Tips for the new Belize PCV

When Kim told me about the comments on my blog, and after I read them, I knew I had to respond quickly.

Karla, thanks for keeping up with my journey. Living vicariously through my experience is probably one of the best ways of learning about another country and people. You can appreciate what I'm going through and feel that life is more than just living in a bubble.

Dena, I look forward to meeting you. Just to let everyone reading this blog, we have a new group of volunteers arriving March 25 and Dena will be among them. You can expect a huge entourage of staff and volunteers to meet you at the airport - it's fun and welcoming. Once you hit the country you are immediately into the training schedule - you will have very little time to yourself because you'll be bombarded with a full schedule of classes on roles, responsibilities, rules, culture, language, the list goes on and on...

Here are some tips to prepare you:

No, you really don't need a hat with a net - I got mine from my San Francisco work buddies and used it once on the trip to the Mayan ruin. Yes, you do need some kind of hat. My hat saved me many times in the intense sun and heat whenever I walk, and you do walk a lot here! My other saving item was an umbrella.

As you can tell from my blog, you need a sweat towel. You can buy them here but you might want to bring one of your choosing - it's like a finger/guest towel size but don't get one that's too thick, a thin one will do. Belizeans use the towel to wipe sweat and also as a fan swishing it in front of their faces. It's funny, tho...besides some of the PC staff, I seem to be the only volunteer that uses the towel constantly - I don't think I sweat any more than them but maybe it's because I have very little tolerance for sweat dripping onto my face. Oh, yeah, a bath towel is a must! It doesn't have to be the big American style towel but a towel that is lightweight and easy to wash and dry. It's a good idea to bring soap too.

Good sturdy shoes are a must because you will walk everywhere and usually on rough dirt roads. As a bus org group, your first training months will have you living in one of two places either in Belmopan or in a rural village and you will train in either Creole or Spanish. The rural village was a culture shock for me but the experience was eye opening and worth it.

PC says business casual - well...yes and no - I brought my work clothes which were totally useless. The usual attire most Belizeans wear: long pants and short sleeved tops; solid colored skirts and tops; enclosed shoes (no sandals). Americans make the mistake of wearing shorts and scanty tops, especially in hot weather - it's not a good idea especially for women and Belizeans notice.

Even though I wrote about how pleasant the weather is here now, be prepared for intense heat - we are entering the hot months already. The last couple days, the temperature got to 97 and 98 and the outside heat felt like an oven. We all live in front of a fan, day and night! I'm now just acclimating so there is hope.

You will carry luggage everywhere - it's hard to pack for all your needs in two suitcases with a total weight of 50 pounds! Moving stuff on the buses is quite a challenge. Just know that you can have things shipped to you, and you can buy basic essentials here.

Communication is another issue - in many of the rural villages, lan lines and cell phone connections are not available. They do have internet cafes but connections are not that great. Peace Corps helped us buy cell phones here. Cell phone is important to have because that's your only venue for communication other than email. Most volunteers brought a laptop, and I highly recommend bringing one. The laptop and the cell phone are my only communication venues to the States, family, and friends. The postal system here is minimal: there are post offices but no delivery - one has to have a PO box to pick up mail. I'm not sure how the rural villages get mail. In San Antonio there was a post office house but it was rarely open. There are no address numbers or street names in rural villages. Here in Belmopan, we do have street addresses but if you are looking for street signs, you might be out of luck. Most bills are left at the door or gate.

I think that's it - my only advice is keep an open mind, be able to bend and don't take things too seriously.

Now, for a side bar to my life - last week while I was hanging out my wash, I noticed this large reptile sitting under the tree - it was about two feet long, didn't move and blended in the rocks and tree trunk. Wow, an iguana, I thought. I found out from Jacklin that it wasn't an iguana. It's a lizard that lives under the roof of houses - now I know who makes all that running noise in the ceiling - it's better than a rat, yeah?