Reflections not Resolutions

Two Thousand and Eleven, Deux Mille Onze, MMXI, 2011....
Its been one crazy ride from start to finish. I am sure all of us in the class of 2011 from universities all across the globe can say this has been a year of big changes, exploration, fun and sadness. If this year has taught me anything, it's that you can't predict a lot; I certainly didn't know the adventures this year would hold when the clock struck midnight last year. So rather then writing resolutions for 2012, I think its more appropriate to write reflections of 2011 and let 2012 be what it may.

Here are my highlights:

• Camp Pepin

I can honestly say (and I think those in attendance will agree) that, that week in Melbourne Beach, FL was one of the best of my life. MANgaritas, and mexican food, thrift stores, beach games, dock side chats, Insanity workouts, runs, helicopters lifting away homeless men, magicians at the bar, Gators, Gill,  nicknames, card games, beer, arts and crafts, new friends, old friends... I can't thank Jerome and Christine enough for letting us crash your house, those memories will last a lifetime

• Whiskey Tree

Walking over for a Jam Session

   Jam sessions with JM and Toph were definitely some of my favourite times of this year. Despite the fact that all of us were way to busy to fit it in as much as we would have liked, our Rihanna covers, original songs and improv sessions made the stress of school, work and rowing and dissipate into the music every time.
Thanks boys

• Dungeon Dragons, Saving Doby and Mario Cart

Rah Rah Like a Dungeon Dragon

Despite having a disappointing final rowing season, my love for my team mates was stronger than ever and we had some pretty hilarious moments.  Its impossible to explain the ridiculous things that happen at team meetings, the jokes that happen in the midst of physical and mental exhaustion. Although there might have been days that I wanted to thrown in the towel and and spend my last semester enjoying life as a college student, I wouldn't trade those special inside jokes for anything; I don't think anybody else can say they have cried tears of happiness after being called Bowser from Mario Cart.

• Senior Week and Graduation

There are no words for how thankful I am that the dates with rowing worked out so that we got to participate in Senior Week and the BU Commencement Ceremony. Getting that last week in Boston to be a crazy college student and soak in every last bit of my BU experience was amazing, and to get to spend it with the  best friends in the world from not only the class of 2011 but special guest from 2010 and 2012, and my family; life doesn't get better. Although no good bye tears were shed (those came later in the year), repeated hugs and words of love were shared as we all packed up with heavy hearts heading on the next phase. I didn't know what was in store for the immediate future but I did know that those friends would be in my long term plans.

• Kids and Babies

Home and unemployed, it was fate when a friend of my Mom called saying her neighbour was desperate for a nanny since she had just had twins 3 weeks ago and their current nanny was leaving. It was perfect for me, I get to get paid to spend time with 4 cute as button kids and save my money to go travelling when my contract is up in July. The summer with Betty, Paul, Henry, Karen and Lorraine involved many trips to the duck pond and Mudlake, lots of bread baked, loads and loads of laundry, tickle fights while trying to make the bed, and watching the babies grow by the day. I think everyone should be a nanny, it's like a a test run to having your own kids.

• Seeing the Sights 

My journal and some local brew

Until this year, my summers had been spent at the Ottawa Rowing Club. Two rows a day doesn't really leave much time for travelling. I had people I wanted to visit and places I wanted to see, so I started planning. Next thing you know its July 29th and the time has come...

Ottawa->Kenora->Winnipeg->Banff->Kelowna->Vancouver->Seattle->Portland->San Francisco->

LA->Boston-> Bethany Beach->Back to Ottawa

It was six amazing weeks! I could write a novel on just that, but I'll just leave you with the advice that you should try travelling alone sometime. Bring a camera, write a journal and send some postcards.

• Being Home Again

On Parliment Hill to see Will and Kate

I didn't take full advantage of this. I was still in full post breakup depression with Boston, I wasn't ready for the split, and therefore wasn't ready to fully appreciate Ottawa for all that it is rather than all that it isn't. It's a beautiful city, with lots of space for outdoor activities. Paths along the canal and rivers for running and biking, provincial parks near by, awesome outdoor concerts all summer long (despite being rudely cut short by wind storms) super cute up and coming neighbourhood (my current favourite is Wellington West, but I want to explore Hintonburg more) and lots lots more. When I get back, I really need to take advantage of more of it, rather then wallowing in what its not. Not to mention I love my house, my bedroom, my dog and my family; it's nice to have them all around me again. 

