Photos from Belize

http://2012fieldexperiencetobelizepics.shutterfly.com/pictures/72

Video Diary-5 Tony Goes Inland

Tony got to go inland with one of the high school groups to tour the country and visit different businesses. This is part of the high school curriculum.
http://youtu.be/ZVByu_FzD68

Video Diary 4-Beach Day at Isla Bonita Primary

The children are getting ready for their 2-week Easter Break.  Everyone headed to the beach-2 blocks away and spent the afternoon in the Caribbean Sea.
http://youtu.be/s16DV9BlCPM

Video Diary-3

Elizabeth working with a student on a Braille machine.  Dayanara has never used the machine before. She was really excited to get started.  http://youtu.be/iOTu843BnUc

Video Diary-2

Secondary students discuss Open Day  http://youtu.be/Dsxv1As7AVs

Video Diary-1

Our arrival.  http://youtu.be/Ho8Eni7WRhs

Beginning Year 3 in Belize

We arrived on Wednesday, March 21, 2012. It is hard to believe this is the third trip to this amazing country.  I had seven students travel with me to Belize City and two others join us in San Pedro Town later that afternoon.  Dennis and one additional student came in on Thursday.  We got through customs without mishap and boarded the small commuter airplane for the 17 minute hop over to San Pedro. Arriving in town, the hot, humid air was like a blast furnace.  We got settled in at Pedro's Inn and headed for Estel's for lunch.  We were greeted enthusiastically by Peter, owner of Pedro's, Cindy, the hotel manager, and Walter, in charge of maintenance and just about everything else.  Charlie, Jambo, and Molly (resident dogs) were also glad to see everyone.  Wargumas for dinner and then we were all went to bed early-exhausted from the trip. On day two, we relaxed at  Pedro's.  Everyone went snorkeling off of Ramon's pier.  We stood in line at the chicken drop--where bets are taken to predict where a startled chicken will poop on a numbered game board.  We hurried back to Pedro's for Trivia Night where our team came in tied for 2nd place.  Better luck next week.

Friday was our day to check in with each school. We dropped 33 books off at the Ministry of Education's lending library in town and then headed to the high school.  It was Open Day and the high schoolers demonstrated their knowledge through science fair-type displays.  In the science lab we saw a miniature version of the chicken drop. The chicken kept trying to escape.  One of the students noted that there were high schoolers demonstrating propane and fire without any concern for safety--welcome to Belize!  Our favorite was in the science lab where one student was displaying four tiny puppies. Another student had Brutus, his Great Dane.  Brutus was taller than his owner.

We also visited Isla Bonita Primary School where the students met their partnership teachers and the students who will be in their classes.  The Infant I class (first grade) was enjoying some art activities that ended up being more paint on their hands than the paper.  Students assigned to the high school returned in the afternoon to take part in the staff meeting and meet some of the teachers.

We all met back at Pedro's where it is Paella night and Gino and the Shack Shakers will be playing.  Derrick Banos is still on the island. He is the gifted guitar player we first met during our first trip. Derrick makes his own guitars and is under the guidance of Drummer Dan (Berlin group from the 80's).  We were told last year that upon graduation, Derrick would head to the US for college.  He is still here so I will be interested to hear the story behind that change of events.

I am going to try to share some video but it is difficult to get it to load on the hotel internet. I will keep working on it.