Answering questions...

So Bridget asked me how you catch a fish using a hand line. It really is just a line with a hook on the end.  As far as cutting my fingers goes, its a relatively thick line, and when the fish tugs you let him pull as much line as he wants!  It makes for a longer fight!!! I have also heard that sometimes people use a bicycle inner tube to protect your fingers.  Most of what we are catching is in the 6 inch range, so its not always necessary.

   As far as what training is like:

 Here is a normal daily routine:

I wake up at about 630, breakfast (called tea here)  and hit class by 830.  Mornings are spent learning Kriol.  We start out with a song (yesterday it was "Gimme da tik") and then move on to the main portion.  We may focus on food, or transportation, or go on a community walk and talk to people etc.  Our classroom is our trainer's ice cream parlour (don't be thinking baskin robbins here folks)  I am picking up the kriol pretty quickly.   Around 1130/12 we head home for dinner (lunch)  which is the big meal in Belize.  Unlike other central american countries there is no siesta :(  I have until about 130, when we return and our group of 6 busses about 15 miles away to little tiny Georgetown. There we meet up with the other three Youth Development volunteers for technical training.  We have studied how to set up a community garden, some games/initiatives to play with kids, what the role of a YD volunteer looks like, work in our PACA books (participatory analysis for community action) etc.  Gtown is a tiny Garifuna town with a serious bug problem.  We be talking sand flies, horse flies, botflies, mosquitoes and my personal favorite....fire ants (dont lean on a tree, sit on the grass, go barefoot or generally do anything natureish.)  These guys are serious!!! Its almost comical....almost.  My legs looked like I had leprosy for a bit!!!

  So yeah, afterwards (about 5) I go back to the house, have tea (a tiny dinner) go for a run and hang out (read, study, shower, chat etc)  I usually end up crashing pretty early unless a few of us get together for a drink.  

    I find myself starting to get used to things and looking at this as my life, as a regular routine, and not as much like a vacation.  Its a cool transition and I am happy about it.

   Still dont know about the placement....Ill update that as soon as I can, but really, I am kinda just gonna go with whatever I am given and be happy...its all about the journey!

   And no placencia yet :(  headed to punta gorda (south), some mayan ruins and the Blue caves tomorrow though!!!!

   Spanish:   a bit.  One of the guys that works for my host father is Honduran and I get to speak with him pretty much daily.  I really want to maintain and improve my spanish, I have talked to another volunteer about getting a tutor eventually.  I really want to keep learning!!!

Thats about all!

jake