When Was the Last Time You Did Something For the First Time?

Once upon a time, I visited Belize and Guatemala. It was here that I heard the question: When was the last time you did something for the first time? So here are my firsts from that trip and let me just say, they changed my life.

Tuesday 6 March 2012

۞       I went on a multi week trip without my family.

۞       I went to a foreign country. I remember the feeling as I stepped out of the plane and I breathed in the humid Belizean air. The sky was overcast and it had just begun to drizzle but none of it mattered. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I walked off of the Tarmac and onto the paved landing strip. My first steps onto a foreign country.

۞       I got my passport stamped for the first time. After walking into the airport we all waited in crowded lines. I went to a desk that didn’t match up with the line I was in. Unfortunately the woman who stamped my passport was not as enthusiastic as I was.

۞       I sat next to the girl I wanted to. She had taken a seat in the van which would later be known as “The Mystery Machine” I politely took the seat next to her. This would turn out to be a pleasant seating arrangement for the duration of our stay at Crystal Paradise.

۞       I went into a Central American Store…   You know you’re a tourist when you start taking pictures of the inside of a grocery store. The cloudy weather made the interior of the store a tad dreary. However, none of us seemed to care it was Belize! There were unfamiliar Central American brands to see and exotic fresh produce and meats. It was also here that I saw her smile. It was even more wonderful that it had been in my dream from weeks before.

۞       I got my first Belizean currency. This is where I first experienced how wonderful it is that everything in Belize is “half off.” It was also the first time I received a foreign currency by actually going to the country.

۞       I went to the Belize Zoo. It was here that I saw an assortment of tropical animals in habitats almost identical to their natural ones. I also saw the Tapir which I did a report on in the 4^th grade, and The Jaguar. I am going to take this moment to say how it was very wise of me to choose the Jaguar as a component of the Kendaro. Its agility and liquid-steel muscles were incredible. I do regret not actually petting the Jaguar.

۞       I rode in a van on the muddy mountainous Belizean back roads. The sky was overcast there were steep muddy walls punctuated by thick tropical vegetation. On occasion, we would drive though a small town or village. It impressed me how many people I saw outside even when it was drizzling. It was a nice first glimpse of Belizean culture.

۞       We arrived at Crystal Paradise Resort. The food was excellent, the beds were surprisingly comfortable, and the running water…   well it had the potential to be warm. Either way the desserts were unBelizeable, and socializing by the bar was fun in a casual way.

Wednesday 7 March 2012

۞       I had my first taste of actual fresh squeezed orange juice. Regular orange juice back in the states will never be the same.

۞       I rode a ferry across the Macal River. It was interesting and slightly unnerving to be on this rickety wooden craft that was driven by a motor and some cables. The Murky tan water below made me wonder what could be lurking underneath.

۞       I saw wild monkeys, a small troop of Howlers outside of Xunchunich. Amongst this troop was a baby monkey. It was adorable.

۞       Seeing the Howler monkeys was the first time I heard Ed say that in all the years he had been doing this trip it had never happened before. It felt special at the time, but as the trip went on and it almost became his catch phrase it lost a lot of its “Impressive” feel.

۞       All spice was the first wild jungle plant that was pointed out to us by our tour guide Eric. It smelled incredible. One of my few regrets on this trip is that I didn’t sneak some back into the states.

۞       I saw the Pyramids of Xunchunich, tremendous colossal structures that imbued us with breath-taking awe. It was here that I experienced, climbed, and explored ancient Ruins for the first time. The unforgiving jungle had clearly taken its tole on this once thriving city. It was also here that I saw my first “Halaw” the stadium of the ancient Mayan game of Pitz. Although Eric called the game “Pok A Tok” which is actually the Later Toltec adaptation of Pitz (the actual game that would have been played in this arena) with a completely different set-up.  All and all there was something amazing about standing on the summit of “el Castillo” (the biggest Pyramid on the site) and overlooking the city. The Rain lightly drizzled leaving the air misty in a way that only added to the experience. Xunchunich the stone maiden was a place where real people ate and prayed. People lived and died here in this city that was now in ruins after a millennium of abandon. I doubt our cities will remain as intact after our people have moved on.

۞       I bartered for the first time, and quite successfully if I might add. I got a slate Mayan calendar for about half of the original price, and a Colourful backpack which I would end up using the entirety of the trip, if only I had bartered for that dagger. Unfortunately, I spent all the money I had brought with me for that day, which later proved slightly problematic when we were wandering around San Ignacio.

۞       I explored a Belizean city for the first time. San Ignacio was really amazing. The sun had finally come out, and There were stray friendly dogs everywhere. The people were at these amazing fruit stands that sold an amazing assortment of produce much of which I had never seen before. Here we also saw wild iguanas and leaf cutter ants.

