So the internet has not been too good here!

5/30/2012

We had a full day at work! And i'm super excited! Basically we put these:

 Into these:

 And filled it up with gravel until it looked like this:

Then started to pour sand on it as seen on the bottom right of the picture until the tank was full and that's the water filter! We had a long, physical day at work but it was very cool. We're going back out tomorrow and it will be another full day hauling sand, but I'm very excited about it!

5/31/2012
Well, I started blogging yesterday and then the internet cut out on me so i wasn't able to post it so i just gave up and hung out with people. But like i said yesterday we had another full day! We ended up finishing filling the 4th tank with sand, backflushed the system to clean it out and are done with that part of the project. Now all we have to do is make the system into parallel and then we're good to go!

But the story of the day! Myself, Colby, Anna, and Caitlan, go to the store right around the corner because the girls wanted some water. So myself and Colby are hanging outside while the Anna and Caitlan are getting water and this dude goes up to the girls and says something along the lines of "I dont mean to disrespect you ladies but you guys are queens. You guys are pretty!" So they say thanks and start walking out of the store and we think that's going to be the end of it. So then he comes out and starts telling us about the Garifuna culture and how he's Garifuna. Halfway through though he's all "you guys got some water, well i got something i'm sipping on" and holds up his water bottle and it's half full of alcohol. So he shows us these earrings and necklaces that he's made and essentially gives them to us after trying to convince me I should take the earrings. This dude is a little intoxicated, not too much but a little. Then this guy that's in uniform from a telephone company comes up and starts talking to us and is all "This guy worked for us, he's a real nice guy!" essentially backing up this tipsy dude. So then the original guys is all "I'm cones, like ice cream." lol Then we said goodbye and left. Moral of the story: if a guy named Cones introduces himself to you, talk to him. He's hilarious, will give you stuff, tell you about his culture, and say some inappropriate things I can't quite mention on the blog. lol

In other news I got word from Dr. Soerens today that the water survey that I was heading up is now officially back on. So now we're going to have a week to do this instead of 3 weeks! lol But I'm very excited. I'm hoping that we'll able to get the best numbers we can within the time frame we have. I know alot of people that are willing to help out so I'm pretty confident we can get some done.

So my culture insight of the week that that Belizeans are proud of Belize and you better not talk bad about it. I'm very confident in saying that I haven't heard a true Belizean talk bad about Belize the entire time I've been here. On the contrary, I've heard only pride in Belize. I'm not talking about the Texas cocky pride, but true pride that comes from the heart. Specifically a gentleman named Tony. Tony runs Billy Barquedier National Park, where our water filter system is. We've been talking quite a bit since i'm out there most days, and I can just tell that he loves where he is from and loves Belize. He takes pride in his career for caring for the jungle and the park, and he puts it's needs before his own. I'm simply blown away by this because if you talk to me I will talk trash about Texas and Oklahoma and anywhere I've been. Tony, however, is proud of Belize and can sit and talk for hours about it and you can tell that it is his home and that he feels very comfortable here. I just thought that it was something worth mentioning that Tony is a prime example of a true Belizean. Prideful in his heart, caring and hospitable by nature, and loving in his soul. I recommend anyone wanting a true experience to come to Belize, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Anyways, I hate to make it such a short week with the blogs, but we're off on another excursion to San Ignacio this weekend. Again, I won't be taking my computer so I will have to tell you guys about it when I get back!

Thanks again for keeping up with these! I don't know exactly who does but I know how many people come to my page and I really appreciate ya'll keeping up with it so thank you!

-AB

6/4/2012
 Wow guys i'm so sorry! I haven't been able to get on the internet since wednesday. Hopefully ya'll kept reading until this point.

I had alot of fun in San Ignacio because we did the ATM cave tour and it was awesome! We went about 600 meters into an old Mayan cave and saw where they did Mayan rituals. We had to travel in, going around rocks and stalactites and stalagmites that were gorgeous because they were crystalized and shiny. We had to go through really tight spaces, and swim at some points. And the water was freezing! It was probably in the 60's but it was beautiful. Then we had to climb up these rocks to get to this room where they think the Mayans worshiped, did rituals, and made sacrifices. It. Was. Sweet. There were pots everywhere, and even bones! There was one that they think it was a girl, but her hand clearly had been cut off before she was sacrificed because it was a clean cut in her bones. Oh man, it was awesome. Unfortunately a tourist dropped a camera on a skull three weeks ago so they dont allow camers in so i have no pictures. But in all seriousness, you haven't lived until you've done the ATM tour in Belize. It's amazing.

Well i'm sure it's long enough so i'll post more later to give you a break from reading. Sorry it's been a while since I posted last. Hopefully this week will be better!

-AB