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

Leaving

It's come up so quickly, I am leaving on Monday, it seems like just yesterday I was asking Gary and Jan at my graduation party if I could go with them down to Belize. Now its almost been 6 months since graduation; I left Boston, returned and left again, I have traveled North America, had the pleasure of working and getting to know the Escher family, written the GRE, almost applied to Grad school, and now the time has come for a new adventure.

I have been seeking adventure since I was 11 and I came home and told my Mom that I needed to do CISV. That summer I was off to a "village" (what CISV calls their program for 11 year olds) Germany for a month with other 11 year old from all over the world; an experience that would change me forever. It further cemented my idea that we are all equals despite exterior differences. The idea of equality was always obvious to me because of the variety of characters that shaped my childhood in downtown Toronto.
Despite not having the opportunity to study abroad in college because of a fierce dedication to rowing, I knew that after graduation I needed to have some international experience to help me decide my career path. I know that I want to study Epidemiology but I am not yet sure whether I want to focus my career on western health or global health.

My International Health Professor, Susan Foster, was further inspiration to go do some volunteer work abroad. In her video taking about her experience in the peace corps she talks about needing to have experience on the ground if you hope to work in "Geneva" and I really felt she made a valid point.

So here I am almost ready to leave. It's scary, exciting, thrilling, nerve racking, and everything in between. I am lucky that I will have my family there, Gary and Jan are like second parents to me, I have even lived at their house a few times.
I better go get packing (pictures to come).
I definitely have Plenty to Belize in right now.

Much Love

Boom!