• Head of the Charles 2011

So happy together

I have been waiting for the HOCR where I didn't have to row since my first Charles experience in 2005. During HOCR weekends of college I always felt like there was 1.5 millions things going on and people to see that racing just got in the way of all that. Maybe it's the fact that I don't really like head races, or the fact that I have never had a very good race for the Charles but I couldn't wait for this year when I would no longer have to be the one on the river. Everyone was in town and  it was as though no time had passed, we were all just going out to the bars on an ordinary weekend. It was a strange feeling, almost like time travel, like it was too good to be true. It was an awesome weekend; four crazy nights of partying, catching up with my besties, walking up and down the course collecting freebies, and shamelessly critiquing the rowing. Then, like a kick in the stomach reality set in that this was not reality and I had to fly back home without all my besties. Boston and I have had a tough breakup and it was finally time to really morn the loss, which involved a still hungover me crying in the lounge at the airport, it must have been a site to see.

• Belize

Land of the free
By the Carib Sea

In a year full of big changes this has been the biggest. I moved thousands of miles away, to another culture, to a small town, to volunteer. It's been a crazy learning experience, a growing experience and an adventure. 

Given all that 2011 has given me I really do have Plenty to Belize In.

Thanks 2011 and all the people in it that made it such a crazy and special year

Love and Best Wishes for 2012

Mariel

Merry Christmas from Belize

How could you not miss this?

The most common question I was ask before leaving for Belize was, how do you feel about being away for Christmas? My response was always "fine". I love Christmas at home, probably because my mom loves Christmas so much. Our house always looks amazing (my mom should be a florist), and Ottawa is normally a snow covered winter wonderland. Christmas for the past four years has meant the end of exams and a time to be home and relax, normally something not experienced since September. This year has not been the same kind of stressful and especially here in Belize life is much more relaxed so I don't think I needed the same dosage of coziness normally required: being home among the beauty of the decorations and curling up with Rosie watching Love Actually. Not to say I didn't miss all of those things, they were just not required, this year.

We all  must go through  that "first year away for Christmas" and for me it was this year. It seems an appropriate year in my life story to have that first and I have to say it was a great Christmas despite most of the people I love the most being so far away. Today I think might be harder, as I write this with all the business of preparations over, it's a bit sad that I missed it all home, but post Christmas depression is normal; normally put at bay by the venture out to the mall to get $3.00 off a TNA V-Neck at the Aritzia sale, followed by the annual awkward high school reunion where you tell the same story of what you are up to 1.5 million times, there are no Boxing Day sales here; today I will write, read, maybe go for a run. Lots of time to relax and lots of time to reflect.

        The living room from the Loft (look at the floors!)

We had been invited to a Christmas Eve party a few weeks ago by an American couple who live just outside of town , right on the water. I had heard their house was fantastic, and it did not disappoint. Both Anne Michelle and Eric are artists and it is evident in their home. Anne Michelle said she had design this house when she was in College and now 30 years later its become a reality. There was Belizean hardwood everywhere used in creative ways (wood tiles!), I was in awe of it all. It was a lovely group, most of whom I had met at one event or another, I am going to start calling it the PG ex-pats. Cocktail, hors d'oeuvres and great people, it was a great time.

Jan and Gary with their Sunglasses

To wake up to blaring sunshine on Christmas day was a first for me, as we sat down to eat our breakfast outside we immediately had to all go back in to get our sunglasses; imagine, sunglasses on Christmas, it's hard to think about even after it happened for a little Canuck like me. After opening presents, we planned out our day of cooking so that we could make everything in our tiny little kitchen and oven with one rack. I Jan made pecan pie, tourtiere, the ham, scallop potatoes and I made buns, cabbage, ceasar salad, and balsamic glazed onions. The neighbour had gotten an XBox Kinect, as we were over to check it out the boys got picked up by their Dad, leaving me to play Dance Central for an hour as Rachel went back out side to read. I had to stop only to get the bread in the oven on time. Jacob got an Xbox at home and I need the Kinect! Its awesome and there are fitness options on the Dance Central, I don't care if I look like an idiot in the play back. Everyone came over for pre-dinner drinks, Mark brought over homemade rum popo, and then we stuff ourselves on delicious food. It was a lovely meal, and we all slept soundly after the festivities.

