A Break in the Road

July was the month of summer camps. First I teamed up with 4-H to put on a week-long environmental camp on Caye Caulker. I led a beach scavenger hunt, bird watching, mangrove/forest walk, and lots of other fun games and activities.

We learned first aid from the Belize Red Cross and thankfully none of our campers got hurt; we picked up garbage around public areas as a community service project; Ellen McRae, a resident of Caye Caulker, gave lectures on the reef ecosystem and environmental issues; and recreational activities included swimming, sea kayaking, fishing, basketball, soccer, or whatever games the kids invented. The most memorable experience for many of the 4-Hers was snorkeling the Belize Barrier Reef.

When I returned to Belize Audubon Society I stayed in summer camp mode. A school bus full of excited kids departed from Belize City to jaguar camp. At Maya Center, the gateway to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, we were greeted by the Maya Center Women's Group. With the Women's Group we danced to marimba music, learned the art of slate carving, and enjoyed tamales for lunch.

Park director Nicacio Coc gave an overview of Cockcomb before embarking on a rigorous hike to one of the park's spectacular waterfalls. Swimming in the cool water was a revitalizing experience. Aside from the campers, a news team from Channel 5 Belize tagged along. Their coverage of the jaguar camp can be found in the link below.

City kids experience wild outdoors in jaguar camp

After the reporters left we had much more fun. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over a fire hearth, shared jokes, ghost stories, and sang. In Kriol the jaguar is called tiger (pronounced taigah). I adapted the well-known "tiger hunt song" into Kriol and the result was hilarious. My Kriol grammar is perfect and pronunciation is good but still has a hint of Minnesotan.

The following day we woke up early to discover the bird life of Cockscomb. While I was giving an introduction to bird watching, two Crested Guans (large turkey-like birds) flew into plain view. Birding in the tropical forest with beginners is a challenge because so many of the birds remain out of sight, so it was a real treat to see these birds up close.

Audubon's second summer camp was held at St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park. It was an action packed day camp. We hiked trails, watched wildlife, explored St. Herman's cave, and swam in the Blue Hole.

After the summer camps were finished I had another big event to look forward to. I have stayed in Belize for over a year now, halfway through my Peace Corps servies, and it was right time to take a break and visit home. Time to see my family again, reconnect with friends, and attend a wedding.

In the morning, August 2, I went to the office because my flight was scheduled for the afternoon and I had an offer from a coworker to take me to the airport. I prepared my instant coffee and sat down to check e-mail. To my surprise and disbelief Minneapolis was the top story in the news with the collapse of 35W over the Mississippi. After reading thid news I remembered the countless times I had crossed the very same bridge and exited on University Avenue at the end of a hard day's work. And the times I went running along the banks of the Mississippi below the bridge.

I reached Minneapolis late and stayed overnight at a friend's place on University Ave, only 2 1/2 blocks from the scene. Close enough for him to feel the vibrations of the bridge going down from his apartment. On Friday morning I saw everything I had been seeing and hearing about on the news.