I have spent this month getting myself resettled and a bit organized; catching up with family and old friends; seeing lots of movies (not really possible in Belize); and planning for what is next. I am looking to return to Central America or perhaps South America working for a non-profit organization for briefer consultations. I am following the news there (when I can get away from the insanity of partisan political "news" here.) This video of the actions of the Honduras National Police acting with U.S. support leads me to think about the need for solidarity work; sadly it looks like it is the 80s all over again. This is a link to the story: It is interesting especially having just spent 15 months in Belize, where so many rural villages are made up of refugees from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, and although their legal status is in question, they are able to farm the land and sell in the market.
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=7111
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Leaving Cayo District, Belize, Central America for now
My Peace Corps work is done in Cayo District, Belize, as of June 30, 2011. On June 18, 2011, I left for vacation and Walkabout Clearwater Chorus' long awaited performance at the Pressefest 2011 Dortmund, Germany, Festival. The highlight of the weekend of many performances was my husband John's song "I Choose" led by a friend who is gay and proud -- that is John, 2nd from the right on the Cuba Stage. (I am hoping that Walkabout will sing in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua one day soon. They sang "I Choose" first on the day New York State finally passed the Gay Marriage Bill. For anyone who wants to hear the song and others go to youtube and search "Pressefest 2011 Walkabout."I had an incredible experience in Belize, especially because of the wonderful welcome I received, friendships I have formed, and a general although not thorough understanding of a country where so many cultures live in harmony. Peace Corps has been there for just under 50 years and my personal view is that it is time to move on; the country does very well in comparison to neighboring Central American countries--as a people to people exchange PC is great; as grass roots organizers less so. I was fortunate that a lovely young couple wanted to rent my house (and thus much that was in it) so it made leaving easy. I hope to return in the winter for visits. I will miss the Belizean people, the Book Club we started of Belizeans and ex-pats, the NGO organizers especially my counterpart at Rural Community Development, warm friendships at Cornerstone Foundation, the Cayo AIDS Committe, and the wonderful farm fresh life of San Ignacio and its surrounding villages especially San Antonio where I have truly made life-long friends.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Community Control
Following last week's workshop for community water committees, we held a workshop for the Village Council leade
rs on S
aturday. Belize has a unique system of community leadership that is very tied u
p with its two main political parties, a system that tends to divide rather than unite. This workshop was designed to hel
p villages set their own priorities, although it became clear that political differences often prevail. Note the T shirt of the Mayan woman from a Village called Billy White (don't ask--no one knows the source of its name!)--the shirt says "dreams of New York." She struggles to represent her community in the face of politics, sexism, and religious differences. I am awestruck by the energy and enthusiasm in the wake of overwhelming odds. They truly represent "another world is possible."
rs on S
aturday. Belize has a unique system of community leadership that is very tied u
p with its two main political parties, a system that tends to divide rather than unite. This workshop was designed to hel
p villages set their own priorities, although it became clear that political differences often prevail. Note the T shirt of the Mayan woman from a Village called Billy White (don't ask--no one knows the source of its name!)--the shirt says "dreams of New York." She struggles to represent her community in the face of politics, sexism, and religious differences. I am awestruck by the energy and enthusiasm in the wake of overwhelming odds. They truly represent "another world is possible." Thursday, June 2, 2011
Today we visited the village of Bomba in Belize District (4 hour drive!) where a small
so
lar power project is underway. I have found a potential US fun
der for a village of 13 families the Cayo District. Bomba is a village of 20 families that has received support for solar power on a small scale; so one would expect a solar light so the children can do homework at night but I didn't expect solar powered iPods. The children were quitely watching movies in a village without electricity. The sad part of the visit is that the village has power lines going right through to provide energy to the resort island of San Pedro (to quote one resident: "where the money is.") The electric company says it would cost $65 millionBZ to drop lines into the small villages (a total of less than 100 families) and they don't have it--the government has been asked to fund it and they don't "have it" either. One woman wondered outloud as to where the profits go and even she felt the government should pay for the private company to get more profits. We had some great talks on community organizing and while they wait patiently (which they do) they have solar powered iPods, MP3 recorders and a light bulb here and there. One of the issues with solar power is maintenance and upkeep; this village makes money through crafts that are sold to tourists and to funders in the U.S. that sell them at fund raising events. After a session on how to make the Village more visible to supporters, they honored me with the gift of 
a rosewood bowl that money couldn't buy! The two little girls are cousins; one (age 4) showed me how her mother reads to her at night with solar light--was a little upset with me because I didn't give her my undivided attention of reading a book. 
