Belize: Day One (Jessica Weldon)

This morning held much anticipation upon my alarm interrupting my not-so-peaceful slumber. Today was finally the day I had been looking forward to—with both joy and slight anxiety, for the past three semesters of my first-year graduate career. Flights are always the less eventful part, unless you experience an odd neighbor seated next to you or if any problems occur within the flight (let’s hope we never have to undergo the second). 
 

 (Flight #UA1407 from Houston to Belize)

( WE MADE IT!!)
 

Upon entering Belize City each future speech-language pathologist that embarked on this journey exited the plane with much excitement and smiles across each face, searching for the best location to capture the most perfect selfie—or groupie as I like to call it (Groupie: a self-taken photo of more than one person or group selfie).

(Groupie, compliments of Belle Garza, Jessica Weldon, Courtney Yancy, Valerie Garza, Jessica Corson & Denise Hernandez)

 

 However, as we all exchanged laughs and discussed the first item on our agenda for our “free day”, glimpses of the people and the surrounding environment were far from those familiar at home. Belize is beautiful with a lush, greenery that can be found everywhere the eye can see. No two trees seemed to be of the same species and were so diverse. Flowers of every sort of color would add a perfect pop in between trees and bushes. The people around all wore shorts and tank tops with flip flops on their feet or no shoes at all. I would pass by each person with a smile with very few extending a smile back. Most of the people native to Belize just starred or would look down to avoid making eye contact. Some, however, extending smiles and greeted with a simple hello. Our guide greeted us all and talked about various items with the professors as we awaited our transportation. Most of us girls discussed how in the world any passenger van was going to fit all of us and the three bags each of us carried with us. A few moments later a tattered, white school bus came driving up to pick us up. The driver and guide graciously accompanied us with our bags while we loaded up. Complaints of the heat quickly came as much of us are not used to having no air condition the moment we get into our cars. Instead it was figuring out how to get each window to come down to catch some fresh, cool air. All became quiet as we departed from the airport and headed towards our destination at the Princess Hotel. Immediately after riding five minutes in the bus it became apparent that poverty is something that is prominent in Belize City. Many small projects and buildings looked as though they might have once become a promising site, but have been sitting with equipment that has begun to rust. Each building we passed by presented with “wear and tear” from over the years. Some buildings we passed by I had assumed would be non-livable or run-down, only to my surprise a child would come flying out of the front door, running outside to play. I was perplexed. Transportation seemed fairly equal between walking and riding a bicycle or even a bus. Vehicles appeared to be more of a luxury, although, some people utilized their cars for naps on the side of the road. There is almost no traffic by means of Texas City traffic, but people seemed to be in a rush here and would honk if our bus pressed on the breaks to go over a speed bump. Roads were very narrow and permitted two cars maximum—at times it seems as though even two cars was pushing the limits. Traffic in the city confused me completely. At one point we went around an entire circle with yield signs in four different places, but the traffic ran smoothly (Imagine a four way stop—which is shaped in a square back in the states, that had been re-engineered into a circle with yield signs instead of stop signs). The sides of the roads were littered with trash but that did not take away from the beauty of the greenery with the Caribbean Ocean to our left and the Belizean River to our right. Even in the more upscale parts of the city there was still a sense of poverty that encapsulates the city almost. Poverty may not even be the right word, but a more humble, less materialistic view that what I have been used to all of my life. It was like a scene in a movie that was finally projected into real life for me. Schools were stacked one on top of the other, lacking any air condition and appeared to be cooled by fans that may bring as much as a breeze as heat in. There was not much pavement but instead dirt and rocks to pave the ways off the main road. The smell throughout the entire city was invigorating. Tiny carts with raspas, homemade tacos, and much more foods filled our noses with sweet aromas—I look forward to trying a few of these later tonight and through the next couple of days. There is a beautiful view of a couple of boats and the Caribbean Sea off one side to our hotel and a open breezeway that overlooks a sports field and the main road on the other side. The sports field had a soccer game going on today that I wish I could have set in on (hopefully in the next couple of days).

(View of the soccer field from Princess Hotel)

(New Year, New Belize! Photo op in front of the Caribbean Sea)
 Kids and families were beginning to all gather together beneath our hotel in a small court yard—much like a park that will soon be open and full of various foods and carts at night. Loud music is playing as I currently look out and stare down in awe. Today has been a quiet day full of observing how another country lives and gathers together. I definitely stick out like a sore thumb, but I am very expectant and excited of the experience that will be gained these next thirteen days. Not only from myself and others teaching, but allowing this experience to teach us as future clinicians and individually as a person.

-Jessica Weldon