I will be making my first trip back to the United States this week for the annual Weiss Family Vacation. I am really excited and it should be a blast. I haven't seen my brother, sister-in-law and niece in over a year. I look forward to dominating the Weiss Family Olympics and taking back the crown. I am also excited for Julie to meet my whole family.
Far From Home,
Christopher Wilkins Weiss
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Rain, PTSD and 1 Year
So it's the rainy season and it hasn't been raining that much, but when it does....look out. Every time it rains I say" That's the most amount of rain I have ever seen." It is so much rain that it looks like it is snowing; and then you add the wind, it takes it to another level. A few systems are starting to form over Africa and the Cape Verde Islands which isn't good for the Caribbean or Central America, so the next few weeks should be interesting.
PTSD - sometimes known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Well, I would like to change the acronym to Post Traumatic Spider Disorder. I had my first run in with a large spider last week in my bathroom. It was about the size of a small sand dollar and i think it was venomous. I took a picture of it and showed it to the Eiley's and the first thing they said: "Dis da no ordinary spida." Most of the time if you see a spider here, it's a tarantula but not this time. It came in through my bathroom window and was hanging out in the shower. I had to get all pumped up to kill this thing because it was a. in my house and b. the biggest spider i have ever been in contact with. I tried spraying it with "Belizean Death Spray" (a really powerful bug killer that kills and melts ants) but it had no impact on this thing. So i spent about 10 minutes getting pumped up to kill it and finally it took my broom and trapped it in a corner and killed it. I have done some research on the internet and i am led to believe I killed a Black Recluse spider. Look up the bite on Google its pretty crazy. When you get bit by these things and it goes untreated your skin disintegrates and they typically amputate. I am kind of tweaky now and everything I see moving reminds me of the spider and I am constantly checking the shower and my bed for spiders. But the score remains Weiss - 1 Spiders - 0.
I have been in Belize a year now (As of August 20) and I can honestly say that I have learned a lot about myself, others and a developing country. I'm in a good place right now. This year flew by and it seemed like yesterday I was in Chicago living it up one last time. I look forward to the upcoming year in country and I hope to accomplish a lot.
Far From Home,
Christopher Wilkins Weiss
PTSD - sometimes known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Well, I would like to change the acronym to Post Traumatic Spider Disorder. I had my first run in with a large spider last week in my bathroom. It was about the size of a small sand dollar and i think it was venomous. I took a picture of it and showed it to the Eiley's and the first thing they said: "Dis da no ordinary spida." Most of the time if you see a spider here, it's a tarantula but not this time. It came in through my bathroom window and was hanging out in the shower. I had to get all pumped up to kill this thing because it was a. in my house and b. the biggest spider i have ever been in contact with. I tried spraying it with "Belizean Death Spray" (a really powerful bug killer that kills and melts ants) but it had no impact on this thing. So i spent about 10 minutes getting pumped up to kill it and finally it took my broom and trapped it in a corner and killed it. I have done some research on the internet and i am led to believe I killed a Black Recluse spider. Look up the bite on Google its pretty crazy. When you get bit by these things and it goes untreated your skin disintegrates and they typically amputate. I am kind of tweaky now and everything I see moving reminds me of the spider and I am constantly checking the shower and my bed for spiders. But the score remains Weiss - 1 Spiders - 0.
I have been in Belize a year now (As of August 20) and I can honestly say that I have learned a lot about myself, others and a developing country. I'm in a good place right now. This year flew by and it seemed like yesterday I was in Chicago living it up one last time. I look forward to the upcoming year in country and I hope to accomplish a lot.
Far From Home,
Christopher Wilkins Weiss
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
I'M IN BELIZE Moment
I just had one of those happy moments where bursts of joy travel throughout my body and I want to yell: I'M IN BELIZE!!!!! But I then realize I am in an office with a bunch of Belizeans and it wouldn't be appropriate for me to yell.
I guess its just part of being truly happy with where I am right now. It is still exciting to think I am in the Peace Corps and I am in Belize. Crazy.
I guess its just part of being truly happy with where I am right now. It is still exciting to think I am in the Peace Corps and I am in Belize. Crazy.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Summer Update
So Summer is almost over and I have a couple of updates for everyone:
1. I finished the It’s Up To Me Manual. I am happy with my work and it is currently being edited by several Belizeans. It should be ready to print by the beginning of the school year. The manual is one of my ways of ensuring sustainability of the program.
2. Random trips to Caye Caulker are nice. It only costs $25 round trip and when you find a secluded hotel/cabana on the backside of the island, its the recipe for complete relaxation.
3. Trip to Argentina is in the works for Spring of 2010.
4. I will be in the United States in September – Cocoa Beach, Florida for the Weiss Family Vacation. Julie is coming too!! I am excited for her to meet my entire family.
5. http://thisisdiversity.com/ – wanted me to post some of my blog entries on their website. They said they enjoy my take on life as a PCV. Money is given to the author’s of the articles who receive the most hits for the month. If my articles receive any money it will be donated to the “It’s Up To Me” program . Check out the website and search for my articles.
6. http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/its-up-to-me-program – Please donate to my project!!! We are so close to obtaining the funds. Thanks to those who have already donated: Vens, Ruza, Gill, Cook and Heiner. If you know of anyone that would be interested, please forward them the link.