so
lar power project is underway. I have found a potential US fun
der for a village of 13 families the Cayo District. Bomba is a village of 20 families that has received support for solar power on a small scale; so one would expect a solar light so the children can do homework at night but I didn't expect solar powered iPods. The children were quitely watching movies in a village without electricity. The sad part of the visit is that the village has power lines going right through to provide energy to the resort island of San Pedro (to quote one resident: "where the money is.") The electric company says it would cost $65 millionBZ to drop lines into the small villages (a total of less than 100 families) and they don't have it--the government has been asked to fund it and they don't "have it" either. One woman wondered outloud as to where the profits go and even she felt the government should pay for the private company to get more profits. We had some great talks on community organizing and while they wait patiently (which they do) they have solar powered iPods, MP3 recorders and a light bulb here and there. One of the issues with solar power is maintenance and upkeep; this village makes money through crafts that are sold to tourists and to funders in the U.S. that sell them at fund raising events. After a session on how to make the Village more visible to supporters, they honored me with the gift of a rosewood bowl that money couldn't buy! The two little girls are cousins; one (age 4) showed me how her mother reads to her at night with solar light--was a little upset with me because I didn't give her my undivided attention of reading a book. 
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Community Control of Water
On Saturday, I was asked to run a workshop on project design and management for community water boards in the Cayo District. It was well-attended, although it became a serious discussion of the problems with community control. Such issue as how to deal with people that do not pay water bills, what to do when people want money for projects that might not benefit the community, and strategic planning were the hot topics. There was discussion about how if communities don't manage water the private companies will take over and then revenue goes to profit rather than community services. When I was in Nicaragua in January, we met with the national commission that is focused ona new law dedicated to keeping profit out of water. During this workshop and all I do in Belize, language becomes an interesting issue in a country where commonly spoken languages are English, Kriol, Spanish, and various Maya languages: I was asked to run the session in Spanish with one person translating for a small group into English; suddenly the Spanish group is speaking English and the English group is speaking Kriol. My head was spinning but I think communication went well. Our goal is to help villages with community development.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Encuentro Maya 2011
Mayans from Guatemala, Mexico and Belize gather each year to work together to preserve their common heritage. This year the event 
was held in Toledo District about 4 hours south of where I live. I was asked to teach earring making which I found daunting (teaching Mayans about how to make crafts?) To my surprise the children as young as 4 years took to it easily and elders (who were not invited) jumped in too. A good time was had by all--special thanks to my friend in NY Karen Wasserman who supplied all the materials and tools--I have contributed them to the children's program for future use. It was interesting because the children from northern Belize speak Mopan and Spanish or Mopan and English but no Spanish and from southern Belize and parts of Guatemala speak only native languages such as Ketchi (there are several dozen.) Communicating through beads was easy.
Wedding 2011
I have been
to more weddings in Belize this year than I've been to in the previous 10 years; this is Norma and George with parents; Norma is the sister of Juanito; George, the brother of Antonia. This family from San Antonio Village have become wonderful friends; they stopped by my house in Cayo the other night just as a huge thunderstorm. We 
experimented with the timer on my camera (the children Johanne and Julie are amazingly smart for their young ages) and this is what we came up with. Their "hats" are something we made out of something I learned as a child "horse reins" (not sure of the spelling.)
to more weddings in Belize this year than I've been to in the previous 10 years; this is Norma and George with parents; Norma is the sister of Juanito; George, the brother of Antonia. This family from San Antonio Village have become wonderful friends; they stopped by my house in Cayo the other night just as a huge thunderstorm. We 
experimented with the timer on my camera (the children Johanne and Julie are amazingly smart for their young ages) and this is what we came up with. Their "hats" are something we made out of something I learned as a child "horse reins" (not sure of the spelling.)
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