Halfway Back

Being silly, lazing around

Being in Belize has been almost dream like for me. I don't really have any cares...I've met people who volunteer to drive me where I'd like to go, my houseparents feed me breakfast, lunch and dinner...I can walk wherever I want whenever I want...and eat whatever I want on the way to that unknown place. If I REALLY don't want to go to work, I don't really have to...another instance that screams "dream." But, on Friday, I went to a grocery store in Belize City with my new friend, "the professor" and was jolted back into reality after seeing American novelty products like Eggo Waffles, Ben and Jerry's ice cream and Bisquick pancake mix. The professor bought some Apple Jacks and Oscar Meyer turkey bacon. Somewhere between my slow procession from the pancake mix to the ice cream, I suddenly realized that I actually have a life outside of this dream I've been living. Like an amnesic, I started to think, "I buy this stuff at home...hmmmm...home...I have a house. Oh, and a job...my Honda Civic...oh snap...bills to pay. I have a gym membership for God's sake!" I was jolted back into reality... I can't continue on here like I don't have any responsibilities...spending every dime sampling street food or catching cabs. In the grocery store, I suddenly thought to myself...damn...at some point, I have to go home.

Even though I don't really want to think about it....I've reached the halfway point of my trip. I've been here for three weeks and in exactly three weeks, I'll be returning to the states. I am, however, only 42% of the way through my entire "vacation" because, though I leave Belize on July 31st, I arrive in San Juan, Puerto Rico on August 1st to meet my homie Michelle and commence to having the best birthday ever (August 2nd, if you don't know)!

Until then, I'll just revel in the sites of this interesting country. Indeed, I have had a jam packed weekend....Friday, "the professor" and I drove an hour East to Hattieville to present at the Belize Prison on the impact of violence and drugs on families and children ("the professor" presented on gangs and gang violence). I haven't been inside a prison in about 12 years when I went with the parole officer I was assigned to during my internship in undergrad. That was Chowchilla. This is Belize Central Prison. *sigh*

I was a bit wary of wearing open toe shoes given all the training I've had about inmates and their,
ummmm...proclivities. I wore a pair of gladiator sandals (the rest of my outfit was completely appropriate--ann taylor slacks, button down shirt with a sweater tied around my shoulders), but brought a pair of closed toe heels, just in case they made me change. They didn't. They didn't really care about much of what it takes to enter a prison in the states: colors, cell phones, laptops, or wire bras. The female guard that was responsible for "checking" me fumbled around loosely in my bag and patted me down lightly before giving me an "okay."

Once inside, prisoners walked around freely and gates were open where they were doing what appeared to be chores. None of the guards had guns. I didn't know whether or not to be impressed or nervous. The "auditorium" that housed the 50 or so detained youth we presented to, I found out, used to be a crematorium after the outbreak of Yellow Fever in the early 1900s and was, therefore, a breeding ground for flies (a common theme of this blog, if you haven't noticed) and smelled of blood, flesh, feces, sweat and hay. The closest comparison I could draw would be any elephant or pig exhibit at a zoo. I realized quickly that if this is what prison COULD smell like in the states, I don't wanna f*****g go. EVER. After our presentation, we made our way into the prison gift store (annexed to a bar where visitors can get their swerve on before making their way inside) which was manned by a prisoner who showed us impressive pieces of Belizean art. There were no staff manning him, however.

That evening, I went to two bars with two new friends (some impressive brothas from Atlanta) and didn't get home til 4am. I had a ball....not literally, but...u know...I had fun.

Saturday, after an hour and a half [public] bus ride, I spent the day with Adrian, the volunteer coordinator from MOD, at the Belize Zoo. Even though our total travel time exceeded the amount of time we actually spent at the zoo, I had a good time. In the states, there's no way in hell that the only thing separating you from a seven foot alligator would be a regular old 3 1/2 foot chain link fence. The panthers and the jaguars are behind chain link fences too, but those are higher and have electrical wires just in case someone decides to act an ass (me or them), and another 3/12 foot fence about 2/12 feet from the taller one. Regardless....you get my point. The beauty of the zoo is the intimacy. There was a bird there that was probably the size of a five year old called a Harpy Eagle that can turn it's head 360 degrees and monkeys that walk on two legs. Maybe you've heard of monkeys walking on two legs, but I'm a product of Oakland Unified School District...I just heard of the Pan American Highway and the Continental Drift. All the monkey's I've heard of or seen walk on all fours.

The hour and a half ride back from the zoo was borderline nightmarish. The public buses here are old, retired school buses from the states--made for children. My legs are long ass hell. The entire ride was spent with my knees smooshed into the back of the seat. By the time I got off, my joints were creaking. I spent the rest of my evening watching Alexander O'Neal and Cherrelle's UnSung on YouTube...but of course, you know Rolsons. It took 45mins to watch 20minutes because of buffering.

You can imagine why, then, after such a jam packed weekend, I opted to laze around all day today and watch my Hulu queue. Rolson's internet was doing well all through It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (something I probably should delete from my subscription list...its not terribly funny). When I got to an episode of Locked Up Abroad about a Black/Latina from Philly who got caught up, of course it started tripping. It always trips out on my Black shows. During the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Colbert Report, it plays crystal clear...

I'm convinced, the internet in Belize is racist.