Rain Rain Rain

Posted by Kevin Frasure ,
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So it's rainy season. It's also September, which means nothing gets accomplished in school. Sure, school is in. The kids come to the building daily, but that doesn't mean they are learning anything.


Yesterday, school was cancelled because of rain. Something about some guy named Karl had a hurricane named after him. It didn't hit here and it was a weak storm to begin with. Just 10 hours of rain that caused the Ministry of EDU to cancel school for the day. That's no big deal, but then I would have expected better today. Nope.

In fact, our STD6 has been on the loose all day. The boys came and hung out with me for over an hour. When I asked them why they weren't in class, they said they were working.
"Working on what?" I asked.
"We don't know, our teacher just told us to go work. So we came to hang out with you," student replied.

Awesome. What are the girls doing? Decorating for a rally that we are having tomorrow. Bottom line is nothing will get done in September. Sometimes we blame it on the rain, most of the time we don't need an excuse.

September is a time for celebrations, which is why they are referred to as the "September Celebrations." Even though there are really only 2 holidays on the 10th and the 21st. Never mind all that. We will have a parade and a float and something else to do everyday of the month.

Most curriculum can't even begin until October. So why don't they just say that? Last year I was told that nothing would happen in September, but I didn't believe anyone. Wow oh wow was I ever wrong.


7 comments

All the Rage right now

Posted by Kevin Frasure ,
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While I don't live in the Toledo District that is mostly comprised of indigenous Mayans, the country is small enough that any news is news everyone hears about.


Believe it or not, Belize has made it all the way to CNN! Not really in the best light but its there regardless.

It all started last sunday when 2 kids went from their village in San Marcos to Punta Gorda Town to sell lime and craboo. They never made it back. Some say they were kidnapped but the bottom line is the kids are still missing and no one knows what happened to them.

As you can imagine, the public was outraged. The police did nothing. This is very usual. I could never imagine a police department more worthless than is the one in Belize. More specifically just the enforcement in general.

Well when the police did nothing, the Mayan people did what they have always done. They went to the local oracle to ask for guidance. This may seem crazy to you but this is the custom and how things are done here. It was done this way for thousands of years before police were around and when the police fail to do their job, it still has a place in the community.

Well this oracle told the villages that these white people who own a crocodile sanctuary ate the hearts of their children and then fed the rest of their bodies to the crocodiles. As you can imagine, this outraged the village. They chartered a bus and went to the sanctuary and burnt down the compound while carrying rifles and machetes.

Luckily the owner and his wife were not there, but all of their property was destroyed. The fire department says they are "looking into the matter further" but I can almost guarantee that no arrests will be made. This is life here and life will go on.

I have included a few links that will show the difference in news coverage you are used to and stories from places like CNN and then from our local Channel 7 here in Belize. Enjoy!

Belize News Sources

CNN version

3 comments

Long Overdue Absence

Posted by Kevin Frasure ,
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It's been awhile. I would and should apologize but then again, I will just use the excuse that I was busy. It's not entirely true but it kind of is.


The truth is actually far from being busy. I have been busy over the summer but in a different way. Where as during the school year I am busy at school (which consists of a lot of time in front of the computer, writing this blog), during the summer I am busy in a totally different kind of way.

I'm free during the summer. I can mostly do whatever I want and am not held down by the ups and downs and expectations of the school day. So because of that I got to travel around a lot and help other people with their projects. I also didn't really have to ask permission to do projects in Yo Creek like I have to have approval for everything from someone on staff before I do anything. I can make my own agenda which is a lot more liberating.

I will also blame Melissa for my lack of blogging. This is, again, a horrible excuse but having a visitor for 2 months doesn't allow for a lot of time in front of a computer. We were too busy seeing and exploring.

The bottom line is it is becoming harder and harder to write about Belize in a way that you can understand because it is becoming more and more of everyday life. I don't understand how people can write blogs back home where they do the same thing everyday. Well I see how they can do it, but why would they expect people to ever read it? That's where I am today.

Yo Creek is still just as amazing as it was the day I moved here almost a year ago, but very few things are new. And if they are new, very few things are story worthy in a way that anyone would understand. I'll try my best but all of the funny pictures and surprising things to find have probably been found.

But, now school is back in and I will try to post at least once a week. I have a lot to catch up on from over the summer and many many pictures to post.

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