As an Environment Volunteer in the Peace Corps, living in Belize's most populated city isn't exactly the most picturesque locale. People usually envision Volunteers living in something simple like thatch huts in the bush, which is the case for some of Belize's Peace Corps Volunteers. I want to big up the Rural Community Development Volunteers for the work they do. However, living in Belize City is a much different situation, I have indoor plumbing and electricity.
Welcome to my palace. Through the front doorway enter my spacious living room (still unfurnished) and you'll see a beautiful chandelier that looks like a million bucks (closer inspection will reveal its made of plastic, not crystal). The floor is tiled, the walls are blank and boring except for the curtains I recently put up.
Moving on, let's look at my kitchen, this is where all the magic happens; rice and beans, stew beans and white rice, stew chicken, flour tortillas, fry jacks, you name it, this little stove does the job. And until I get some actual cookware I'm relying on a Boy Scout mess kit for nearly all my cooking needs. On the counter, next to the stove I have a bottle of Marie Sharp's Habenero Pepper Sauce, everybody has got to have a bottle of this. Also, fresh pineapple and bananas from the local market. Bananas are going for "ten fi dala" in the market place. Everything is sold per dollar or per pound at the market (one U.S. dollar= two Belize dollars).
Here's the other half of the kitchen and everyone is probably wondering what's in the refridge? I'm keepn' it fresh; lots of vegetables from the market (cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, sweet peppers, cilantro), limes, fresh squeezed orange juice, guava jelly, honey, eggs, and left-over rice and beans. Frozen chicken and ice cubes in the freezer. On top of the refridge is my radio, the DJ has a great selection of ten hits on replay all day and his voice interrupts the song every second or he plays annoying mix effects.
Next to the refridge I have a microwave and my Belize flag, have to big up my host country Belize. Below, in the cupboard I have some dry goods - rice, beans, flour, cane sugar, powdered milk, baking powder, cocoa, etc. But you haven't seen anything yet, check out my Crystal, five gallons of the finest quality purified water (Crystal is the name of the bottling company).
Here's my ride- the Jagger, 26 inch rims, Xtreme Tested Construction, this Golden Cycle was designed in the U.S.A. You'll notice I have a bicycle helmet because you know I always have to ride the Jagger in style (and so Peace Corps doesn't send me home, its in the Policy Manual).
Let's see the rest of the house. Here's the bathroom, the toilet flushes and it has a shower (it's cold and environmentally friendly, really helps me conserve water). When I first moved in I was greeted by a small snake that had crawled in through the shower drain and a house gecko. I hear the geckos chirping at night, but I don't mind as long as they keep the cockroaches out of my house. (House Geckos are an introduced species, brought over to control a crop pest I think, they've become a nuisance in many households)
Here's the master bedroom (and the only bedroom). It came with a built in closet. A big wardrobe wasn't big on my packing list so there's a lot of space in there. I "jres op" for church on Sunday, otherwise
keep it pretty low key. I have quite a selection of books and a stack of Newsweeks to entertain my free time, currently reading a book about baseball's minor leagues. PCVs love to read and a good variety of books have been left behind by past Volunteers. I also store my Peace Corps issued Health Kit here, it collects a lot of dust (I haven't came down with any parasites, illness, or injuries). Mosquitoes are known to carry malaria in Belize so every Monday, "Malaria Monday!", I take a tablet. I get a nice breeze through my window at night so I can sleep easy, but lately I've been waking up to rain in the middle of the night. It's been an unseasonably wet winter in Belize (blame it on El Nino).
On the outside my house is a washed out pink color. I live in a safe and quiet family neighborhood. The kids get a little rowdy at times; last week one of the neighbors rented a trampoline for a birthday party and fireworks from Christmas and New Years are popular. I have "burglar bars" on all my windows, its pretty standard in the cities and towns of Belizw. I have a small coconut tree in my yard, some hibiscus shrubs, grass, and a line to dry my clothes. The Caribbean Sea is close by, but sadly its too polluted to swim in near the city. You've seen my crib, now get out of here before the House Gecko gets you.
An old weathered red and white lighthouse overlooks the blue lagoon at Half Moon Caye of Lighthouse Reef Atoll. The brick foundation is slowly crumbling into the waves and the sea salt has been eating away the steel frame. After reading a research paper on the cayes of Lighthouse Reef Atoll (Stoddart 1962), I discovered the history of this particular lighthouse.
