This morning I woke up to my roommate’s loud cell phone alarm.
After dismissing mine at 6:00am I had no alternative but to wake up to hers and
start the day. We got ready, finished packing some things, and went down to eat
breakfast. I was so happy to see the lady at the breakfast bar making egg
omelets on the spot. The lady used natural brown eggs, ham, and fresh cut
vegetables to make them. She poured it all in a pan and then flipped it several
times in the air (I was pretty amazed by that). I can't think of any hotel in
the states that makes omelets with natural eggs like that and that is something
I am appreciating a lot from Belize, their food is very natural.
After breakfast we gathered in the lobby to get on the bus.
Today we had planned to travel straight to Placencia, however, there needed to
be a few adjustments on our schedule and therefore we got the opportunity to
visit the University of Belize bookstore in Belmopan.
During our ride to Belmopan we made a quick stop at a market to
buy snacks and use the restroom. In order to use these restrooms the owners
charged a fee of 1 dollar in Belize, which is equivalent to .50 cents in U.S.
money. This reminded me a lot of Mexico. When I was much younger and I visited
my family in Mexico regularly and we always had to pay a small fee to use the
restroom in pretty much any store. Although it is a very small fee, this still
makes me think of how fortunate I am to not experience this in the states. A
nice restroom is something very convenient that we can find in any rest stop or
gasoline station.
While at the University bookstore I purchased a University of
Belize cap for my dad since he loves to wear them. We then hopped on the bus
and drove off to Placencia. The ride to Placencia was definitely the most intriguing
part of my day. To begin with we were able to travel through the Humming Bird Highway.
According to Ms. Garcia this highway is “one of the most scenic highways in the
world” and it was very true. The highway was absolutely amazing! As I witnessed
this phenomenal view I could not help but think about how this whole world was
created. I thought about my morals and values and the belief of a “higher being”
which I call “God.” The nature in this country is very amazing. This is the
first time in my life to travel this far away from home and the things that I
have experienced so far are beyond my imagination. As we traveled farther I saw
small houses and villages that were in the middle of nowhere. Most of these
houses were made from scraps of wood or tin. There were also women standing on
the edge of the road selling corn (known as “mazorca” in Belize). This shows me
how hard they work. As we drove, I thought of how the people worked and what
they did to survive and provide for themselves and their families. When we got closer to Placencia, we were
driving in between the Caribbean Sea and the Lagoon and saw houses that looked
like mansions (those that millionaires can only afford). While passing through
the villages we could all see the different living conditions. This made me
think about the things I have back at home and the city life in the states. If
that were I, I don’t think I would have known about another life. Those people
grew up living in those conditions and that’s their life. It makes me think
about the life I have in the states, and how all the materialistic things we
have are not as necessary as we make them seem. I spoke to the bus driver for a
bit and he explained that he came from a family that had very little. He stated
the people do what they can with what they have and that’s the way they make it
through.
When we
reached Placencia it was like seeing the scene of a movie in real life. The
beach itself was amazing. Although I live close to South Padre Island it cannot
compare to the scene here in Placencia. The sand the water and the trees are
very different and incomparable. For dinner I had a “Chicken Placencia” at the
Cozy Corner and had the opportunity to have a long conversation with “Victor”
our bus driver. As we conversed I found that he is also one of those people
that live from what they have and little by little build themselves up. He
shared great stories of how he has pushed through to provide for his family and
give them a better future. This made me think about my parents back home and
how they have made many sacrifices for my sisters and I to give us a better
future. This day was very eye opening and reminded me of many things I should
stay grateful for.
Best,
Gabriela Lopez
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