I honestly can't remember the end of last week. It was just too long ago. But we had such an exciting weekend because we were celebrating a 50th wedding anniversary. The Cathers are a couple who have been a huge part of the development of education in Belize, especially in Benque and so they know a lot of people and are loved by a lot of people and as soon as you meet them, you see why. It was a big Mass with a big reception afterwards including cheese dip (which means it's a big deal around here!) and a wedding cake with a great big cake topper that said "50" on it. It was also the first time really that I had seen so many fresh flowers that weren't just growing in people's yards, so my heart was very happy for that. And just when it seemed like the celebration couldn't get any bigger, we had two priests fly in that are so interconnected with the mission. I'm pretty sure that between the 2 of them, they know everyone in Benque and the surrounding areas! They've been spending the week traveling to the other towns, saying Masses, visiting people, doing their priestly missionary business. Even being 90 isn't stopping one of them! It's been such a neat opportunity getting to meet them and talk to them while they've been here this whole week. But the point of this was that Saturday was a big day. And just in case the cheese dip and fresh flowers didn't prove it was a big day, the fact that us girls were in dresses and I was wearing make-up for only the second time since being here certainly does.
Sunday was a classic Sunday which means we had an easy morning before Mass and a frantic afternoon of lesson planning the rest of the day. Teachers don't have spare time. If we're not planning, we're thinking about the lessons we should be planning. At least that's how my new teacher brain works.
Mondays are always pretty busy for me since my only free period of the day is the very first period but even that is sandwiched between homeroom and my first class which is during second period.
This Monday was different though.
So a person is a legal traveling tourist in Belize for 30 days after their passport is stamped when they come into the country. And as incredulous as it is, tomorrow marks the 30 Day benchmark for us new volunteers. No, it doesn't feel like 30 days. It feels like I've been here 3 months and yet there are still days that have that first day of school feel aka what in the world am I doing. Anyway, because Belize is, well, Belize, we haven't gotten our work visas yet which isn't a problem except then you have to renew your passport stamp for a $30 fee. Not too bad. But when you only make $35 a week, then $30 is a pretty steep price. The school is supposed to do that for us, but again, TIB. So it's getting taken care of today and yes, today would be our last legal day in the country.
Some of you who have some geographical knowledge of where I am might ask, "Why don't you just go across the border to Guatemala? It's only a 5-10 minute car ride." Good idea. Except they get very angry when volunteers do that because they want us to pay the $30. But we decided we didn't really have a choice this time and since it was our first 30 day extension, maybe they would only be annoyed and not angry since we really are trying our best to get our visas.
So it was somehow settled that Monday morning at 7 am we would go to Guatemala. I arrived at school that morning at 8:30. School starts at 8:00. TIB.
I'll spare you all the details of that hour and a half because frankly I don't know even know all that was going on then. But when you have a Canadian priest, a Mexican deacon, and 8 white people all dressed for school with their little backpacks, you're sure in for a fun time with the border patrol. They seemed appeased this first time around so long as we spent money in Guatemala so we weren't just crossing to get our stamp. Which is exactly what we were doing. But I got a pastry out of it, so it could've been worse. It was also hilarious because we kept seeing our students on their way to school. And because sarcasm is completely lost on the kids here, it was that much funnier when I would say, "Hurry so you're not late!" as I'm walking further into Guatemala. However, coming back into Belize, they only extended our stamp for 7 days, hence my wonderful get-up-and-get-done- roommate, Kelley, worked today to get the ball rolling on either a) the school extending our stamps or b) getting our visas.
It seems impossible that it only took an hour and a half. But as exhausting as Monday was, Tuesday was a national holiday which meant no school and also explains why my post is a day late. I had about 1 hour of productivity and the rest of the day was spent watching movies and eating. Yep, I can't think of a single other thing I did that day. It was a good day.
Today was organized chaos as so many of my days are, but I don't think I can say any part of it was bad. Especially since it ended with a chocobanana and a single fresh, sweet strawberry. mmmm.
This weekend will be a good time: we're planning on going to Flores, Guatemala for the weekend, and while most of the weekend will probably be spent with me thinking about all the things I could be getting done back home, it will be so inexpressibly blissful to get away. And I promise I'll take pictures there.
Oh my goodness, I have just spent a lot of words saying that life is just moving along here. There hasn't been anything too eventful going on and yet when you live in a foreign country, just walking down the street is eventful. What month. And it's only one of many.
Keep the prayers coming. They are the glue holding me together!
And of course, let us all remember the poor souls of all the 9/11 victims. What an appropriate day to offer a special prayer for peace, especially in the state our world is in. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us.
Totus Tuus, Maria.
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