Week of March 31-April 8

I am behind in my blog postings so I will try to catch up today.  Last week was fairly uneventful.  All the students settled into their classrooms and most were teaching on a regular basis.  Last Sunday we all went sailing and snorkeling at the barrier reef. Dophins rode with us part of the way back into San Pedro. It was a great day although most of us came home with sunburns.  I spent the week doing intern observations.  We stopped in to see the children at the preschool and read the book our students wrote last  year-The ABC's of Belize.  The children were excited to identify the familiar animals and items from their community that are featured in the book.

Elizabeth Crawford and Bill Bolduc, both faculty at UNCW, along with Zack, a film student, were here last week filming our students in the classrooms teaching. Also, in town, were Steve Meinhold (UNCW) and Marilyn Cantrell, both representing the Wilmington Sisters Cities Organization.  Kim Duvall and two advisers from UNCW spent part of the week here as well.  it was busy week with visitors.  Bri Reck joined us on Wednesday in anticipation of the graduate students arriving this weekend.

Last Saturday we went to the Marco Gonzales dig site on the south end of the island.  It was a Mayan Trading Center and there are many artifacts just scattered on the ground.  I found a piece of obsidian, volcanic glass, on the ground.  The guide took it for the collection they are putting together because it is rare to find.  The Mayans used the obsidian as a cutting tool.  The Belizean Government has just declared the site a National Park and they are putting together a museum and education center for school children.  It was very buggy and we all got a lot of bites.

On Friday, three of our students went to the Belize Zoo and Banana Boat, a water park in Belize City, with the preschoolers.  They came home with tales of petting monkeys, birds, and getting very close to a jaguar.  Tonight, several of our students are playing the parents at RC Primary School in a soccer (football) game.  Tomorrow, I will go snorkeling again, with the grad students this time.

Today we went to Isla Bonita to participate in a school fund raiser for the playground and for Ms. Yvette's father.  Her father needs medical treatment and family was not able to pay.  They sold bar-be-que chicken plates and had the children paint a mural on the school wall.  This afternoon will be lazy as it is hot and sunny.

 Riding 5 miles to Marco Gonzales dig site.

Dolphins swimming by our boat on Sunday.

April 9, 2011

After-school snack of salt, lime juice and ice.

Kyle showed the teachers at Isla Bonita how to use the e-Readers.

 

Keeley buys ankle bracelets from a young beader.