Any holiday is what you make of it. My Canadian Thanksgivings in college are some of my favourite (Ask me sometime for the turkey story of 2009). Holidays require only two ingredients: Love and Good Food, (Booze helps too). As long as there is plenty of both it will be a good time.

Our Non-traditional Christmas Tree

Love to you and yours over the Holidays,

Mariel

I have Good News and Bad News...

This isn't the bad news

Let's start with the bad news,

On Sunday we had the Plenty Christmas party out at Mark's house in Jacintoville. It was a great time, tonnes of delicious food, great people, cutest kids, and even some dancing. I was feeling fine when we went out there, had a few Belikin Christmas Stouts, Some Rum Popo (rum and eggnog), but nothing to warrant what happen next...

It was a chilly ride home, and I was tired so I though I would just get into while Jan and Gary went out to see some of the peace corps guys play at a local bar. I got into bed to watch a movie and get under the covers because I was freezing, and then I could stop shaking, ok this will go away, put on a sweater, oh man I am cold, but I really don't want to get up, why can't I stop shaking, oh man I have a fever, I am cold, ok this will go away, go to sleep...

Tthis went on for a few hous, after being a little sick and actually falling a sleep for a few minutes Jan and Gary came home, and decided I should go to the hospital, it's just around the corner from our place. They admitted me, took my temp (99.6F), took some blood for testing and after me resisting like a small child put an IV in me, after the first bag I began to feel much better, and after two more bags I felt semi normal. They gave me malaria pills and sent me home to take a shower, eat something and go to bed. I already felt loads better. The next day I was just a little under the weather but almost normal but not up to do more than lay in bed all day watching movies. Now I am on two types of antibiotics but feel pretty much back to normal. Despite the hospital not looking like anything we would have back home they were efficient and everything, including the drugs, was free. Pretty amazing. Now the only downside is, because of the antibiotics I can't drink on Christmas.

And now the good news,

For the first time in ages I went on row2k yesterday (and if you don't count just checking race results last spring season even longer). I don't know what inspired my nostalgia, but I was missing rowing. It's not as though I was on Fluid design figuring out if they could ship a single down to Punta Gorda, I was just feeling a little nostalgic for it all, even someone who was as burnt out and worn out as me can feel that.
It seems as though fate played a part in this; Gary had to head up the Rio Grande to the TIDE ranger station to fix their solar electrical system, and he suggested that Jan and I see if we could hop in the boat for a ride. Nelson, the ranger, had no problem letting us hitch a long for the ride, and so off we went.

Glass

We had to ride up the coast for a few minutes before turning in to head up the river. The water was like glass, it would have been perfect for a paddle in the skiff. After heading up the river for about 15 minutes we landed at what seemed to be a Belizean Garden of Eden. Mango Trees, Mahogany, Mally Apple Trees, Travellers Palms, a perfect thatch overlooking the river, and cut grass all in between.

I think the Mahogony looks like something from a Dr. Suess

 There wasn't much for  us to do while Gary and one of the interns were on the roof, so we explored the grounds; sat on the dock with our feet in the water listening to the rock fish (fish that make noise...is this real life?) as the minoes gathered around, watched the leaf cutting ants make trails that look like they were made from human foot traffic (they call them machinahmy, like marching army...get it?), and sat there sketching a picture of a Mayan woman that Nelson thought was awesome despite my lacklustre drawing skills.

See the sunken sailboat?

Jan and I by the river

Do you like my art?

After Gary was done working hard we headed back up the river, as we turned the corner there was the most beautiful sunset over PG.

Aren't they the cutest?

It felt awesome to be out on the water again; seems a boat ride was all I needed to cure my nostalgia. There really is nothing like the calm waters of a glassy river.

