Life Happens

Life happens,

regardless of our plans.

Just sometimes, though, 

our plans might be pointing us the wrong way.

We can be so stuck on one way,

that we miss out on something better.

Since moving to Belize,

I've tried to keep an open mind and be flexible.

Recently, though, I set my heart on something.

I had the opportunity to visit Cayo, another district of Belize.

Since I haven't been able to find a permanent living situation here in Independence,

I decided to check there.

Success!

The first place I looked at was great,

and I knew I would feel comfortable there.

There were a few inconveniences,

but I had set my heart on moving in.

I continued looking at other places,

but that just made me more sure.

Just a few days later,

I got in contact with the woman,

and then it happened -

Disappointment.

Last minute, her parents decided they're going to come visit for 6 months,

and they'll need that room.

For the first time since I arrived,

I was thrown for a loop.

And then I crash landed.

Considering that this was my first really stressful moment,

that's actually not too bad.

With the help of amazing friends,

I quickly figured out a new plan.

Upon further consideration, I began to see that it might actually be better.

I've since moved to Cayo,

but into a small studio apartment.

Basic internet is included (which the first place didn't have),

and I'm in the same building as some very good friends.

There is a large veranda area with an amazing view,

and I can see that this was a good choice - 

even if it wasn't my original one.

A beautiful area of Cayo called Spanish Lookout.

A ferry I went across in Spanish Lookout.

Use It or Lose It

It's hard to believe,

but I've been in Belize for two and a half months.

Somehow the time has gone by both fast and slow.

I'm not quite sure how that works...

Shouldn't it be one or the other?

No matter what, though, I've always had a place to live and everything I need to sustain life.

In other words, Not Dead. That's always a perk.

("Empty Hearse", anyone?)

Up till now, 

I've been living off my savings and the generosity of my awesome friends.

That money is going to run out, unfortunately, 

so I've been attempting to make a living working on the internet.

As you may have gathered, I love the English language -

both in it's written and spoken form.

Yesterday, I set up my teaching profile on BuddySchool.com.

I'm going to be a practice partner for anyone who is already learning English -

fun conversations on their favorite subjects, 

helping them to connect what they're learning to their life.

Hopefully this will allow me to do a few things:

Share my love of English,

and be able to stay here in Belize.

So, that's the plan!

If you would like to help me out,

or if you know of someone who is learning English,

tell them about me :)

The link to my profile is here:

https://buddyschool.com/profile/show-profile/68928/practice-english-with-a-canadian

The first lesson/conversation is free (30 minutes),

so we can have a chance to figure out what each of us has in mind.

It's done via SKYPE.

My username is: amiemorgan

Adventure Is Out There!

This past Saturday I went on an adventure!

I love adventures.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary was the chosen location,

and it was beautiful.

One of the trails – Tiger Fern – is 2 kilometres long, and aptly marked as “strenuous”.

I was afraid it would kill me, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised.

Don't get me wrong, I was plenty tired and hungry.

I wasn't sore, though, which was pretty amazing.

I've been in Belize for almost 2 months, and that gave me the advantage I needed.

Life here consists of walking or bicycling everywhere – everyday.

Here's some pictures for you!

What Makes A Writer?

I've known I'm a writer for a long time.

I felt it growing up,
when the thoughts in my head demanded to be written down.
It wasn't a choice.

Our family had a tradition.
Once a month, we made a trip to the city for work supplies and groceries.
The day would always end the same way – a special treat:
perusing overpriced books and home decor at Chapters, whilst drinking overpriced coffee.
Afterwards, we would escape reality for a few hours.

Some people say that going to the theatre is dying off.

I, however, am not one of those people.

Movies are special.
Going to the theatre is like being immersed in their world.

The lights in the theatre dim,
and I can barely see the person sitting next to me.
The sounds surround and echo through me.
I close my eyes.
I'm there,
in that world.
The characters are real,
alive.
For a little while,
there's nothing else.

Afterwards, sitting in the back of our blue Caravan on the two hour drive home,
stars studding the night sky,
I would contemplate the deep and hidden meaning of the movie we had just watched.
Even if there wasn't one,
that didn't stop me from trying to find it.
If there was a character I related to,
or one I aspired to be like,
it would consume my thoughts.