۞       I swam in a Belizean river. The Macal River with its deceptively powerful current nearly was the death of me. I tried to swim across but I was unaware of how much more difficult my shoes would make swimming. I remain confident that I could have made it across if I weren’t wearing those shoes. Either way, it was a fun experience and there was something real about it. This river was the murky tan colour that you see on National Geographic when they visit the Amazon.

۞       I explored the medicine trail with Ellie, Jessica, and Cindy. It was a cool trek through the jungle we all got so much mud on our shoes that they became heavy, but it was still really cool to be that close to these jungle plants.

۞       I had plantains for the first time. Honestly, I prefer their cousin the Banana. Plantain chips, however, are delicious. Banana chips not as much.

Thursday 8 March 2012

۞       I walked across the border into another country for the first time. Even though this was the second country I had visited. It was still cool to walk across the Border into Guatemala.

۞       I jammed out to music with my group in “The Guatemalan Mystery Machine” It’s not that I’d never jammed out to music before, but it was the fact that I was part of a group of strangers fitting in. It was fun doing stupid dance moves with “the Cool Kids”

۞       I spoke Spanish to a local Guatemalan. I had been speaking Spanish for years, but I had never needed to before, so when I met this small boy selling key chains I couldn’t miss the opportunity. He was so adorable too. I felt bad that I didn’t have any money on me. Either way it was a wonderful experience to have a practical application to something I learned in the classroom. This was one of the best moments on the trip for me.

۞       I met Luis Gonzales. That alone should explain it all. He was a stout well spoken man who seemed to hover above the jungle trails. The human encyclopaedia was wise beyond his years in a charismatic and amusing way. He showed a love not only for Mayan history, but a love and respect for the Forest from which the ancient Maya harvested their herbs. He had a unique way of combining all the philosophical similarities of the various religions around the world in a unique and impressive way. Even for a non believer like myself, he was more than capable of convincing me that there is something beyond our current state of reality.

۞       I saw the Pyramids of Tikal. This amazing complex put Xunchunich to shame. The Warm sunny air illuminated the structures. It was a wonderful feeling to climb the uneven stone steps and to explore some of the lower buildings. Of course all of this was made so much better due to the fact that it was explained to us by an expert like Luis.

۞       I went zip lining in the canopy of the Guatemalan forest around Tikal. It took a lot for me to conquer my fear. However, you would be amazed by how helpful encouragement from a crush can be when it comes to conquering a fear. By the end, I was doing tricks. All and all it was a pretty good time.

۞       I played my first drinking game. It was called “Fuck the Dealer” when they asked if I wanted to play I immediately responded, “Well that depends who the dealer is.” However the game actually has nothing to do with sex. The game is played by trying to guess the card that the dealer has. If you get it right they drink. If you don’t you drink. Eventually we got bored of this game, and became entertained by Melvin, the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle. A thousand and one “Chuck Noris” style jokes were inspired by this bug. This would be a reoccurring comedic theme for the whole trip.

۞       I had rum for the first time. I learned that I like rum a lot. 

Friday 9 March 2012

۞       I visited my first Central American school. I spoke at length with the principal who told me many things about the curriculum. As far as I’m concerned the only thing that set the school in Cristo Rey apart from the average elementary school in the US was the lack of funding.

۞       I went into my first cave. This one was known as Rio Frio…   for good reason. Luckily this one we really didn’t have to go into the water, although I got my feet in to remove some pebbles. This was the first time on the trip that I got to do a little rock climbing.

۞       I stood on a rock outcrop in the pine ridge region climbing on the cliff face and taking pictures of the natural waterfall. The Air was bright and sunny, and the water had an opaque green colour to it due to all the weathered rock that was in it.

۞       I swam in the brackish water of big rock falls. It was a lot easier than the Macal River because I wasn’t wearing my shoes. The water did have a salty flavour to it due to the eroded rock, and it shared the same green color as the other waterfall I had taken pictures of. The current wasn’t too strong, but the pools were really deep. I dove off the lowest of all the rocks, and I went down at least ten feet.

۞       I played Futbol against the local and All-Star Futbol team in Cristo Rey.

۞       I actually played well in a team sport. People cheered for me. We all sucked compared to the well trained local team, but we all had a lot of heart. I almost scored a goal once, and I ran as fast and as hard as I could. We were Team Melvin! And we gave it our all, scoring one goal…   to their 12…   Honestly, I have to say that’s pretty good for some people who never really played Futbol before.

Saturday 10 March 2012

۞       I went to Actun Cave. This is an experience that is almost beyond words. To start you have to go on a long trek through the jungle, mud, and mountain streams. The air was warm and sunny, and well…    I slipped and fell in the mud. Then we got to the cave. Although this wasn’t my first cave, it was completely different from Rio Frio. This cave was a cavern carved out by an underground river. We were given helmets with lights and we swam and hiked through the underground river.

۞       In Actun Cave I saw pottery and actual sacrifice victims as they were left. It was like actually going into a documentary rather than just watching it. This was something that I can’t wait to go back and see. Although I lost a good pair of socks in the deal.

