Culture Shock

I guess I really need to talk more about my time in Belize, don't I? The great thing about this trip is that it is so multi-layered. On the one hand, I'm experiencing the Caribbean and island life like any other tourist. On the other hand, I'm getting a more cultural experience by being in the schools, meeting the locals, and being here for five weeks -- which is a lot longer than I realized now that I've been here four days.

The local culture of Belize is such a melting pot. The people here are Hispanic, Mayan, West Indian, European, or of African origin. It's often hard to tell who is a local and who is a tourist. Oh, and I also forgot to mention the many Chinese who call San Pedro home. When I stopped by the high school, I saw a few students of Chinese origin, which was cool.

The language here is similarly a melting pot. It's not hard to hear a local speaking perfect English, then flowing directly into Spanish, then using the Creole that is spoken here, which is a combination of English, Spanish, and Mayan phrases. Walking down the three streets of San Pedro, you get a shocking sense of just how diverse this tiny town is.

Still, it is also totally possible to be here and not really experience that culture. Tourist traps abound and we've already noticed how American and European tourists pay a little more at the fruit stands and other vendors that line the streets. Maybe we'll start to fit in more once we've been here awhile. We're going to a teacher's home tonight to eat dinner with her and her family, so we'll see how that goes. All in all, I'm loving it here!