I felt a surge of life and new energy.
Despite just watching something that wasn't real,
I now had a renewed desire to live life to the full.

It was a reminder to me that:
just like a writer can create a character,
I can create myself.
I can be whoever I choose to be.


Amidst all these thoughts darting through my mind like shooting stars,
I would attempt to write them down in a logical way- if only to me.
Not because I wanted to,
but because I had to.

As a thought started taking shape in my head,
I would scramble for paper and a pen,
hoping to get it down before I lost it forever.

That is a terrible tragedy -
losing something you never really had,
knowing it could have been special.
It could have been great.
Like a life that was never lived,
but should have been.

What would they have done?
Who would they have been?
I'll never know,
and that makes me sad.

Lost forever.

I'm not a great writer,
but my thoughts are pieces of me.
When I lose them,
I feel it.

That's how I know.
I'm a writer.

Are you?

Bottle or Bag?

I missed a week.

It feels that way, too.

I've been a touch busy.

Along with moving in to a new place and suddenly having a packed schedule,

I've also had a few misadventures:

nearly blowing myself up,

and the cat attempting suicide - or trying to get high; I'm not sure which.

I've been in Belize for about a month and 10 days.

Slowly, I'm adapting and learning how not to look like an idiot.

It's going to be a while...

On Sunday, my roommate and I went to get some pop from the store.

As I was buying mine, she passed me a small plastic bag that was hanging beside the counter.

I found it a bit odd –

I hardly need a bag.

It costs $1.25 to buy a pop in a glass bottle, but there is a money saving trick:

if you return the empty glass bottle to the store right away, then it only costs $1.00.

The cashier only charged $1.00, 

but she had never asked if I was going to give the bottle back or not,

so I didn't think about it.

My roommate opened her pop, and proceeded to pour it into the plastic bag.

What are you doing?

A bit confused, and very clueless, I proceed to leave the store.

She reminds me that I need to return the bottle, and I finally clue in -

Wow, I'm an idiot.

“Have you ever drank pop from a bag before?”

“Nope, this is my first time.”

I'd like to say that I'm normally sharper, but I can't promise you.

What I can say is that

when the cat licks a poisonous frog and starts drooling,

I'm handy to have around.

I'll save that story for next week – The Cat and The Frog.

Wild Things

There is no shortage of wildlife in Belize.

I love animals, 

and in general, I don't have an issue with bugs.

Spiders, however, are another matter.

I've been doing pretty well, though,

not freaking out when I happen upon them in my bedroom and kitchen.

I thought I'd save you from my babble this week,

and give you a bit of a slideshow instead -

Here are some of the Wild Things I've encountered so far.

Enjoy!

(All photo's taken by me - Amie Morgan)

Mothra

Lots of geckos. They're pretty awesome.

Can you spot him?

A Jesus Lizard

My lil' frog buddy

Winter - she's plenty wild ;)

Food Creations

Living on a tight budget can present different challenges...

Eating, for example.

I love food, and tend to get a bit ravenous when there's not much to be had.

The best money saving tip, which a few people have told me, is to eat the way the locals do.

They don't have a lot of money either.

My new friends are rice and beans.

This is a typical Belizean meal.

In a small pot with a bit of oil, I'll heat up some re-fried beans,

adding a bit of water, salt and pepper, and some BBQ sauce.

This is actually very tasty.

I'm doing my best to stay Gluten-Free,

and so far I've succeeded (despite temptation)!

I finally got around to buying some corn flour.

Since then, I've been able to make pancakes

and attempted making tortilla's.
Afterwards, I learned the secret ingredient that makes all the difference:
Lard.
They turn out much better!

I gathered some recipes specifically for corn flour.
I've tried a few,

and am looking forward to trying the others out!

Here's some pictures and recipe links of my creations so far  ^_^

My awesome room mate made this, actually.
Re-fried beans, rice, very tasty chicken, and excellent corn tortillas.

Tortilla FAIL! I followed a recipe, but all it called for was flour, salt and water.
I've since learned the key ingredient: Lard! 

This is a really simple, easy recipe: Garlic Chicken.
The baking dish I used must have had a defect, though, because it cracked in two :/

A easy and inexpensive lunch: Tuna spread on tortillas,
with BBQ sauce for extra flavour.

