Hola amigas y familia

So this is a big week. On Friday we find out where we will be living for the next two years and what our primary projects will be. That also means that our training will be over soon and we will be on our own. Well not really on our own, we live with a new host family in our new town for a least another month then we can start looking for our own place. We will miss Succotz and our host family. We have been spoiled, our family is so kind and so good at cooking. I feel like I really have become close to my host mom Marisol and her mother and son in the last few weeks, I don't want to leave them. I will also miss our beautiful village, with its gorgeous river, friendly people, and running water (most of the time).

In the last week like Cisco I have finished a presentation in front of 18 volunteers entirely in Spanish, a community service project which I will talk more about soon, a presentation in front of my peer group, and this Sunday I do a presentation in front of the youth band I am working with. Also, on Saturday morning we will be throwing a goodbye fiesta for our host families. It has been a busy and slightly stressful two weeks. The stress here is very different, even when I am busy I still have time to take naps, and read for hours each day. So far I am not disliking the slower lifestyle, I have already read 8 books. Which by the way are a great thing to send as long as you don't want them back. Any kind really we have enough time to try them all. So, this community service event was a learning experience. Cisco, Roma, Elsa, and myself the four peace corps volunteers in our town organized a trash pick up day in our village with the two youth groups we are working with. We had to do it at 2 because that is when they usually meet and is most convenient. Of course, that was during the hottest part of the day and we walked around picking up trash for 2 and a half hours in the 98 degree sun. Also, keeping the kids working and motivated was no small task, and of course none of them remembered to bring bags and gloves. It was not an easy day but I would call it a successful one. We collected around 30 bags of trash and the kids more tired but I think proud of themselves. Also, planning events like this with other people that you still don't know very well is very challenging and a learning experience in a of itself.

On a completely different note I want to keep sharing things specific to Belize because I want all of you to be a part of our learning experience.

The youth unemployment rate is 21 %
65% of the population is under 30 years of age
The HIV rate is 2.8-3.4% of the population
In 2008 20% of people with HIV/AIDS were between 15-24 years old
More than 50% of teachers are untrained
From 1990 to 2004 the literacy rate went from 89% to 75%
According to The Economist Pocket Book Belize is the murder capital of the world, Belizeans don't believe this to be true, neither do I.
Domestic violence and sexual abuse are serious problems with the women and children in Belize, I don't have statistics on this yet but I can assure you the stats are terrible.

This information isn't to paint a negative picture of Belize it is just reality. There are lots of things that need to be fixed, that's why we're here! That's why PCV's are placed here instead of Iceland (one of the top developed countries in the world)

Also some food for thought. One session we have each Friday is Development with Bryan, it is our favorite session of the week and we always look forward to it. Development can be defined loosely as aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for future generations. This is exactly what we are being called to address as volunteers so each week we discuss the reasons we became volunteers and ways to help with sustainable development. One question I thought was especially interesting and I would be interested in your thoughts is
"Should a soccer mom in the US care about the living conditions for kids in one of the most impoverished villages in Belize, why or why not? Please feel free to share and if you want to share with us but not everybody just put that in your post and we will read it but not post it. Please be honest about your answer we heard some good arguments for both sides and I am curious about how people in the states feel.

Well one more unrelated thing, I want to wish all my Western High School graduates CONGRATULATIONS! I am not sure what day ya'll graduate but I know it happened or happens soon and I miss you all and am so proud of you. Please email me about where you are going, what your major is, and who your living with everything, I want to keep up with you. Thanks so much to those of you that have sent messages and emails I love hearing from you. And CONGRATULATIONS to all the teachers that made it through another year your almost done:)

Until we meet again, adios mis amigos,
Kathryn