Much Love,
Mariel

Childhood Memories and Adult Realities

Some of the best travel advice I have ever read was written on an Anderson Cooper blog, and I am just paraphrasing here: “Everyone is proud of where they come from; everyone is nostalgic about their homes”. Here I am finding that true in many cases, many people say they prefer village life to life in town. When I first hear this, my internal reaction is “Are you crazy?”, but I feel the same way about anyone wanting to live in the suburbs. But then I got to thinking, how much of what we want in life is shaped by our childhoods?

When people ask me where I am from I feel torn. I lived in downtown Toronto till I was ten and then in Ottawa, so where am I from? I like to think both Ottawa and Toronto. So much of me was shaped by my childhood in Cabbagetown, and exploring the city so young. The neighbourhood was filled with interesting people from all walks of life. I was exposed to so much so young, in the nest possible way, when we are young we are oblivious to the cultural prejudices and we are friends with whoever we like as a person. When you’re young you don’t know how much money someone has, or that it isn’t cool that your friend shares a room with her mom and two sisters in the projects. None of that matters, and I think that being exposed to that at a young age (along with having amazing parents not placing prejudice in my small little brain) has really made me more open as an adult to different types of people and the challenges that face everyone.

As I get older I realise more and more of what was really going on in my childhood, and how I didn’t care about any of it, all I wanted to do was to play with my friends. There are limits to this way of upbringing and my parents began to realize that despite their efforts the challenges faced on an inner city school can sometimes be too great. Most of our core little group moved on to other schools, private or in a different neighbourhood and I moved to Ottawa.

winter coats and city streets, the definitions of my childhood 

As Jacob likes to describe it, “Ottawa is the definition of middle class”, it’s like living in a nice suburb without actually living in a suburb. It was a great place to spend my teenage years allowed me the opportunity to row at an amazing club (which I will always consider one of my homes), make great friends and live in a very beautiful city. 

How much of that has shaped how I want to live my adult life. If anyone ever asks me where I want to live, I always say in the city. I don’t drive (although I will learn) and I never want to be dependent on my car for groceries, booze, pharmacy, or a coffee shop. I love to walk places; it’s my preferred way to get around. There was no therapy better than taking a sunny fall stroll down Beacon Street to Coolidge Corner, or walking down Newbury with a big coffee (ok Venti Americano, or Large Iced Dunks for the warmer days) in my hand just to people watch.

Do I need the city life because of my life spent on the subway and throwing pennies into the fountain at the Eaton Center? Or is it just me, who I am that makes me want that? Of course it’s a bit of both.  That brings me back to the Belizeans, who want a simple life in the village, living under a thatch roof, their children playing in a safe place. There may be electricity there may not, there may be running water there may not, there may be a toilet there may not, but it doesn’t matter. It’s how they spent their childhood and they must have had a fantastic childhood, and that’s what matters.  Although it may be to foreign to me to really comprehend the appeal I am sure they would think my way of life was too crazy and loud.

What are your favourite childhood memories and how do those shape your adult decisions? Do you want to live in a place like where you grew up, or the total opposite?

Happy Children in Graham Creek

As long as we are safe, healthy and surrounded by loving people the rest is just gravy.

Happy Memories and Bright Futures

Mariel

Cooking up a Storm

If you know me you know that two things that I love are foodand kids, so getting to help out at the St. Benedict’s School feeding programwas tones of fun for me. Jan started up the feeding program at the elementaryschool again when she came down in October, she had run it two years ago andreally wanted to take it on again and create a system that is sustainable aftershe leaves. Gary and Jan were going to be gone for a week so someone needed tostep in take over so the kids could eat for the week. So I went with Jan for afew days to learn the ropes and then was there all of last week. Brenda is ayoung mother who also volunteers in the kitchen with Jan. Brenda is an amazingcook and knows how to cook Belizean food that the kids love and unlike many Belizeansis focused on providing the kids with lots of healthy vegetables in deliciousways. The feeding programs feeds about 15-30 kids a day for BZ$1.50 (US$0.75)and those who cannot affords that eat for free. The program is still able to run a small profit of BZ$25 aweek; which is then used for things that are needed in the kitchen. It's pretty incredible that it can be done for so little money, and for many of these kids they don't have another place to go at lunch if their parents work, and they probably wouldn't get as nutritious and generous a meal as they do with Jan and Brenda at the school. It's a very important program and every school should have one, many do, but some just a few days a week.

