WOW!!! It has been an amazing journey since we got to Belize on March 17th, 2010. So many things have happened that have only been in my wildest dreams. We seen things and done things that some elderly people have never ever done in their entire life.
The first day we got here was a little bit of a rough one, but none the less it was just as enjoyable. As we woke up at 4:00 in the morning, or some of us earlier or later, all of us or at least me were thing that we were having a dream because no one in their right mind would wake up at 4:00 in the morning. Well, it turns out that it wasn’t a dream after all. When we got up in the morning I got right to business. Frantically searching and finding everything the that we needed to head to the airport. We got to the airport and that’s when our first conflict happened. The flight checker person wouldn’t let us go through with out both parents consent. Luckily, with the help of our amazingly smart teachers, they found a way to get us on board the plane. From there, we took a 4 hour flight to Houston, Texas where we waited for 2 and ½ hours for our next flight to Belize. The flight down to Belize to a total of another 2 and ½ hours. Once we got to the Belizean airport we already had people waiting for us to take us to our destination at Mountain Pine Ridge. Then we had a 3 hour car/bus ride down to Mountain Pine Ridge. Our bus driver and tourist name is Trinidad. Our other tourist name was Brittney. We got there our dinner was already prepared. It was tacos or burritos, depending who you talk to. We were all tired after the long day of travel and we went to bed at 8:30.
On our second day we did many things. Our breakfast was eggs and johnny cake or biscuits. We played a fun game to test our personalities and then headed to our cabin to get ready for our 3 hour hike. The hike was very demanding and then after our hike as a reward we got to go swim in a really cool waterfall. Then we hiked back down and took a 1hour rest. We had a lunch and it was awesome cause it was stirfry. Then we took a tour of an ecofrindly lodge that grows all of their plants and vegetables called Blancaneaux Lodge. Then we have a break and the kids/students all played BS with everyone. We happily marched to dinner which was spicy chicken and plantains which were fried. After dinner we played and awesome game call mafia. Everyone enjoyed it. Then we had a quiet time with every one and wrote in oiur journals and when to bed just a little bit later than last night.
Our third day at Belize was been amazing. We woke up and had home made pancakes. Then we got dressed to go into 2 caves. The first cave was very short, but a very high cave. Our second cave was very long and seemed like it never ended. Then we went swinming in the Rio Frio Pool where we rock sled. We got back to camp and we had lunch which was rice and split pea soup.
--by Tricia
We were able to go into a new cave this year, "Closing Jaw," which is a bit scary to enter. Once inside it's majestic because it is not a "touristy cave."
This is how you get in and out.
The next day, we got some amazing photos and saw an incredible view all the way to Guatemala from the Mayan ruins at Xunantunich.
Today, we started day one of service to La Democracia Government School. This is the before photo of the dining hall.
Halle working on rescreening the doors.
Jamie and Jake applying strips of wood to keep the wall screening in place.
Stephanie, Tricia and Katie painted the bottom half of the building inside and out a tropical shade of greenish blue. Ms. Smedira also worked hard along side them.
Several community children also came out to help.
Quinn was quite talented with the hammer!
Kendall and Jake worked together to place the very last stripping.
Here we are at the end of day one. What a big difference already!
