Belize Students Going Global 2019 - Day 2: A boa, sugar mill, termite snack and more! (6/5/2019)

Belize 2019: Students Going Global Day 2

Having a 5:45 wake up and 6:30 breakfast made for a very early morning, but it set us up for a wonderful day 2! Today was full of adventure and wildlife! The morning started off with a breakfast of eggs, meat, fruit and vegetables and then we went on a walk around the hotel to look at all of the beautiful flowers. After breakfast and filling our bellies, we started the journey with a bus ride that lasted an hour and fifteen minutes. Although some people are not a fan of transport time on a tour, it is one of my favorite things! A bus ride is an opportunity to ask our tour guide questions and see the countryside! We saw homes of various shapes and sizes, learned about the history of the flag of Belize, gained information about the Creole dialect and talked about the roadside food stands and how it is a way for people to make an honest living. Not only are bus rides a great way to see the country, without them you wouldn’t be able to see many destinations!

One of the things we learned about on the bus was the flag of Belize. colors represent the two main political parties. The Peoples United party is represented by the blue. Originally the flag was completely blue, but in 1963 the two red stripes were added to the flag to signify unity between the parties. The wood represents the mahogany tree, a towering, important symbol of the rainforest in Belize. The shade from the tree and leaves, along with the saying on the flag states, “Under the shade we flourish.” This not only shows the importance of the tree itself, but is a reference to the economy as well. Last but not least, the ship on the flag represents the importance of trade with other countries and throughout the country. Trade unites a people and goes with the theme of the colors as well. 

Along our journey to visit the Lamanai Ruins, we also learned about the importance of sugar cane to the country and many cities specifically in Belize. In the pictures below, you will see truck loads of sugarcane being transported to the factory. We saw quite a few sugarcane and mahogany trucks throughout our ride. We also had a chance to see a few more local supermarkets, schools and churches. We learned a lot about the school system, but I will save that information for day 4 as we will be visiting a school on that day and will have witnessed all of the information first hand. 

 

After our commute by bus, we took a boat for an hour an a half to get to the site of the Lamanai Ruins (ceremonial sites of the Maya). The boat was not only a means of transportation. We saw many animals and plants along the way. We saw turtles, great white egrets, crocodiles, bats, termites, and green backed herons. We also were able to discuss the water temperature, impact of tourism on the water and the lack of visible pollution (waster discussion to come later).

After the boat ride, we arrived at our destination, the Lamanai Ruins. The largest temple was believed to have been built in 50bc. These ruins soar in the jungle and are a beautiful sight to the traveler. As we were walking through the area, we learned that what we saw today is only 4 of 6 uncovered structures and that these 6 structures represent only 2% of the overall amount of structures in the area. In an area of 4.5 square miles they know of at least 738 structures and only 6 have been uncovered. To have seen what we saw and know that it was only 2% of what is actually there is incredible to think about. My students asked why the rest hasn't been unearthed and they said that they would need a very large donor to support the restoration and protection process. It take a lot of money to restore and maintain the ruins through weather and tourism alike. I couldn't help but think about how much we invest in future technologies when a lot of answers might be lurking in the unearthed past. History is a very interesting tool. 

The space below is one of the bathrooms of the living quarters. They know this because of the draining system of canals that you can view in the first picture. 

Not only did we see the ruins and large temples, but we were educated on the uses of many plants, including a leaf that had the numbing effect of anesthesia and the taste of All-Spice, a fruit that is used to make coconut oil, termite nests that are a valid source of protein for anyone trying to survive (almost all students tried them), and a sugar cane mill that was used for over 40 years...quite a long time ago. In the pictures below you will also see a boa constrictor that came across our jungle path, a playing court for Mayan ball and some wonderful views that allow you to see all the way to Guatemala! 

We had quite the workout while climbing all of these temples, but it was definitely worth it!

After our hike through the Lamanai Ruins, we were fed a buffet/picnic lunch by our guides. We had traditional rice and beans, fried plantains, steamed vegetables, habenero pickled onions, and chicken! They are really feeding us well and the kids are trying everything! I love getting to see them experience new things!

Along the return boat ride, they took us by the current sugar factory. This factory is the only source of pollution on the river. You could smell both the sweet smell of sugar as well as the smell of the pollution. I was amazed that although people travel along this river daily and it is a well know spot for travelers, we did not see ANY trash. Definitely a change from back home. This lead to a discussion on the effort of conservation in Belize and other Central American countries like Costa Rica. 

We also saw a crocodile (very briefly), and bats on the boat ride back!

After the boat ride, it was the bus that took us back to the hotel for dinner, an hour of poolside fun, nightly meetings and then bedtime! On the bus our driver put in a movie that the kids could watch if they wanted to. It was the Hulk from the 1980s! I think the adult chaperones got a kick out of this! Below you will see several of the sights from the ride home: a statue of a sugar cane worker, a toll booth, a truck loaded with mahogany, and an image that represents the growth and construction occurring in Belize, a still very young and new nation. 

Today was a wonderful day and tomorrow promises to be just as great! Tomorrow is a day of adventure! Until then... 

Fun quotes from the day:

-I am channeling my inner Mrs. Jackson.

-I have sweat more in the past three hours than in my whole life combined. 

-I promise, I know what they look like. I have seen them in cartoons. 

-Mrs. Potter, you should renew your vows here...and here...and here. 

-This is amazing, why don't we have one at home?

*Note: The videos that I posted yesterday and the ones that I have taken today are not posting due to bandwidth. I will be adding videos to the blogs when I return to the U.S.