Some friends very kindly gave me their stash of  TruRoots Gluten-Free Penne Pasta,
which they weren't using. Score!

The pasta turned out great,
and I attempted to make a "garlic bread" tortilla.
It would have been fine, but I burned the garlic...

Gluten-Free Corn Flour Pancakes.
Really easy, and very good!
That's mango on the side.

Online Work Options

Never Give Up, Never Surrender

If you haven't already noticed, that is very much my mindset.

Not to say that I always follow through – I wish that I did – but, I believe there is almost always a way to succeed, if you really want to.

'Wanting to' is the key. 

If you don't want something, you won't fight for it.

I'm now in Belize, 

and everything leading up to my arrival seems like a blur.

I certainly didn't do it on my own,
but what I did do is start saying that I would come.

A definite - the when and the where decided, with the desire to do it.

That's what I started with, and little else.

Certainly very little money.

I started the ball rolling,

and everything has been falling into place since then.

I did have the advantage of a free temporary living situation when I first arrived,

but after only a few days I was able to move in with a young woman engaged in the same volunteer work. She was looking for a roommate to help out with the rent, as well as for added safety,
and then I showed up!

After this month she returns to the States, but I already have a house sitting gig set up – rent free!

Can't beat that.

The next big thing is money.

I have some savings, but that will eventually run out...

ONLINE WORK OPTIONS

I've been researching different options for online work,

in the hopes that at least one will work out.

oDESK - 

I've looked into online freelancing websites before, and it was difficult to find one that was reputable, and not overrun with freelancers who were charging hardly anything at all. I got a bit disillusioned.

If you're not familiar with freelancing websites, they allow you to do almost any job that doesn't require your being there in person: data entry, social media advertising, e-mail management, customer service, etc.

On my second day in Belize, however, I heard about other volunteers like myself that have been able to make a living using one of these freelancing websites: oDesk.com.

“If it works for them...”

The website has lots of guidelines and safeties in place, to protect both the freelancer and the client.

I've since set up my profile, and applied for two job postings.

To increase your appeal to potential clients, oDesk has a number of tests you can take on a large variety of subjects. You are scored, and can then choose to post your test results on your profile. This allows the client to see if you really have an understanding of a certain field – Customer Service, for example.

I'll keep you posted as to my experiences with this website.

CONVERSATIONAL ENGLISH –

I know many that have been able to make a living teaching English, either online or in person. Personally, I find the thought a bit daunting. And yet, in talking with these friends, I discovered an overlooked necessity these students have: practice partners.

Many learn English (or any language), but don't really have anyone to practice their new found skill with, aside from their teacher.

That's where I come in.

One website where students go to learn and practice English is BuddySchool.com. To have your profile on their site, you can choose to pay $1 per month, or $10 per year.

I have yet to set up my profile, but I hope to do so soon.

Once again, I'll keep you posted!

These are two of the primary methods I have in mind for earning money online.

Have you tried either of these?

Let me know your experiences!

Until next week ^_^

SHERLOCK Inspired Party

I'm a bit particular.

There's other words for what I am,

but we'll stick with “particular” for now.

Typically, someone else arranges your Going Away party.

That did happen, too.

My best friend threw me an AWESOME Tropical / Travel themed party.

I have a lot of friends, though,

and needed two parties so that everyone could be invited to at least one of them.

I decided that I would plan the second party.

The chance to get exactly what I want!

"Particular," remember?

SHERLOCK Inspired

The invitation I sent out, using the awesome website PaperlessPost.com

I say “inspired” because I wanted it to feel genuine -
like you were inside a British flat that could possibly be Sherlock's.

Classy and engaging, not tacky and awkward.

I like the idea of parties, but the reality...

I walk in, say hello to a few people,

engage in small talk (which I dread),

and probably grab some appies and a drink.

...

"Alright... yeah... guess I'll go to the washroom."

Do I really have to come out?

Because of having experienced this awkward situation a number of times,

and noticing other guests feeling the same way,

I was determined this would not happen at my party.

At least, I would do my best to prevent it.

