Belize

Well I must admit, traveling in my time off between school and work was the best decision. I went to Belize which sounds glamorous and exotic, but it was a very different than I expected. I stayed in Belmopan, the capital city, instead of the islands and got a full experience of the new culture. In the 8 days, I went cave tubing, went to the Belize zoo which was very exotic, got in a cage with a jaguar and got to pet him, hiked through the jungle, went on a 5 hour birding tour, visited the Amish, shopped at the market, picked up hitch hikers, cooked a pineapple pie and so many more things!

The way of life was so new and different. The people there explained it as an event oriented culture rather than a time oriented culture. I went to church on Sunday that was suppose to start at 10, and it actually started at about 10:15 and lasted over 2 hours, yet no one complained because that was the event they went to, not a time slot they were filling.

Driving around in Belize was a new experience too. The highways are the only roads that are paved, but they are one lane with two way traffic. There are random 'pedestrian ramps' or speed bumps everywhere. Yes, even on the highways. Looking around, I'd see houses about the size of my living room. The poverty was overwhelming. I couldn't imagine how the people there live, and yet everyone was so friendly and happy. It has opened my eyes too a new appreciation for everything I have been blessed with. Experiencing new things is what I love doing, and I feel like it helps me grow as a individual and be more open minded and considerate of others.