Fake hurricanes and tropical storms

First off I wanted to let everyone in the states know that I'm fine! I survived my very first tropical storm! Actually it wasn't bad at all but I'll get to that...
For the past few weeks that has been this rumor going around that there was going to be a fake hurricane, or a hurricane drill. Actually not to brag... but I may have been the one who put all the clues together and figured this out...
Anyway, last week I was busy at school for the first time, we were getting ready for graduation (graduation from primary school is kind of a big deal here. Early is the week we started getting texts from Peace Corps saying there was a hurricane (called Zeus) 900 miles off shore. Throughout the week it got closer and closer. First we were put on alert, than stand fast. In stand fast we aren't allowed to leave our sites and PC must know where we are at all times. Finally on Wed we got the call to head in to Belmopan to consolidate. When there is a big storm or something other safety concern we are moved into a hostel in Belmopan (which is inland) to make sure everyone is together and safe. Thursday morning we had a short meeting and talked about how this would work in a real storm. Friday I headed to Placentia with a bunch of other volunteers for a mini vacation. However this was short lived as we got a call that Tropical story Alex was on his way and we need to leave ASAP. They sent me to dangrigia to stay with another volunteer (Dangrigia is also on the coast but unlike Hopkins they have buses out all the time. Tropical storm Alex was no big deal where we were. There was a little flooding but there have been much worse storms since I have been here. Sunday morning we were given the all clear and headed home. So now I know exactly what to do in a hurricane and lived through my first tropical storm. All in all a pretty busy week. :)
This week school is out and I'm doing a whole lot of relaxing. I'm still living with my host family. My host mom just left for Mexico for a few days and two of my sisters are in Belmopan with their brother. Heather is home with me for a few days for summer school. I was supposed to move to my new house tomorrow but now it is Thursday so Heather isn't by herself. I'm going to miss my host family, I couldn't have asked for a better one. Luckily I'm going to live in the same village as them for 23 more months and can and will visit often. This summer I have a few things happening, I'm doing a reading camp in July with my counterpart and perhaps and a chess camp after that. Really the next 2 months are all about getting to know Hopkins and the people of Hopkins, and perhaps a new hobby....
All is well down here; still sweating more than I ever thought was possible... Life is good!
I'll write more later I just wanted everyone to know that I'm all good!

first 2 weeks = working about 8 hours..

These are the views from picking oragnes with Alex! AMAZING!




Alex and his neighbor walking to the oranges!


My Future bedroom!


Daine painted the floor. How cool is this??


My future Kitchen/Dinning room!


My view, its hard to see but you can for sure see the sea back there!


My little sister Zahan hanging out in our back yard!


This is seriously my back yard!


The house I'm currently living in! We live upstairs and the down stairs in currently empty. So great!


My amazing host mom hanging in our backyard getting ready to bathe in the sea!


An amazing sunset from our back porch


My host sister were really excited to see that I had a camera and took A LOT of pictures!


My beautiful host sisters. We were making oatmeal muffins, which if you were wondering were AMAZING!