The dynamics between people depend on a number of factors,

but all those factors can be altered by introducing one new element:

GAMES 

The always fun OPERATION,
played by the Holmes brothers in an episode of SHERLOCK

Playing KING OF TOKYO

Games act like a mask,

a new identity.

Suddenly, you are the character that you are now playing.

The object of your life is now the game.

You have a purpose,

instead of just fake texting on your phone.

Your whole demeanour changes.

Awkwardness fades into:

a shared goal,

subject matter to discuss,

a mutual connection.

Even when the game is over,
you'll now have more of a connection with those people then you had before.
Hopefully that makes it less awkward.

(Of course, this doesn't guarantee that you'll like each person or get on well with them.)

I had friends bring BOARD GAMES that have been played on the show:

CLUE and OPERATION.

I also had JENGA, cards, and KING OF TOKYO (thanks to my brother).

WHO AM I? or 20 QUESTIONS,
except that we didn't have a limit on the number of questions.

In keeping with my inspiration,

I wanted there to be MYSTERIES for my friends to solve.

These could be played throughout the evening.

Sherlock and John played the game 20 QUESTIONS, or “Who AM I?”

I did a variation of that, having a name pinned to the persons back.

(That way you can't see it in the mirror.)

Mystery Central, where people could get facts about the two mysteries.
This table also had the guest book, card box, and donations box,
and note cards for writing down CLUES they find. 

These are the CLUES I had hid around the room for people to look for.
"He's clueing for looks."

A mystery about me for my friends to solve,
with instructions. They needed to find the CLUES that I had hidden
around the room.

The other mystery was about me (it was my party, after all):

WHERE DID AMIE GROW UP?

I created five CLUES, and hid them around the room.

I provided a note card and pens for people write down the CLUES as they found them,

trying to solve the mystery.

If someone solved it, or thought they did,

they were to approach me and ask:

“Did you grow up in _______?”

If they solved it (three people did!),

I gave them a prize – one of my handwritten candle holders.

Aside from GAMES and MYSTERIES,

I wanted to create an environment -

DECORATION AND ENVIRONMENT

The Photo-Op area, complete with props:
a violin, books, and a magnifying glass.

The collage of my life, separated into categories,
connected with red string.
(One of the CLUES is hidden here.)

Plenty of food helps keeps people happy.
My cousin drew silhouettes of Sherlock all over the table cloth.

I tried to create a table that looked like Sherlock's chemistry area.
I used an old microscope and some biology textbooks, sprawled around. 

The venue I used was perfect. It was large enough, and open,

but still felt like you were in a home.

There was even a fireplace!

I used this as the Photo-Op area.

A friend lent me her violin,

which was perfect as a prop.

I placed books on the mantle piece of the fire place,

and used a pair of Hand bookends that I had (in lieu of a skull).

On one table I had a beautiful old microscope (thanks again, Sharon!),

along with some text books on biology, opened and sprawled.

I wanted something similar to the collage wall

that Sherlock does when he's trying to solve a case,

putting all the pieces in front of his eyes.

For this,

I bought a piece of white bristol board and

some red embroidery string (all I could find at the time).

I went through a bunch of my pictures and random scraps,

and tried to place them as if Sherlock was organizing the evidence in a logical way.

Or something like that.

One of the final elements,

and the most quintessentially British...

Tea.

My family supplied a beautiful collection of teapots.

If someone wanted to fill a pot of tea,

and take it to their table, they could do that.

(I wish I had taken a picture of them.)

There was 4 small tables, a couch,

and scattered chairs for people to sit,

converse, play games, drink tea,

or read a book.

And people did!

WHY IT WORKED

GAMES and ACTIVITIES

These change the dynamic between people.

Awkwardness changes into Shared Purpose.

IN SIGHT, IN MIND

I had the game boxes placed in the middle of each table.

If it's in front of them, they're more likely to play.

SMALL TABLES

Having a bunch of smaller seating areas seemed to encourage conversation

and make people feel more at home.

As opposed to being lost in the crowd.

FOOD AND DRINKS

I did a pot-luck, asking everyone to bring either a main dish,

side dish, salad, desert, appy, or beverage.

This works well for any friends that have food allergies or diet restrictions,

as they can bring food for themselves (knowing it's safe to eat).

There's always plenty left over!

I hope some of these tips help you in making your next party a non-awkward success!