Journal Entry 9

September 1, 1976 / Belize City, Belize:

Today was essentially the last day of training. Tomorrow I will be interviewed by the training director, Mr. Yorke, and on Friday I will be interviewed by the country director, Reggie Ingram. Then, hopefully, I will be sworn in that same afternoon.

Traditionally, Peace Corps throws a party for newly sworn volunteers; however, this year there is a shortage of funds, so we may not get our trip to Goff's Caye. Jackie, though, has taken it upon herself to organize a caye trip anyway. It will cost us about $5 each if she can get at least 20 people together. We hope to get three or four spear guns to take out to the caye so we can have a fish barbecue. If our group can do anything, it's thinking up excuses to have a party.

Today we all went out to Belmopan. It's about an hour's trip on a good road, Belize's best. At Belmopan we were to be given a lecture on the Anglo-Guatemalan dispute, but the lecturer canceled out on us. So, we toured the city instead. Belmopan is much cleaner than Belize City. All the houses are made of concrete blocks. Trash is picked up three times a week. All the homes have running water. But there really would be nothing to do in Belmopan in the evenings or on weekends. The more I see of this country, the happier I am that I will be in Belize City. We got back to Belize City about 3:00 p.m.

Today begins the festivities which will culminate on September 10th, National Day. It commemorates a battle in which the Baymen defeated the Spanish at St George's Caye. Both political parties sponsor events over the next 10 days and each tries to outdo the other. Last year, it is generally agreed, the opposition party, the UDP, had the more elaborate and better attended festivities. This year the PUP pledged to make up for last year. It should be fun. And, if Belize announces its independence on the 10th, there should be some real celebrating.

Friday I will be moving in with Roger who is staying with a Belizean family. Miss Pepitune has been nice, but I am looking forward to moving out. I believe I will be charged about $200 a month for room and board. This will include packed lunches, washing and ironing. That will leave me with $100 a month for incidentals. I think it may be a convenient arrangement. Most volunteers pay about $70 to $80 for rent and about $80 a month for food. That's a cheaper way to go, but they spend a lot of time cooking and cleaning up. Also, they have the problems, if two or three live together, of pooling money and deciding who must go shopping, etc.

I have now met all the PCVs here in Belize City. There are nine already here now, and there will be 11 more from our group. Those nine volunteers already working in Belize City are Jack, about 26 from Texas, a biology and physics teacher; Howard, about 28, from Miami, marine biologist; Stan, about 35, works for Radio Belize; Dorothy, about 26, a student teacher advisor for the Teachers College and married to the American Consular officer; Mary, late twenties, works at Seaview mental hospital; Susan, twenties, don't know her too well; Mary Ellen, about thirty, from New York, teacher; Tom, about 25, teacher; and Mussolini, about 35, plumber.

The rumor is that not all of us will receive bicycles. Believe me, a bicycle in the city is indispensable. If we don't get bikes, there will be a lot of complaining. Upon swearing in, the Peace Corps is supposed to give each of us $200 settling-in allowance, a stove, a mattress, and a bicycle. Some may also get a refrigerator. I won't need the other things right away, but I really do need the bicycle. It's about a 30-minute walk from home to the Fisheries Unit. There are no hills here, so I could make the trip in about 10 minutes on a bicycle.

[Photo: Typical Belmopan residential street. 1977.]

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