Plenty Belize's GATE program has set up gardens at all of the schools throughout the Toledo District. It is an awesome and ambitious program that has taught many people not only the joys of gardening, but where their food comes from, and supplemented the schol feeding program with free vegetables (something Belizeans don't eat a lot of). After 5 years of being in the program Plenty "graduates" the school garden. The kids do little songs, poems or skits about gardening and there is a big meal for everyone at the school and any parents/ community that wants to come. Plenty and Sustainable Harvest International where there with informative booths.

The school has about 235 kids from Infant 1 to Standard 6(Kindergarten to grade 8) and plus there was about another 75ish people. The cooking was lead by Gomier who owns a vegetarian and seafood restaurant here in PG and is on the Plenty board of directors. Jan and I had cooked up a storm the day before making Banana bread for snack (356 good sized pieces) and making 36L of Fever grass (from the garden) iced tea, on top of cooking the regular days lunch and snack. The day of the graduation was a little crazier than we had hoped for, but it all got done and all the guests got to eat (despite there being not enough of everything for people in the kitchen). We made fish, cabbage stirfry, cassava and cocoa yam fritters (delicious, I will be making these at home), boil up (half way between a soup and stew), green salad (I made the dressing) and fruit for dessert. It was delicious and I think the kids ate way more vegetable than they expected (even though some of them turned up their noses).
After washing 1.5 million dishes in a very small kitchen we went home, with some lessons learned about how better to run it (just making sure the kids eat on their time, but Belizean time is its own thing)
I have learned a lot from getting to spend time at the school. We take a lot for granted at home, can you imagine elementary school without a gym? a play structure? a library (St.Benedicts just got one this year)? an auditorium (or at least a gym with a stage)?
Life here is a lot more laid back and the schedule is a lot more lax, which I find a little uncomfortable to witness since I feel like my academic career was so time oriented. Things start and stop at very precise times. Not always the case here, sometimes recess is 15min and sometimes its 40.
It makes you think about what is necessary and what is just cultural? How much structure to children really need and how much is too much? It seems to me its somewhere in the middle of Belize and North America Suburbia, but I don't think anyone has gotten it perfect yet.
Much Love
Mariel

All the delicious produce

The kids assembled for their presentations

The girls cooking in the kitchen

Fritter recipe yummmm

Belizeisms part 1

• When it is dark out the correct greeting is "Good Night"; when you arrive at a friends at say 7pm you say "Good Night, how are you?". It's caught me off guard a few times
• They actually use "over yonder" as in "Go find Jamal, he is playing over yonder"
• A 25cent coin is a Schilling 
• All children under the age of 7ish are referred to as "Babies"
• They eat oranges, grapefruit and plums with seasoning salt (it's delicious)
• Riding in the back of pickups, hitchiking, babies riding on the handle bars of bikes, are all totally normal
• Buying food from someone on a bike with a bucket is awesome
• You don't eat your soup from a bowl you eat it from a dish
• A tortilla is an appropriate utensil for most foods
• A machete or weedwacker are ways to cut your lawn (no such thing as a lawn mower)
• When a child is talking to you they use "Miss" excessively. "Excuse me Miss, what is for lunch Miss?" response "Thanks Miss"

Many more to come, just learning.
When I come home please don't make fun of me for saying "over yonder" or for cutting the lawn with my machete.
Good Night (ok, I didnt use it correctly)
Mariel

Sometimes you just need to watch a sunrise

Last night I was struggling a bit with the adjustment to life down here, in many ways. I had a great dinner with a bunch of the Peace Corps people and then had a long chat with my mom about all of my struggles. After a very dreamful sleep (I normally don’t remember any dreams) I woke up at 5:30 wishing I would have at least slept until the sun was up. I got out of bed anyways, put some toast and coffee on, and right in the middle of putting the coffee on I saw this:

The pictures don’t quite capture the beauty of the light coming up over Guatemala (which you can see across the bay from here). I went back in to pour my coffee and eat my breakfast and then the sun came up over the horizon as this amazing orange orb.

I really wish I had a ridiculously expensive camera so that I could truly capture this for you all. 

