Honduras

Since Mexico and my two full days of sitting on my ass driving or boating out of the country I have passed through Belize and am now in Honduras. I was in Belize from last Sunday until Friday, when we took a boat into Honduras. Belize was a really funky place. The difference from Mexico hits you as soon as you cross the border. There is a lot of diversity in Belize, traditional Mayans, Garifuna peoples descended from slaves, pirate descendants, Spanish and British Colonizer's descendants and of course all the the people in between. Technically they speak English in Belize as it used to be British Honduras but really the people grow up speaking Creole which comes from English but is like listening to a completely different language. Examples of creole:
"Beta noh lita"- don't litter
"pik ney"- children
"lef"- leave
"wanna go so o so?" -want to go this way, or that way

Its like English in a blender! It was almost uncomfortable for me to hear a language that I knew but in a way I didn't know, like my brain couldn't process why it couldn't understand!! The culture can be described in one phrase, "everything is everything," which from what I understand means something like everything is just how it is, so.... I saw a lot of negative effects from that cultural mindset. There is so much poverty. Also there is an interesting part of their romantic culture. It seemed like they just trade lovers, one couple has a few kids and the whole time they cheat on each other and then they break up and then they repeat that cycle again and again- endlessly. I don't really say that as an outsider, these are words taken out of locals mouths. We were there with Jalima's family and really got sucked into the life there and experienced it as family would rather then as tourists. I was really kind of bothered with that mindset. It is so different than the experience I had in India where the mentality was "everything is possible," or "sab cuch malega." Rather than embracing the limits they embrace the potential of life. I guess here is where we realize the lessons in discovering the differences in cultures...

On a last note, like I said, I am in Honduras now. On a island called Utila. The reef is supposed to be some of the best in the world here and there is a big diving culture. On a whim Vita and I decided to get certified. We start today and will be done in four days. In the end we will have like 3 or 4 open water dives under our belts!! Anna should meet up with us in like six weeks, and I think Carlee Ann will meet up with us as well. All is wonderful and still very "sab cuch malega" with me!!