Done with orientation

I have just completed the two week
orientation in Belize and will be beginning my work this week.
Over the past two weeks I have been able to learn about and experience
much of the diversity that Belize has, both in its people and in the
land.  I have visited a few of the Maya villages that I will be doing
my work in, one of which I stayed with a family for three days.  Last
week the other volunteers (six from Belize City and three in Punta
Gorda) and I put on a summer camp for the kids here in Punta Gorda.
The hot and sometimes overwhelming days ended sucessfully and fun was
had by all.  There was nothing to complain about at the end of the day
when we could walk across the road and jump into the Bay that looks
out the of Guatemala and Honduras.
   Now I am settling in and getting use to my home here in Punta Gorda
for the next two years.  The diversity in people and going by
motorcyle to Maya villages is an anthropolists dream come true.  In
Punta Gorda there are Creoles, Garifunas, Mayas, East Indians,
Mestizos, and a few white ex-pats and tourists.  Many of these ethnic
groups have mixed together making it difficult at times to identify
what ethnicity a person is.  But it doesn't matter all that much
because the people here really seem to get along and live together in
peace with limited racism and discrimination. It is a beautiful thing
that people can get along and live/work together despite
theirdifferent lineages and skin colors.  However the flip side to
that is many of the traditional cultures are losing there ways due to
all the mixing and the influence of the US.
  Anyway I am very excited to start working tomorrow and start getting
out on my motorcycle!
  Lets remeber all those being effected by Hurricane Dean right now
and all the other natural disasters in the world.  It is supposed to
just hit the north of Belize, but quite probabaly will change
direction. We will go more inland if it comes this way.