Journal Entry 10

September 8, 1976 / Belize City, Belize:

Quite a lot has happened since my last journal entry. I haven't written for a few days because I've been sick. I had some kind of virus. I threw up breakfast and didn't feel too well for a while. I can't believe how sick I've been here. Every week I've had one disease or another. I don't know why my resistance should be so low-I eat well and get plenty of sleep.

On Friday, our group of trainees was sworn in. All 11 of us made it through the training period. It was just a simple oath of allegiance taken at the Peace Corps Office. We were then given our bank accounts and medical kits. We still have not gotten our bicycles. Even though everyone in our training group swore in, I think there will be a few who will go home early. Several have already become disgruntled and disappointed with their situation.

Right after the swearing-in, I moved my belongings to my new home. I will be staying with the young Belizean family that hosted Keith and Roger during training. Right now, it's a bit crowded there: I'm sharing the two little girls' bedroom with their dad; the girls are sleeping with their mother; and Keith and Roger are sharing another bedroom. Keith will be moving out next week, and things will be back to normal.

They just recently moved into a large, fairly new house with three bedrooms, a dining room, living room, large kitchen, three bathrooms and a veranda. The house is one of the few in the neighborhood to be made of concrete block. They have a maid, so the house is always clean. The only drawback is the upstairs windows don't have screens. The mosquitoes and sand flies can be terrible. The meals are much better here than at Miss Pepitune's, more imagination and larger portions, and include a lot of local dishes such as rice and beans, stew chicken, chimole, panadas, fish, etc. I may gain back some of my lost weight.

Right now, we are in the middle of the National Day celebrations. The opposition party, the UDP, sponsored a road march which passed by our house. I got some pictures of it. It was the wildest parade I've ever seen. The street was jammed solid with people dancing and celebrating. There were some bands, floats, etc. Festivities will culminate on the Tenth. It seems that even though Belize is closer now to independence than ever, the rumors about independence this year were just rumors. However, independence is not far away for Belize.

Last Saturday I went to the Teacher's College to see an exhibition of arts, nature, and folklore sponsored for National Day by the PUP. I got a picture of the jade carving "Kinich Ahau" found in Mayan ruins here in 1968. I couldn't get close enough to it for a good shot. It's a head about 10 lb. in weight. It's one of the most prized of all Belizean treasures, and it's only occasionally displayed.

Roger and I are now the only ones who have not gotten a flat of our own, but we're not in any great hurry. Jackie and Judy just got a second story flat on Regent Street for $200. That seems a bit pricey. I'm paying just $200 per month for room, board, laundry, chauffeur, tour guide, translator, life coach, etc. I've really got it good.

[Photo: UDP Tenth of September Road March, Euphrates Avenue, 1976]

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