Garifunas coming to Belize by canoe. Everyone crowded the banks of the river to see the reenactment. The boats come in drumming their native music.  The people then got out and started to parade down to the church.  The parade ends at the Catholic Church where Garifuna mass was held.

   

     On the way out of Dangriga, we stopped at the pier and took pictures of the beautiful scenery. After leaving the pier, we headed back to Belmopan to eat at the restaurant, "Cheers". This restaurant is famous for the many t-shirts it has hanging from its ceilings. These t-shirts were from different colleges and youth groups around the world.



     After having a delicious lunch at "Cheers", we all went to the Belize Zoo. Even though the zoo was under a lot of construction, we were able to see a lot of animals such as: the tapir; which is the national animal, macaws, ocelots and toucans!

"Hello"

Umm.... tarantula siting! In an aquarium....

'SWOOP'

     We were all exhausted when we left the zoo, so we headed back to the Bull Frog Inn to prepare for our school day tomorrow.

Morning of Surrender

Our morning began in a day of worship.  Surprisingly, the Belize Baptist service was similar to any other Baptist service back home.  The people were so warm and inviting.  When they found out what we were doing here, they even asked Emma to share with the church.  The sermon was tithing, and how when you rob God of his tithe... you are robbing yourself from blessings. The service was very small, but comforting in a way that can only be God. 

After the church service, it was finally time for all of the girls to get some laundry done!  We headed to the local laundromat,  where one load of laundry would cost you $9.50 Belize. We had fun talking and playing UNO as we waited.  We were even visited by one of Chrissy's students who was out selling meat patties!

      This evening D'Elise and Lisa decide to have a quite night in after going back to Peppers (conveniently located to No Frills Laundry) and getting a cheese pizza and some bread sticks.  Our meal was rounded off with some Doritos, and Pineapple Fanta. We had a relaxing evening in as D'Elise watched Safe House and Lisa was finally able to video chat to her family back home.