Back To Belize

Belizean rain forest

Our return trip to the Mayan villages in the Toledo District of Belize was quite an adventure. Professors Peggy Gill and Wes Hickey from the University of Texas led the way into Santa Teresa, Silver Creek, Blue Creek and Jalacte where we met with principles of the schools to check on the implementation of methods learned in the August workshops and to meet the new Peace Corps volunteers embedded to assist.

We had time to explore the rain forest and caves to shoot beauty shots for the project with the help of Professor Hickey and guide Sylvano Sho.

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Children of Jalacte surround Debi Lang

JALACTE
Day one we visited this small village in far west Belize near the disputed region of the Guatemalan border. We were sad to learn that several children died this school year as result of drinking contaminated water.  The principal was very proud to show off the school, but unfortunately we arrived too late to observe the classroom instruction.   As class ended the kids ran from their classrooms and surrounded me while I was shooting footage of the village.

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Children we interviewed In Santa Teresa

SANTA TERESA
My heart remains in Santa Teresa, a village located near the Southern region of Belize. The children were very eager to share their Mayan culture with us. The children preferred to interview me, asking questions about life in America, snow and sports . Another family allowed us to tour their home and led us on a long trek deep into the rain forest to see their corn field. We are told it takes 7 months to cultivate a single crop.

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Silver Creek
We managed to make in time to shoot quite a bit of classroom footage and even interviewed the children.   The children were extremely focused on their studies but made time to play baseball at lunch.

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