Welcome to the Jungle

I've been out in the field again for a few days now and it is wonderful. A bit different than last year though. Before, I was at a site that didn't have a lot of trees, but was surrounded by cow pastures. So there was a ton of sun and not many bugs. It was nice.

This year, all the volunteers are working at one site, split into teams. Xnoha has a very different atmosphere than what I worked in previously. It is literally in the middle of the rainforest. Each morning we drive to the site, all of us bouncing around in the back of the trucks, until we get to this extremely muddy and treacherous dirt road – or really just tire grooves – that leads straight into the trees of the jungle.

When we walk to our team’s site, we have to make our way along a narrow passageway through the trees. The ambiance is just amazing. It feels like you’re stepping into Jurassic Park or something. You can hear the birds above you and the howler monkeys howling angrily in the distance. If you’re lucky, a spider monkey might pass overhead as you walk by and shake some trees at you. Finally there is a break in the trees and you see the familiar blue tarps hanging over the site.

Next time I have my camera with me when we go out, I'll try to take pictures or a video.

Back in Belize

Here I am, back in Belize, for another two week session with the Maya Research Program. It’s so great to be back! I didn’t realize how much I missed it until we were all on the bus heading from the airport to camp. It’s a two hour drive and we were all exhausted and sweaty in the humidity. The breeze felt wonderful coming in the old school bus windows, as we sat in the janky seats with our backpack straps flying in the wind from the racks above our heads.

I love watching the landscape of Belize rush by the windows. Everything is so green and luscious. The rundown little towns and neighborhoods put a lot into perspective. We are not in a first world country anymore. A lot of the time you’ll see little shacks along the road where people must live, since there is a clothesline with shirts hanging on it outside. When you do come across houses, even the bigger nicer ones, there is still an air of ramshackle-ness to them. They are all painted in beautiful bright colors that make me smile – baby blue, yellow, orange, sea green, even lavender purple. But they all have a slight grunge to them as well. Many of them are under “construction,” with metal rods sticking out of the roof. I guess in Belize you get a break in taxes if you are doing construction on your house, so a lot of people start constructing these second floors, with no intention of ever finishing them.

The drive went by quickly. The first half was pretty smooth, since a lot of the roads in Belize have recently been repaved. But the second half was a lot bumpier. It felt like some sort of theme park ride, bouncing up and down in our seats. But soon I could see the top of the hill with the silhouettes of all the cabanas at base camp. It felt like coming home.

Another Adventure

I've decided to start this blog to document my trip this summer, and any travels I may embark on in the future. I must warn you, I have this horrible habit of never fully finishing a travel blog. (see Paris et Moi or You better Belize it!) So forgive me in advance.

Tomorrow I start my journey to Belize and Peru. I will be participating in two different archaeological digs, and I'll be out of the country for a total of eight weeks. My internet will be spotty so I will try to post as often as possible.