Far From Home,
Christopher Wilkins Weiss
Monday, July 6, 2009
Lobsterfest and Family Reunion
It’s been a while since I last posted. I’ve got two things to talk about:
1. Lobsterfest – Julie and I went to Lobsterfest in Placencia a couple weekends ago. It’s a festival celebrating the opening of lobster season. There are a bunch of booths selling all different kinds of lobster. We decided to splurge at a nice restaurant instead of buying lobster at all the booths. We went to a nice place called Rumfish y Vino. We split the “Lobster 5 Ways” special. It was 5 kinds of lobster dishes with 5 different kinds of wine:
-Lobster Seviche, Lobster Bisque, Lobster crepes, Lobster Sheppard's pie and Lobster pasta.
It was delicious. It was nice to be back in Placencia again.
2. Eiley Family Reunion – I was invited to the Eiley Family Reunion in Placencia last weekend (back to back weekends in Placencia, not bad). It was my first large Belizean Family gathering experience. I was able to sit in the front seat while driving down south for the first time; most of the time I am on a bus or in the back seat of a SUV. The country of Belize is beautiful and driving from Belize City to Placencia you go through about 5 different scenery changes: city, Caribbean dessert (its kind of like Belize’s version of Texas), Jungle, Maya Mountains and Placencia peninsula. We left early in the morning so the fog was still hanging around in the Maya mountains. It was a spectacular sight. The reunion was a good experience and I had a good time meeting the relatives of my host family. They all treated me as if I were apart of the family.
I failed the Foreign Service Exam. Its not an easy test due to the randomness of the questions and the limited time given on the writing portion. Now that i am familiar with the layout, I am going to attempt the exam again next year. The pass rate is somewhere in the 20% range. Happy Birthday to Erich Weiss (July 6th). Hope all is well in the States.
Far From Home,
Christopher Wilkins Weiss
Monday, June 15, 2009
Summertime
It's almost Summer and I am pumped. All the students are done with school until August. Teachers are required to work until the end of June. I am going to work at school during the Summer months to work on the following projects:
1. Finishing Student and Teacher Manuals for It's Up To Me Program
2. Finalizing Plans for the E.P. Yorke Sports Complex - this is something I am really excited about. I noticed that sports are not as big of a part of the lives of the kids who go to school here; reason being: there are not many places to participate in sports. So i figured lets build a complex. The school has the room and if a complex is built and the sports programs are developed, it might help some of the kids who live on the south side of the city lead better lives. I had the Technical Drawing teacher professionally draw the layout of the school and about 6 members of staff decided on what they would like to see out of the complex. The plan is probably going to take about 4-5 years so I will hopefully pass it on to the next volunteer who comes in, assuming there will be one at E.P. Yorke. I will fill everyone in on the progress!
3. Create a Rule Book for Sports Day Activities - the school has a month of sporting activities in December and I was on the committee who officiated all of the activities. Considering it was my first year i sat back and watched a lot of the time and went along with the other refs. calls. There was quite a bit of confusion on a lot of the calls and the reasoning behind some of the decisions made, so I said: "We need a rule book so there is no confusion on the rules and calls being made during all these events." They all concluded that it would be a good idea.
So even though school is out, my summer should be filled with things to do.
I should also add that Hurricane/Rainy Season started on June 1. I am ready for some rain. I don't think anyone can ever be ready for a hurricane though. Living down here hurricanes are a serious threat and I expect to be consolidated a few times this season, but you never know. It has been extremely hot for the past couple months. If you look at a weather report most of the time it reads: 96 feels like 102. Humidity.
Far From Home,
Christopher Wilkins Weiss
1. Finishing Student and Teacher Manuals for It's Up To Me Program
2. Finalizing Plans for the E.P. Yorke Sports Complex - this is something I am really excited about. I noticed that sports are not as big of a part of the lives of the kids who go to school here; reason being: there are not many places to participate in sports. So i figured lets build a complex. The school has the room and if a complex is built and the sports programs are developed, it might help some of the kids who live on the south side of the city lead better lives. I had the Technical Drawing teacher professionally draw the layout of the school and about 6 members of staff decided on what they would like to see out of the complex. The plan is probably going to take about 4-5 years so I will hopefully pass it on to the next volunteer who comes in, assuming there will be one at E.P. Yorke. I will fill everyone in on the progress!
3. Create a Rule Book for Sports Day Activities - the school has a month of sporting activities in December and I was on the committee who officiated all of the activities. Considering it was my first year i sat back and watched a lot of the time and went along with the other refs. calls. There was quite a bit of confusion on a lot of the calls and the reasoning behind some of the decisions made, so I said: "We need a rule book so there is no confusion on the rules and calls being made during all these events." They all concluded that it would be a good idea.
So even though school is out, my summer should be filled with things to do.
I should also add that Hurricane/Rainy Season started on June 1. I am ready for some rain. I don't think anyone can ever be ready for a hurricane though. Living down here hurricanes are a serious threat and I expect to be consolidated a few times this season, but you never know. It has been extremely hot for the past couple months. If you look at a weather report most of the time it reads: 96 feels like 102. Humidity.
Far From Home,
Christopher Wilkins Weiss
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