Background:
Belize is a small country roughly 8,800 sq miles with an estimated population of 330,000. It is located in Central America with Guatemala surrounding it's south and western boarder, while Mexico is just north and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Belize has a rich history surrounding Mayans.
I got to enjoy this relaxed tropical environment for about a week's time. It was truly beautiful with much of the country still in it's natural state. Meaning there are a lot of foreign influences in Belize within the real estate industry, so some places are built up for tourists and some are yet untouched.
The coastal area and reef is protected nationally so they are taking precautions against all of the tourism that Belize receives from year to year.
My Experience:
I stayed at Ambergis Caye, an island right off the coast of Belize. The main town on the island is called San Pedro. The photo to the right is a picture of one of the main streets on the main strip in San Pedro. There were lots of bikes, golf carts, motorcycles, and occasionally cars. A big part of San Pedro is it's tourism industry. I feel like most businesses around this town are centered toward tourism and necessary goods. Many families survive on tourism alone.
Before we could get to the island however, we had to either take a very slow ship or a puddle jumper to the island. The plane we flew over in is pictured to the left. This seemingly single propeller plane holds up to two pilots and 12 additional passengers.
Our flight from Belize City to San Pedro was about 15-20 minutes. Everything with the airport (Tropical Air) went smoothly arriving and departing. I would fly with this company again if ever to come back to Ambergris Caye.
My experience started with a stay at Coco Beach Resort. It was placed right on the ocean/sea front. There were two pools with a swim up bar and a hot tub surrounded in the middle of a cool shallow water pool. It was pretty extravagant and a bit expensive for my tastes. I didn't visit the swim up bar often because we stocked up on liquor at the airport. Buying your alcohol while you are at the airport will save you lots of money in the long run. When you get into town everything is jacked up for tourists. As a local you can often get things for a discount rate.
The conversation rate for US Dollars to Belizean Dolar is: 2 BZD to 1 USD.
So your money is basically doubled if you are using USD. =D
Coco Beach Resort had a in-pool rock wall/slide. It was great for kids and adults alike. I enjoyed scaling the sides and then diving into the 8 foot water surrounding the structure. All of the staff was very friendly at this resort and I got to know a few of them personally. One person in particular that stands out is a young man named Marcus. We were going to have him take us to the reef which spans along the coast for over 100 miles. The reef itself lies about one mile from the shore of where we were staying. So if we wanted to reach it we could take a kayak out and anchor it when we got near the reef. You are not supposed to touch the coral when you visit the reefs because the oil from our skin tends to kill coral. My mother sprained her ankle the day before so we unfortunately did not pursue this adventure to the reef with Marcus. Marcus was a relaxed local resort staff who was studying in his off time to become a tour guide. Meeting Marcus gave me an entirely different perspective on Belizean life that really I hadn't previously considered before visiting.
San Pedro:
After the night was coming to a close, we started our 20 minute walk back to Marcus and Dewayne's house, if you could call it that. I asked them if I could crash there because I wanted to see how they lived and had no other way to get back to my hotel safely so late. Let me tell you, I was in for a surprise.
I had realized right when I got to the island that the people were hungry for money. I hadn't realized why they were so hungry for money until I got to experience the daily accommodations of the typical locals. When we arrived to their house. There was a gate to get into the common area that they shared with 3 other families. in the middle there stood a rather large house, maybe 20ft x 20ft with two floors. This obviously housed a bigger family. Then once you go back a little ways in their "courtyard" there were 3 rooms basically in the back that were about 10ft x 10ft a piece. Marcus opened the door and I was amazed that TWO people lived there, I didn't think there was enough for one. There was one bed, two tables, one tv, a clothes rack, and some heating equipment for cooking food. If anyone wanted water they had to go to the faucet on the outside of the building. All 4 families shared 2 bathrooms which were basically holes in the ground in their "courtyard." This style of living was in complete poverty. I couldn't imagine having to do that from day to day but I suppose they have gotten used to it. The thing I thought was most special was that they seemed in fairly high spirits and they didn't let their living situation effect them. Basically they just went through the daily grind like everyone else. I really hope I meet them one day when I have more money so I could help them out with some of their expenses, they deserve much more then they have. Such is life sometimes though..
Chicken Drop:
On a lighter note... The San Pedro keno system is run through CHICKENS!!!!!
Anyways this experience was awesome and saddening at the
same time. When I returned to my luxurious hotel I felt the unbalance of the way people live and survive around Belize. I will truly take this lesson to heart and be more humble in my living and always keep an open mind to the way I live. Realizing that we have it so good in the United States really strikes you when you are away. I hope to take more adventures and see what the world has to offer. Next stop, ASIA! I'm thinking Taiwan or South Korea, but who knows!
Thanks again for reading. I hope you enjoyed the little bit of Belize I shared with you. Til next time!
