Day One, The Beginning - 23.09.08

My first day in the office and I was a little tiny bit nervous I guess. I had my instant nescafe coffee with fake powdered creamer for milk, and went downstairs into the office - a dark, cool basement space (as in cooler than outside) with three private offices and an open area with 6 computers dotted around amongst the book shelves and information posters.

I was introduced to the administration person, Vanessa, and Carmita the program director. Carmita printed out a little schedule for the week for me that was fairly sparse. They like volunteers to take it REAL SLOW for the first 2 weeks while they observe and absorb the goings on here. I think it's to lessen culture shock and also stop people diving into projects too quickly and stuffing them up.

I spend the rest of the morning reading files on the shared drive that prove really informative. Elliot shows me briefly around the wiki he has proudly created, which keeps track of all the project files and histories of what people have done in the past - however it's in it's infancy and there isn't much of use there yet.

I find and read the "National Gender Policy" drawn up in 2002 on the basis of another study called the "Situation Analysis of Gender" which I can't find anywhere, including the net. I just wanted to know the raw stats on gender inequalities here in Belize, as a good starting point to my research and action.

Lunch is served in the upstairs kitchen, cooked lovingly by Miss Nellie and Miss Marta. Beans, rice and chicken with tomato and lettuce salad. Not bad! The boys pile up a small mountain of food on their plate and chow it down before I've finished mine. There are only two guys working as volunteers here, Elliot the administrator of volunteers and general IT guy from London and Kyle, who started here in a separate organisation, working for the Peace Corps and has been here a year and 3 months. Kyle's from Connecticut and works with 'youth' - school kids - doing sports and activities. Kyle has some quirky stories to tell about his experiences here so far, and after lunch we go on the 'walking tour' - part of the orientation schedule.

It's a pretty hot day though and not the best time to be walking around, but nevermind. I'm tough. We start out for the vegetable market and on the way as we chat, a local calls out something from behind us. I tun my head and see a tall skinny rasta looking dude on a white horse. He's meandering along, and when I turn back, he yells out "that's a nice piece of ass" and laughs. I am so embarrassed. I groan and say fuck off under my breath, not daring to incite more "compliments". I really try and ignore the remark but it got to me - even though I was with someone, it was actually more awkward and embarrassing because someone was with me. Come to think of it now, he could've even meant Kyle anyway. ha ha.

The tour is mostly focused on food, and I learn after a few days here that this is a general preoccupation in San Ignacio. Many of the volunteers sit around talking about food a lot. Haven't really figured out the reason why or what this reveals about the lifestyle here yet. I guess there just ain't much else to satisfy the senses perhaps... ;) Practically no talent, no pretty water views, no gorgeous architecture, although the buildings here have there own charm. Worn out weatherboard hovels with colourful washing hung across balconies. The occasional cool breeze is reason to shout hallelujah. Sounds of parrots and other birds occasionally delight, through the noise pollution of dogs and trucks. Frogs chime when it rains. Geckos click on the ceiling while the electric fans hum the night away.