Belize Journal, October 26, 2016

October in Belize

Temperatures are cooler with daily rain showers. I still make it down to the pool several times a week. In fact, the other day biking back from the market, one of the resort employees was walking toward town and saw me. He shouted, “pool time, pool time. The big news in Belize has been the national teacher’s strike. Students were out of school for 9 days and then the teachers voted for another 2 days. They are asking for a 3% pay raise. Here is a link to a news article about the strike.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Belize-teachers-to-continue-strike-after-vote_76213

The rabbit has grown, and we have become more comfortable with each other. I had to leave him overnight for my visit to TumulK’in, and I thought I might come back to a torn up house. But everything was fine, and he seemed happy to see me—circling my feet and doing flips in the air. He can now jump onto my bed, so he visits me when I lay down at night. Rabbits are not exactly cuddly, but he lets me pet him when he is up there. I think he is beginning to learn how to do “kisses”—just to show you how silly a person can be with an animal. In case you are wondering, he doesn’t sleep on the bed and he has good bladder and bowel control. Apparently, in his world, what’s mine is his if he can get to it. He engages my attention for three things—food, play, and petting.

I was finally able to make it south to meet with the principal and the Maya language teacher at Tumul K’in (the Maya language high school), and I have been asked to act as a consultant. I am delighted and humbled to have this opportunity although they really know what needs to be done. I think my role is primarily moral support.

Other good news is that I have two chapters in an upcoming book—Honoring Our Teachers. Dr. Freddie Bowles is the co-author of one of the chapters. Also, as soon as I get the foreword from Dr. McCleod, director of the Scottish Gaelic program at the University of Edinburgh, I can complete the Choctaw language book co-authored with Leroy Sealy. Freddie was nice enough to give us a book review for the back cover. Ko, the Komodo Christmas Dragon a story by my very own grandson Eero Hand, has been completed and is off for proofing by the author and his parents. I am working as an editor for the Health Restoration Series by Dr. Kelly Miller. His first book, 13 Secrets of Optimal Aging, is available on Amazon.

I have two classes this term with the University of Maryland University College and two scheduled for the spring. I am also doing workshops for 5 to 8 year olds—children as authors—at the local library. I am keeping myself busy, and I hope contributing.

I haven’t made too much progress on completing the frames for the two futons. I am having a little difficulty finding the right sized boards. This is ironic in a country that was built around exporting lumber. And I have hit a little snag with setting up a website for a friend who wants to sell her Mayan baskets online. So everything isn’t perfect—I still have a few problems to solve. J