September Celebrations

OK, I realize I’m a little behind, but I thought I’d wish Belize a happy birthday! September is a month of celebrations countrywide. It’s kicked off with Carnival, a slightly scaled down version of the festivities found in many Caribbean countries, and is followed up with parades, fireworks and various other festivities celebrating St. George’s Caye Day (September 10th) and Independence Day (September 21st). 2008 marks Belize’s 27th anniversary as an independent nation, so independence fever runs strong.

I started the month’s celebrations at Carnival, in Belize City, trying not to get run over by floats or poked in the eye with feathers from the variety of outlandish costumes. Here's the Peace Corps Carnival crew hanging out on the median in the middle of the street, waiting for the parade to arrive. Unlike in the States, where people start showing up HOURS in advance to get prime seats, we were practically the only people around when we arrived an hour or so before the parade was supposed to start. Who knows when it actually started, but several hours later, when it did actually arrive, there was a packed crowd to welcome it. They call it Belizean time... But it was well worth the wait.



The next day I sat on the sidelines to cheer on my more masochistic fellow PCV’s, some of whom decided to brave the punishing tropical sun and filthy Belize City shoreline to participate in the Lionman triathlon.

A week and a half to rest up, and then I headed north to Corozal to ring in Independence Day with Matt, Rebecca, Jackie, Marcel and Rebecca’s sister Katie at a dance party by the sea wall. A good month was had by all.