Sometimes the world just knows what you need, if you’re looking for it. Something got me out of bed in the dark this morning. I needed a reminder of the beauty that is around us. That sunrise was my reminder that beauty that is everywhere (except maybe strip malls), if you’re just open to it. A sunrise, a flower, even a broken down car over grown beside the road can all be beautiful. Jan is an avid birder and she sees beauty in all the amazing birds that you find here; being with her I am beginning to appreciate them to. I need to see the world through the eyes of the Belizeans for a while; see what they see in their country, why they are proud to call this home. They certainly are lucky, this place is beautiful.  

My message for today is: Look for beauty in the world around you and you will find it.

Love

Mariel

Graham Creek; The Real Deal Village Experience

Plenty and Rotary began the Graham Creek well project about two years ago. The villagers used to get their water from holes they had dug in the ground to collect rain water, they bathe and do their laundry in a stagnant and grey looking creek nearby (although not Graham Creek, that one is a few miles away and very nice looking).

I conceptually knew that people lived in places like Graham Creek, but actually experiencing it is another thing altogether. The village has about a population of about 100 people, all of the buildings have thatch roofs except one of the churches (there are two). They have a small health post which has only basic first aid things and a two room school with two teachers. The only electricity sources are two generators for the churches that run on diesel fuel. Most of the resident have flashlights to navigate their way around at night, it gets very dark at 6 every night.

 Graham Creek is 6 miles from the nearest road other village, which mean anything that you want from town has to be carried in or brought in by horse. The message hadn't reached the village of the exact time of our arrival which meant we had to carry all of the supplies we needed to bring. Hana and I carried a long PVC pipe Gary had to carry a box with tools and connectors on his back and Abib had to carry the tools along with us each carrying our own packs. It took us 3 hours because Hana and I had to slow down twice for every tough spot and Gary needed frequent beaks with the heavy load. We made it to the village at 1 o'colck, which meant we had missed lunch, luckily I had brought a pack of cookies so we snack on that all afternoon.

The path through the Jungle

The village is a beautiful place. Thatch roof houses are scattered among the Cahoon palm trees; pig, chickens, turkeys cats and dogs roam free; the men walk around using machetes as walking sticks; the women have babies hanging from their heads, children on their hips or laundry baskets on their heads; the kids run around or play football on the field. It's a pretty nice life in many ways, free of the media influence, the city crime rates, and  light and other pollution. It kinda felt like a summer camp to me in many ways, that one step removal from the hustle and bustle of modern society.

They all carry their babies this way, then they hang them up from hooks inside the house

The Piglets that roam around the village

It's not all smiles and songs living life that far from the closest amenities. The people are very small, Hana at 5'2" was taller than almost all of the villagers, which would be fine but then you look at their diet, they eat a very limited diet; very different from the idealistic images we westerners have of small villages; there diet is based on corn tortillas, which they use as their cutlery as well, they are normally served along side some caldo (meat in a broth that spicy/salty) there might be a few leaves in there. We also had ramen noodles one night (a strange thing to eat out there), eggs a couple of times and a heart of palm stew, all served with stacks of tortillas. The diet is very limited in vitamins and other micro nutrients. On top of that the village recently got a shop which sells nothing but sweets, chips and soda; the trash gets scattered around the village. 

The addition of the solar powered pump well is very exciting and has many positive health benifits. It was very exciting to witness the moment when the water first flowed directly into the kitchen of the Alcalde's house. All the villages were working very hard to get the trenches to their homes. 

Gary and Abib fixing the pump

We had good reception among both the villagers and the children with our lessons on proper sanitation practices; hand washing, teeth brushing, keeping animals away from the clean water, Dracula sneeze, etc.. We used the song Happy Birthday to show the kids how long they should scrub their hands for, and we could hear them singing it all over the village.

The day's opening ceremonies at school
"The Land of the Free, by the Carib Sea"

The children in the classroom

It was a great experience and I learned a lot by just being there and witnessing it all. A mix of aw, confusion, beauty, and concern. It's easy to forget that every society has its downfalls and no one has got it right yet. It got me thinking about how to create progress and development with out the pitfalls of chronic disease and media saturation that we have in the west.

Any ideas?

That's all for now

Mariel

Beautiful Hibiscus