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Why I Went to Belize I decided to go to Belize mainly because of my father, who died in 2002 but still remains a great inspiration to me. He was an educator for 50 years and, during his intrepid career, he helped plan schools in almost every Latin American country (including Belize). He was also quite adventurous and visited all seven continents, including Antarctica when he was 73.
Last September I was perusing the Portland Community College course catalog that's mailed to all Portland residents every quarter and I noticed an upcoming class called “Build a School in Belize." After reading the description, I decided that, as a tribute to my father and his work in Central America, I wanted to experience what he had, so I immediately signed up for it. This would be unlike anything I had ever done before but I had no hesitations: it was what I was supposed to do.
Over the next few months, PCC held three orientation sessions and after the final class, in January, the group had gotten to know each other a bit and I was stoked and ready to go. Our group included 16 women and 8 guys ranging in age from 39 to 72 and our leader was a terrific PCC instructor named Cecelia who had led several community service trips to Latin America during the previous 22 years but never to Belize. No one in our group, in fact, had been to Belize and none of us knew what to expect.
We would work with ProWorld, a service organization something like a privately-run Peace Corps. ProWorld was founded in Peru in 1998 and has since opened affiliates in Mexico, Belize, India and Thailand, each with a small full-time staff. Unlike the Peace Corps, ProWorld is self-funded from the tuitions received by volunteers and receives virtually no donations, grants, or government aid. In addition to paying my airfare, I paid $900 to ProWorld to cover my food and lodging, staff salaries, and the building supplies for our projects. Yep, you have to pay to volunteer but all the money goes to a worthy cause.
I had never done extensive service work before but I decided to sign up for the class because I wanted to help others and give something back, considering that I’ve been incredibly blessed with good health, a stable and supportive family, and the privilege of living in the world’s richest country. I also wanted to see Latin America, never having been south of the border. Well, o.k., once when I was camping in southern Texas I swam across the Rio Grande into Mexico just to say I've been there. But this time I wanted to see Latin America, uh, legally. Also, I’ve always been a pretty solitary person and wanted to see if I could live and work with a large group of total strangers. On that count, I think I succeeded.
Back in 2001 I quit my steady job in Portland to go traveling for a few years. After working at the same job for 10 years, I was drained and hoped that by traveling alone overseas I'd gain some unique insight into the universe and find more meaning in my life. While I certainly enjoyed my travels, that dramatic revelation never really happened – but it did after my trip to Belize. After working in Belize for a week, I realized that what brings me the greatest sense of accomplishment and happiness is not taking long trips or visiting distant places, but rather helping people. That's what I'm meant to do and it's a lesson I won't forget. My experience in Belize was incredibly amazing and I hope to convey in my writings here even a small fraction of my sense of awe, humility and personal fulfillment.
Above left: The three people who made my Belize experience special. This is my dad in 1999, a lifelong educator and adventurer, and the inspiration for me taking this trip. Above center: Jonny, the affable leader of ProBelize. Above right: And Cecelia, our wonderful PCC group leader. A big "thanks" to all of you!
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