A Tour of the Mt. Crique Jute Lodge

Hi Ladies and Gents,

In case you followed Tropical Storm Matthew and are now wondering weather I’m still alive…the answer is: yes, I’m still alive. Thanks for asking. Aside from a little bit of rain Saturday morning, there wasn’t much else to report in Belize. Peace Corps picked us up in a van on Friday morning and brought us to the Charlton Hotel in Punta Gorda to keep us sheltered from the storm (they brought us from a more inland location to the coast...brilliant right?). Luckily the storm never fully materialized. Anyway, since I’ve been here for the past few days twiddling my thumbs and watching Seinfeld I figured it might be a good idea to get a little blogging done. So here’s what I have for you today:

I think it’s about time I gave you a little tour of my house, since I’ve been living in it for about 2 months or so. Thus, this post is dedicated to the Mt. Crique Jute Jungle Lodge and its bountiful assets.

Description/Amenities:

2 Bedrooms, 1 Living Room, 1 Kitchen (unfurnished…or perhaps “naked” might be a better way to put it), 1 Pit Latrine, Bucket Bathing area, Electricity Water Pump (source: the creek), refrigerator, gas stove top, assorted chairs, desk, kitchen table, hammock, bed frame, assorted foam pads and pillows, beautiful yard with a plethora of bushes and red ants, beautiful views of the jungle, avocado tree, coconut tree, papaya trees, children staring at me all day long, and lots of books.

Where I spend the majority of my time. I don't know if I'll ever be able to live without a hammock again.

Thanks You Lieberman's. So far I've yet to successfully explain what this is to anyone in the village, but it does keep the evil away and I think they understand that part.

I did not paint this and I don't know what it is, but it looks cool so I kept it in my kitchen.

My Kitchen. Shaboom boom.

Bed Frame + 4 Inch Foam Pad + Mosquito Net = My Safe Place

Living room with caribbean blue paint, faux wood walls and linoleum flooring.

What the living room looked like when I moved in.

The Latrine.

My Backyard.

Bucket Bathing Area.

My Landlord, Veranus. The Man.

Grandma Agi's Chicken Soup with Mayan Challah aka my Rosh Hashana Dinner.

Back Door.

Ok so hopefully this gives you some more insight into my life in Belize. As you'll notice, the house is way too big for one person to live in, but I make it work. I can run laps around my house for exercise, which I often do. I've made some improvements since these photos were taken and now it really feels like my home. Although it has definitely taken some getting used to, things in the village are starting to calm down and I'm starting to recognize that this is my life. I feel much more comfortable than I did a few months ago.

In fact the other day someone mistook me for a villager. I got on the market bus with my bucket at 5 in morning, headed to Punta Gorda for some shopping. Although it was pitch black, I noticed an American couple who were already sitting on the bus. Who are they, I thought to myself? I'm usually the only gringo on this bus at this ungodly hour. They must be visiting San Jose, the next village over. As it turns out they live in San Jose, where they do research- one for a masters in sociology and the other for a PhD in anthropology. When we finally got to talking they told me that they too were confused when I got on the bus. At first they thought that I was a gringo, but then when they noticed my handy dandy pig tail bucket they assumed that I was just a maya man headed to market! How's that for integration? I must be doing something right.

Anyway, I hope all is well with you people. As usual, sorry for the long hiatus.

Take er easy.

-DL