my life as a vagabond

"When I arrived in my old set of clothes
I was half a world away from my home
and I was hunted by the wolves
and I was heckled by the crows
Darlin’ do not fear what you don’t really know "

-Brett Dennen

Sorry to everyone with my lack of updates. My life has been one set of transitions after another. Last week or so we said our goodbyes in Cleveland and got on the bus for the airport. Orientation, the first part, had come to a close and it was terribly sad to leave my fellow JVs. Though we had only known each other for a short time our lives are forever intertwined. These people that were strangers two weeks prior had quickly become the closest people to me. To struggle with idea of moving to a developing nation for two years with all the uncertainties that come with that, in the end only the fellow JVs could truly understand what we were going through. I was sad to leave but it was a beautiful thought to know that we would be scattered across the globe all working for justice and peace in developing nations.

All 7 of us, Punta Gorda Volunteers and the Belize City Volunteers, lived in Belize City together with the second year Volunteers for a week. 11 of us in one house. It was really nice to all be together for the transition. We got exposed to the Belizean culture and spent the week doing touristy type stuff including a 650 ft zip line! We also went to the Zoo... which was more like a rainforest than an American zoo.... oh funny I should mention the zoo, while exploring the flora and fauna that Belize has to offer I got an unexpected surprise. We were inspecting the Tipir cage, the national animal of Belize, when he decided to give me a little gift. Let me correct that, and enormous wet gift. I bent down to get my camera to take a picture of the ugly creature and got peed on by the damn thing. I do not mean to be graphic but I did not merely get peed on as if it were a dog. It was like someone opened a urine firehose on me! I was covered and in shock from the recent explosive shower of pee that landed on me! haha I hope that’s a good sign to be 'christened' by the national animal regardless, i smelled like a Porta-Potty the rest of the day. A tipir in case you are wondering is the ugly step child of the animal kingdom. It looks the cross between an ant eater, a manatee, and a pig.

After living on the floor for a week Allison, Pat, Em and I got up well before the sun (4:30am) to catch the Express bus to PG. I loaded all the things I own (3 bags and a pillow) onto the bus. The trip took about 5 hours but I was captivated, in between naps, because we got to see the diversity of the Belizean countryside. We left the urban jungle of BZC (belize city) and headed down south to the paradise of PG. As my roomate Pat noted "the trip to PG looks like you are driving into Jurassic Park" The rainforest and tropical scenery is really breathtaking. I moved into my home for the next two years and finally unpacked after living out of my bag for multiple weeks.

About our home, let me just tell you... it is amazing. The Caribbean is 20 yards from my front door. It looks like it has weathered some serious storms, and knowing the location probably a handful of hurricanes. It has the charm of an old wooden battered beach house. (It would be condemed and called "unfit to stand" in the US) We have a veranda on the second floor that gives us an amazing view of palm trees and the Caribbean. On clear days on the horizon we can see both Guatemala and Honduras. It’s absolutely amazing and I feel so at home here.

There is something to be said for simple beauty, simple entertainment and a simple lifestyle. I run most days a few miles by the water (when the sun isn’t scorching), do yoga on the pier looking out over the water in front of my house and finish by jumping in the sea like a little kid on summer break. I have read 2 books since being here and sure that number will grow exponentially. In the states, I enjoyed reading but it is different here, to delve into a book while swinging in a hammock, being perfectly content with the silence is something I never had at home. I don’t wear a watch, don’t have a computer, don’t have a cell phone and haven’t thought about TV and I don’t miss any of it. I eagerly await the growth and great change this lifestyle with bestow on me.

I have to run to get ready for my home stay... every first year JV has to do a home stay with the population you will be working with, mine involves a two hour bus ride out to a Mayan Village where I will be living with a family, on my own for a few days. I am excited for such a cool experience and to get a peek into the Mayan lifestyle since a large part of my job will be working with the Mayan people out in the villages.... knowing myself this will also present some hilarious cross cultural mistakes. This will be one of those times where I will be not only the white guy in the village, but also, the white guy who is 3 feet taller than everyone else in the village haha. I hope I don't get eaten by a jaguar....

Be well. Stay in touch and email me about YOUR lives. And find the simple beauty in your own routine….