Electricity? Hopefully soon.

We did it, we are no longer homeless! The last few days have been a lot of fun. On Sunday, I went to church at a local branch. They were having a district conference. We were able to meet the mission president and the area authority. They were both extremely nice and asked us how they could assist us. I really enjoyed the one talk that was in Spanish, and tried my hardest to understand. I am still amazed at how easy the Spanish is to understand. He came up to me after and said, "Ah, you speak Spanish (I looked at him, and not the translator). It broke my heart just a little that I said, "No... just English." I want to start studying the language and see how much I can learn this summer. After that, Hilary and I walked up to the top of Cahal Pech and looked over the valley.

On Monday, we met with Richard to see the house across from the school. This house is a lot more spacious than the other. We decided to go with the more spacious house because it is more secure. After we looked at the house, we went and met with Berta at the school. After lunch, we went with Richard, Berta, and Lucille (Richard's wife) to an agricultural center outside of town. We are trying to figure out a way that we can prevent the rain from destroying the gardens. We are going to build the beds out of concrete instead of wood and then put up structures over them so that the rain doesn't kill the plants when it comes in June. The agricultural center gave us a lot of really good information. We were initially thinking about building a steel structure to protect the garden from the rain, but it would have been very expensive. We might still use steel, but only to cover the beds, rather than an entire green house. I liked the design that the agriculture center used--sort of a half dome over the top. That evening, we went up to the track above the church and ran a few laps. It was good to get out for a bit!

Tuesday was a holiday. Labor day. The only difference between the US labor day and the Belize Labor Day: they actually observe Labor Day here in Belize. It looked like a bit of a ghost town. When we met Gilly on Sunday (who is ironically married to a friend of mine's former mission companion), we set a time to go visit him in Soccutz to finish a project that was started last summer. The town of Soccutz is right next to a cluster of Mayan ruins, but no tourists ever visit the city. They get off of the bus stop or tour bus and go right up to the ruins. Gilly (the mayor) worked with Help last year to put up street signs in the town, and then have a large town map by the bus stop and small handouts with the map and some advertizing of the city. Some of the shops in the town have bought in for advertizing on the map. We need to contact them to get their help in paying for the printing of the maps and we need to get the big sign printed and posted by the bus stop. Getting to Soccutz was a bit hard since everything was closed, and the busses ran half as often. We got back from Soccutz, and couldn't get much else done since the city shut down. We stopped at a hut for lunch, and it was the best burrito that I have had since arriving. Not as good as the beans, rice, shrimp in mango sauce, and jerk-flavored veggies from the first night, but this place was supper yummy. We then went back to the hostel and did some research and office work.

Wednesday marks one week in Belize. We moved into the house, and I am missing electricity, internet, and the AC that we left behind. We got the keys to the house at 10:00 this morning. We then went to one location to open the accont for electricity and then to another to pay for the account. We asked when they could get it turned on and they said, "Soon, maybe tomorrow." That wasn't too comforting. We then went to the water place and they told us that we have to have the meeter number and a receipt from the landlord saying that we have paid rent. We got it, but they were closed for lunch and we had arranged for a driver to take us to Belize City to pick up the beds. They were given to the mission while we were gone, but the missionary that they left them with had gone home, so we have been calling around to half a dozen different people trying to figure out where they were. We didn't think that we would get it, but they were tracked down this morning and we were able to go get them. When we got back, we went back to get the water figured out. We had all the necessary information, but they told us that we have to have the landlord with us in order to go. Luckily, we have water in the house, but it isn't in our name. After we finished up with getting the water, we realized we hadn't eaten all day. Hanna's came highly recommended, so we headed over there to try it out. It was BIG and pretty good, but I think that I still prefer the hut by the bus station. We then went to the main street and used the WiFi at a local restaurant that we made friends with and did some office work.

We got back at the house and it was still dark. At one point, Hilary just asked me a question, and I looked up to respond. After me talking to her for a few minutes, she said, "You know you aren't looking anywhere near me, right?" It made me laugh. We ended up doing some shadow puppets with the lights from the street for entertainment. 

Other tid bits:

1. We went to an elementary school, and they had a hyena tied up outside the school. The picture above is not of the Hyena school, but it is one where Richard recently finished building new bathrooms (they are not pictured).  We have the principal of the school on the right, and Lucil (Richard's Wife int he middle).

2. Tigers are apparently wild. I want to catch one by the toe.

Oh, our house is super secure. The previous owner was robbed in his home outside of the city, and this was his pharmaceutical office, so it is SECURE! I mean, a huge, thick fence, and padlocks everywhere, and bars on all the windows. The one thing that we are going to remove are the cameras in the house.

On Thursday, we went to get the electricity secured.  We brought them an old bill that we found in the house so that they would have the meter number and address.  They said that they would have it set up by the end of the day.  We  had more difficulties with the water company in the morning, and then we had a meeting with the George Price Center of Peaceful Development.  We had a really great meeting with them, and we talked about working on the peace camps at the end of the summer.  We also talked about reading camps.  It was good to go meet with them.  They also said that they would be more than willing to work with us on any other projects that we come up with.  We got back to the house... and we were still without power.  We decided to go running and just enjoy the evening. 

We woke up early and called the landlord and went straight to the electric office.  Apparently, the last tenates of our house took the meeter with them.  The landlord had to call an electrician to come and instal everything.  This meant that we had to spend the day in the house  without electricity.  It was soooooo hot.  Hilary and I ended up tag teaming it to go run errands.  We went back up to the electric company at one and gave them the new meter number.  She said that she would send someone over immediately.  This did not happen.  At about 5:30, HIlary and I gave up and decided to go charge our phones (which are dead) and computers at a local cafe that has WiFi (and that is where I am at currently).  Once we got here, I realized that I left my charger back at the house (it was dark!).  I ran back to the house and made a friend on the way home.  This guy rode his bike up to me.  He told me all about himself.  He works at the boxing gym (don't worry, he showed me his muscles).  When he said that he was a blackbelt, I thought "Crap, I'm in trouble if he tries anything." He offered to teach me how to box.  He said that I need to keep my body in shape so that I can be strong when I am old.  He was 60.  This is where Hilary and I are now... in a cafe in what I call the tourist district.  There are more americans than locals.  I'm not complaining.  There is light and a fan pointed right at me.  Unfortunately, we will not have power until next week because it is the weekend.  We were also able to set up some more project with a great local NGO here.  I'm pretty excited, and look forward to having our volunteers arrive.  It should be a lot of fun! They get here next Thursday....We have almost everything done.  We just have to get water delivered to the house, and get the electricity turned on.  Other than that, we are about ready to go!  At least we have running water...  It has honestly been a lot better since I found my head lamp and can ready by light at night.  I finished my first book, and have started studying spanish.  I am understanding why every one from the MTC district was catching on to Italian so quickly--they are so stinkin similar! 

Hilary took a picture of me and the shadow puppets.

Still lovin' Belize--think Pirates of the Caribbean.  That is the best comparison.  :)