Get Away From Your Hotel... And Meet People

[Zelda]

Get away from the hotel and meet people

12:00 AM CST on Sunday, November 8, 2009 - Andrea Sachs, The Washington Post

To really enrich your Caribbean vacation, you need to meet the locals. Here are some programs that make that possible in a variety of settings.

(snipped)

Belize: Maya Village Homestay program, 011-501-227-2420; www.travelbelize.org or www.toucantrail.com.

Offers the opportunity to live with a Maya family and learn the customs of the ancient culture, such as harvesting corn, making tortillas and doing laundry in the creek. More than 20 families scattered in three villages near Punta Gorda, in Belize's southern region, participate in the program. Cost: $6 per day, plus tax and $7 in fees.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 55122.html

[~~Anita~~]

Something I have wanted to do.

Oh Lordy, lordy.......I've now got the actually number/information before me.
I always figured, when it came time, I could get the info from Dave Bunk. Where the heck is he???

Oh well, hold me back........We're-a-comin. (at least I'm trying).

I just have to figure out, how to get the rest of the family excited about this idea.

[Stokke]

I couldn't agree more...

This is an interesting post to me, because whenever my wife & I have visited Belize, the last thing in the world we wanted to do was hang out with other gringo patrons at our accommodations. The first time we were there was on our 25th wedding anniversary, and we went with her sister & her husband. It was their anniversary too, although we had 5 yrs. of married life on them. It was arranged by a travel service, and we partook of the typical "surf & turf" package. It was enough to allow me to see that there was a lot more to Belize & Belizean people than that venture allowed, so we went back again and again. Subsequently, we've stayed at the so-called lower end places which save us a LOT of money, as well as provided us with a more realistic picture of the place, and peoples.

Of course, being gringo's, we are defacto rich compared to most Belizeans; who among them can afford to flit about the globe to visit different places? So it stands to reason that we and others are hustled for money in a variety of ways, but since we ourselves can't afford to live it up like most western visitors on Ambergris Caye in a hotel with a swimming pool, we have found ourselves staying in much less expensive, and honestly more "real" places having an absolute time of our lives without being catered to by people we consider our equals, instead of servants.

Meeting people under these circumstances gave us a much better and realistic picture of Belize and belizeans than staying at some upper crust hotel could have ever provided. A bed is a bed, no matter where you find it. We don't spend much time in a room grooving on how soft it is, but if that is what spins the prop of others, I say go fer it. I myself don't feel comfortable in such places because I come from a family that could be considered a "have not" rather than a "have". My wife is amazed at how quickly I've been able to make connections and friends with the average Belizean, and I think that's because I don't consider myself to be above them in any way other than perhaps financially. People are people no matter what, and at the end of the day (or one's life) the true measure of a person can't be measured or calculated by their pocketbook.

If Belize didn't have the wide variety of interesting people it did, it would be just another place with a bunch of coconut trees. I'll never forget the time Deb & I were standing in line in the Belize bank in PG--there were women in smart business clothes with high heels, a rasta with bare feet, construction workers, gringo's, backpackers, queuing up behind velvet ropes while punta/reggae music played softly over speakers. The guard opened the door for all coming and going, and it was really nice that the air conditioning made the place feel like a meat freezer.

Belize is a wonderful place, & we can hardly wait to get back. Frankly, it's what keeps us going here, the idea that someday soon we're going to be able to do that again. No place is nirvana, but the wild imperfections of Belize, and the people, the beauty of nature there and all that happy crap is what sustains us here to keep on doing what we're doing so that we can realize our plan to maybe stay there someday. I really feel very much at home there. Pardon me if I sound like somewhat of a zealot or nutcase. This doesn't make much sense I guess when compared to other places, but to each his own.

I think that for a visitor to just hang around their hotel and not to visit the local fish or other market or bar is depriving themselves of a rich and varied lifestyle, but if that's what turns them on,that's OK too, because then I won't find myself in the position of having to tolerate them, or be embarrassed by their arrogant snooty attitudes, giving gringo's an even worse impression than they already have.

The pace of life in Belize suits me just fine. I don't need to be cuddled, pampered, or entertained by the hotel life. I know locals will always consider me an outsider, but that's OK with me too, cause I'll never be able to control what another person thinks. That's their problem, not mine. Thanks again for the post.

[Zelda]

here's another way to get away from your accommodations... in this case, a cruise ship... but sorry Stokke, it's a wimmin's group, LOL:

TOURISTS PAINT PAEDIATRIC WARD AT KHMH

November 11, 2009

Since its establishment the Lifeline Foundation has played an active role in philanthropy with special focus on the welfare of children across the country. The organization has in the past joined forces with schools, hospitals and other non-profits to better the lives of the impoverished and forgotten. Today’s initiative is nothing different; however, it is a first of its kind partnership as a group of tourists visiting for the day are busying themselves giving the Paediatric Ward at the KHMH a much needed sprucing up. It’s called Sweet, a collective of women concerned not only with traveling but more so with giving back to the many communities they visit while cruising the Caribbean. Shannon Wentworth, the organization’s co-founder, tells us how they decided on volunteering in Belize.

http://www.lovefm.com/ndisplay.php?nid=11054

one of our own OUR BELIZE board-members participated in this wonderful excursion !!

[~~Anita~~]

here's another way to get away from your accommodations... in this case, a cruise ship... but sorry Stokke, it's a wimmin's group, LOL

Hun, I may have to disagree with you on that. Well.....not disagree, but I have a cute little story on that.

Seems one of Mr Fruit Fizzy's art pieces have been entered into an Art Show by his teacher. It's sponsored by a "Womens Group". When I asked Mr. Fizzy if we were going to it, he yelled out, "NO WAY, it's for GIRLS, I'm not ALLOWED there!"

After explaining that I have seen men working in the yard there, and that there would be an Ice Cream Social following, he seemed to think that his presence there might be OK.

After all, some of us women, like having a few gentlemen hanging around to lend a hand.

Either way, Kudos to all....... who help out others.

Personally, I think the reason I like Belize so much is because I have met the people of Belize.

[collyk]

I was at the hospital with the tourists helping to host them and painting (I painted Patrick the starfish). It was great to see this sort of philanthropic tourism and hopefully more people will follow suit.

[Zelda]

I agree Colette, and I think the idea is the best I've heard of in a long time !!

didja get to meet Miss Kim ??

I read the story on Love FM *before* I saw your post about it elsewhere, and was thrilled to realize that I knew one of the participants in this fabulous deal.



I hope the idea spreads like wildfire... it seems a simple thing but the possibilities... are staggering.

I especially liked Kim's statement about keeping it focused on the children.

I can't wait to see what the NEX' ONE project will be.

[collyk]

I've met Miss Kim before at other Lifeline events. She is very nice and really does care about the causes she's involved in.