People seem enjoy asking this one magic question. "Do you love Belize?" It's not just "Do you like Belize?" It always uses the word "love." Sometimes I smile and say, "Yes, I love it" and other times I just say I have not explored enough to fully answer the question. While I was staying the remote area outside of Belize City, it was not that much experience. Although, I did see Belmopan and St Ignacio as well and was not very impressed. It's not the place rather it's the cultural problems that get in the way.
To be frankly honest, I love my community project, I love my organization, but Belize is just not the place for me. We can't travel and love every place can we?
In the air, I smell something strong. I smell something like "Corruption."Things are shared with me that just don't add up and I can see why people have problems with the little support they receive. The food is expensive and the families can not afford to eat. It´s been going on for years and years and the government finally comes up with a solution. They give a bag of rice and beans to families in need. This just recently happened so what was going for the past 15 years?
There so much money earned from tourism yet where does any of it go? With their expensive prices for a boat ride, the price of the Cayes and scuba diving are ridiculous.
Why isn´t this money being properly filtered through the government to the people? Why are buildings not properly constructed or renovated?
For instance, the University of Belize is completely run down and old. Where was the money for a renovation after 20 years?
Some families are living in houses that are Unsafe for hurricanes yet the government does not make attempts to improve them.
Other countries are growing and developing and Belize just stays the same. It´s almost like it´s stuck in one era with the same culture repeating itself over and over. While there are cultural problems and corruption in many countries, this one is a special one. India has millions of people where as Belize is a tiny country-smallest in Central America, but the most expensive. Yes, the cost of imports cost a significant amount, but it´s way more than this impacting the economy.
Many locals discuss this corruption with me as they know it, they feel it, they live it everyday. It´s unfortunate to be stuck in a culture like this. A culture where there few rays of hope.
To be frankly honest, I love my community project, I love my organization, but Belize is just not the place for me. We can't travel and love every place can we?
In the air, I smell something strong. I smell something like "Corruption."Things are shared with me that just don't add up and I can see why people have problems with the little support they receive. The food is expensive and the families can not afford to eat. It´s been going on for years and years and the government finally comes up with a solution. They give a bag of rice and beans to families in need. This just recently happened so what was going for the past 15 years?
There so much money earned from tourism yet where does any of it go? With their expensive prices for a boat ride, the price of the Cayes and scuba diving are ridiculous.
Why isn´t this money being properly filtered through the government to the people? Why are buildings not properly constructed or renovated?
For instance, the University of Belize is completely run down and old. Where was the money for a renovation after 20 years?
Some families are living in houses that are Unsafe for hurricanes yet the government does not make attempts to improve them.
Other countries are growing and developing and Belize just stays the same. It´s almost like it´s stuck in one era with the same culture repeating itself over and over. While there are cultural problems and corruption in many countries, this one is a special one. India has millions of people where as Belize is a tiny country-smallest in Central America, but the most expensive. Yes, the cost of imports cost a significant amount, but it´s way more than this impacting the economy.
Many locals discuss this corruption with me as they know it, they feel it, they live it everyday. It´s unfortunate to be stuck in a culture like this. A culture where there few rays of hope.
All one can do is pray for people who are living within this culture against their will. Those who want something more and something better for themselves. The hope that they will improve their lives in their environment or they will get out to explore a whole new culture.
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