1. Being here in Belize I have learned many things, but one thing that I am constantly amazed by is the power, quickness and efficiency of ants. There are multiple kinds of ants and they all like different flavors and items. The first kind are these tiny 1/2 black 1/2 red ants that really enjoy sweets and any crumbs left on any surface: chairs, table, counters, stove etc. Their response time is about 3 minutes. If you leave anything on the counter, lets say a tiny piece of left-over fruit they will be there attacking the fruit. I have noticed they work with the sun, basically a 5 am to 6:30 pm. The second kind of ant is a big black ant that seems to aimlessly wander looking for dead bugs. Their response time is around 5 minutes. If you kill a roach and leave it there, the ants will be taking the bug apart and carrying it out of the apartment. Often times I will leave the bug/roach there just for the sake of entertainment. Both kinds of ants are afraid of movement and they seem to have a very quick communication system.
2. I have had 2 creepy bus rides in Belize. What exactly do i mean by creepy bus rides? This: Leaving a tiny village on the 3:30 am bus (that is the only bus out of the village and most of the residents take this bus to go to work or school. Can you imagine getting on a bus that early everyday to go to school? It makes you appreciate the relative ease of going to high school in the States.) and its packed with villagers who are all Mayan, meanwhile I am the only white person on the bus so they are all staring at me. The music on the bus: 1950’s American Gospel music. I said to myself wow this is straight out of a horror film. The second creepy bus ride was similar and the bus driver began playing 1950’s American Gospel music and 90% of the passengers began singing along. Creepy.
I spoke with a fellow Peace Corps volunteer who is currently serving in Guatemala and I asked why he hasn't been updating his blog anymore. He replied with: “It’s all become normal to me so it’s hard to write about stuff that goes on down here. I mean some guy took a shit in the middle of the road yesterday right in front of me and i didn't even think twice about it.” I am starting to feel the same way, but I am still going to try and update as much as I can.
Far From Home,
Christopher Wilkins Weiss
2 comments:
Last night I tried to tell a Toledo police officer that shitting in the middle of the street was perfectly normal, but he wasn't buying it.
As for the foreign service exam, I'd love to study with you if you are still studying when you are back in the states. I'm picturing Rocky-like training sessions, where you punch frozen slabs of beef while I ask you, "Who was the only President who also served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? Etc."
If you keep updating, I'll start investing. Deal?
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