So, all most of you know of my first two weeks of being a official PCV is that I still haven’t learned to walk right (one would think I would by 23!!). Well I’ll fill you in a little more.
First an update on my knee. Ok, I might have down played how bad these cuts on my knee really were. They are crazy deep. The day after I fell it starting hurting much worse and I called up the nurse at PC. I traveled in to see her in Belmopan the next day. (I’m not sure why but I can picture a lot of you asking what is evolved in getting there? Well thanks for asking! I have to first take a bus into Dangrigia, it may only be 15 miles but it takes a whole hour... how? Also a great question! From there I take another bus in to Belmopan that takes anywhere from 1.5 hours to over 2. I swear it’s different all the time!) So I got to Belmopan and first she explains that it’s infected pretty badly, also she thinks that my knee cap is actually broke! I went and got x-rays, and she starts me on meds. Alright, it’s not broke but she wants to see it again the next day so surprise! I get to spend the night in the lovely Garden City Hotel. (The hotel we always stay at while in Belmopan... and it’s... something! Let just say my standards have changed A LOT!) So I spent the night and then saw her again the next day. Finally Friday I get back to Hopkins at about 6pm. Ok, in case you were wondering so far I have worked a total at 3.5 hours as a volunteer. I rock!
Saturday morning I spent sitting on the beach (aka our yard) and chatting with my host mom and youngest sister. Sometimes during this I thought to myself “I hope I never forget this”. It was just so simple yet relaxing and amazing! Later on Silk grass (a small village about 5 miles from Hopkins) was having a school fair. I tagged along with my host mom and sisters. The fair was... quite? Ha-ha basically there was nothing going on. But good news! My fellow PCV and friend Alexander lives there and I was able to hang out with him! As we were sitting there bored his neighbor came up and asked if we wanted to go to his farm and pick oranges with him. Uhhh YES! We hopped in his car and headed about 20 mins off the main highway on a rough dirt road. It was possible one of the most amazing views I have ever seen! So we park and go and gather some oranges for us, we tried to find mangos but they weren’t ready yet. (Random fact did you know there are like 15 different kinds of mangos!?!?!) On the way back to the car we stopped and Alex’s neighbor got us a few coconuts done and cut them up with his Machete we drank them right there. It was amazing. It was a total moment of “this is what is about”. Good company and amazing adventures! After the farm Alexander got back on the bus with my family and me and headed back to Hopkins. We crashed on Diane's place (the other PCV in Hopkins and my future roomie...) It was a great relaxing night. I can’t imagine what I would do without the other PCVs. Sunday we spend the say swimming and walking around meeting people. It was so nice and just what I think we both (Alexander and I) needed. Monday it was back to Belmopan for 2 days so Jackie could see my knee again. Good news: It’s no long infected just gross and painful. But I have faith that it will get better soon! Hey and what a good story, "Oh yea I got that scar when I was in the Peace Corps in Belize". I love it! Yesterday it was back to work! (It’s about time!!!) It was good to be back but short lived as today I’m back in Belmopan to get my knee checked again, hopefully for the last time! Tomorrow however I will not being going to work. Instead I’m going to Caves Branch (a resort near Belmopan) to learn how to play chess. Hopefully I’ll have a chess camp if not this summer than next!
So many of you might be thinking roomie?? That means you found a house! Well yes I did! There is a PCV, Diane that has been in Hopkins for a year and a half now. She is wonderful and has been such a big held since I got here. She is also leaving in Sept or Oct. There for I’m moving in with her so I can have her house when she leaves! Its an amazing house and luckily I have a few pics for you. More to come soon I promise! It’s a great house and not far from the ocean at all. In fact not only can you hear it as you fall asleep but I will also have a limited view of it during the day. It’s a 2 bedroom so I have plenty of room for any visitors!!!! For real it’s amazing I’m luck to get it! I never pictured this being my pc experience but I’m deffanitly not complaining! I seriously can’t wait for everyone to come visit so I can show you just how amazing this country and this village are! There are not words to describe

Alright sorry this is so long and I don't have too many fun stories but I hope you enjoy the pictures! I'll update soon and hopfully with a better story!!!

First work day as a offical PCV!!

Warning: this post is in no way trying to make anyone feel bad for me or give me any sympathy! (not that you would) also, I am ok!

So my first official day as a volunteer!
this morning I went to school and watched a few teachers, it was great. Right before lunch I was talking to the principle and realized I didn't know Hopkins and had seen hardly any of it! We realized I would have to fix this! I took the afternoon off (I'm mainly working with reading and they do all the language arts in the AM). I was going to go explore! Now in Hopkins there is really only one street. It goes along the beach and I heard is 12 miles.. but I'm thinking.. 5? my host family lives down on the south side. Almost to the end of town. so I walked down to the end of town and met some really nice people! It was great! than I turned around and headed to the main part of town (meaning the police station and bus stop). On the way right in front of my school I saw the internet Cafe! Yes! I found internet in Hopkins! Oh wait! before I got there I may or may not (ok I did) have fallen HARD! My stupid ankles gave out and I bite it! but the road here are so bad.. I knew as soon as I fell it was bad. my ankle is sore but will be fine in a few days. my knee however isn't there is a one inch cube chunk out of my knee and some REALLY deep cuts. (once again.. laugh! don't feel bad) I have this history of falling everywhere but normally I have other volunteers to take pics and laugh and walk me home.. this time I was on my own! I walked back to my host families crying and blood oozing out.. it was gross. Here's the good news I got to see the health clinic! It's nice too! haha my host mom took one look and said we were going! a short mile walk down the beach and we were there! The nurse fixed me up! No stitches, cause its my knee. But I have to go back everyday to get the dressing changed! haha.. My first official day on the job! Winner!!!! As I was sitting in the health clinic crying as they dug out rocks, I was reminded by a nurse that I just needed to laugh. (I have never met her but she remembered me laughing last week)and after I remembered that I laughed for a good hour. Only me! The good news is I now know where to go when (not if) I fall again!!!

Now does anyone know how to get blood out of my shoes??? :)