Sunday 11 March 2012

۞       I saw the Belizean Capitol city of Belmopan. Ed was right, It was a two bit hole in the wall. The American embassy made me sick. Talk about ugly Americans, it was this huge over fortified building that seemed more like it was there to show off rather than any of the actual duties of the embassy. Other than the embassy the only other things to look at was all the wonderful Graffiti of dicks…   Belize should be so proud.

۞       I saw the cultural capitol of Belize, Dangriga! This was a treat. Our accommodations were nowhere near five star, but it wasn’t the first time I had stayed in a cheap motel. The town was poor, but the people pleasant.

۞       I saw a political rally in Dangriga. The Peoples United Party (PUP) had won there, and they were celebrating with speeches. Unfortunately, none of them were really charismatic speakers. Either way it was a wonderful cultural experience.

۞       I had home-made bread from a woman in Dangriga. I love fresh bread, but this was off the charts, and for $1BZ a loaf…    you couldn’t go wrong.

Monday 12 March 2012

۞       I snorkelled off of Tobacco Caye. The fish were awesome. The food was great. The sun was hot. I ended up extra crispy…  

۞       I found Conch Shells in the ocean. I actually got a lot of them for other people, but I kept the best one for myself.

۞       I’d like to say this was the first time I had broken my mom’s camera on a trip, but that would be a lie. However, it was the first time I had broken my mom’s camera on a trip while on a boat. Anyway it ended up temporarily waterlogged, and it won’t stay closed. According to Ellie, a little tape should be able to fix it.

۞       I saw and participated in some traditional Garafuna dancing. They had a live band, and they would teach us some dance moves, but most of us just did our own thing. I know I broke out my patented move “the Refrigerator” Everyone had a good time, and the music was really catchy. Easy to find the beat and move to it, and great for anyone who likes rhythms.

Tuesday 13 March 2012

۞       I flew on a little 8 seated airplane. I had never been on a plane that small before. It was a fun experience especially since I really like flying. On a side note, I was actually able to finish the rest of my edits on the second round of edits for The Legend of Sentra Night of the Lunar Eclipse during the duration of this flight.

۞       I made it to San Pedro, the city on Ambergris Caye. What a fun place. The ocean was beautiful, the shops were cool and we all really began to get a taste for “Island Time Mon…  ”

۞       I saw the sunset from a boat. Almost everyone went in the water, but my sunburn hurt to the degree where it wasn’t worth taking my shirt off. However, the sunset was magnificent and the rum punch was pretty good too. It just needed some strawberry flavouring. I remembered for the next time.

۞       I went out drinking for the first time. I had a few shots and a Smirnoff. Audra had us try something called a chocolate cake shot. There was vanilla something or other in the shot and lime with sugar on it, and it actually tasted like chocolate cake. My mind still hasn’t completely wrapped around how, but still it was a pretty fun affair. I can now say I finally understand why people drink. The buzz definitely added to the experience. We were also at a Karaoke bar, so I sang 3 songs. Of course I sang Piano Man, but I also did Hotel California, and Your Song. Everyone loved me, but then again, it doesn’t take much to please drunk people. At one point we all got up there and sang “Don’t stop Belizing!” It was a lot of fun, but I don’t think Journey would be all that proud…

Wednesday 14 March 2012

۞       I saw manatees for the first time. Many of the girls made comments as to how adorable they were, but I can’t say I was all that interested. I had more fun hanging off the side of the boat. Although we did get a few good opportunities to look at them when they surfaced for air. I don’t know but I have heard stories of how manatees had died by being too friendly to boats and getting chopped up by the motors. As we were looking at these animals, all I could think was that they really didn’t seem to want anything to do with our boats.

۞       I snorkelled off Goff Caye. We saw some pretty awesome eagle rays and stuff, but my flippers were so uncomfortable that this was probably my least favourite snorkel of the whole trip. Goff Caye however, was a nice little treat. It was a small little Caribbean island that seems like the perfect place to get shipwrecked. I mean if I had to be stranded on an island like that…   I think I’d be okay.

۞       I touched Stingrays. Yeah I actually touched stingrays…   I could of and should of touched the nurse sharks that were around when we were snorkelling. The only reason I didn’t was because I had never gone underwater with snorkel gear intentionally before, and by the time I had convinced myself it was a good idea I the nurse sharks had already left.

۞       I went to Caye Cauker! We didn’t spend much time here but I was able to buy a hammock for my mom. Caye Cauker is my favourite Caye we visited. 

Thursday 15 March 2012

۞       I explored San Pedro with Ellie and Jessica. It was a fun day in the sun. We saw most of the down-town part of San Pedro exploring many stores and seeing all kinds of interesting places. I’d like to say this is the first time I helped girls pick out dresses…   but that would be a lie.

۞       I told her how I felt, all without a drop of rum. Not surprisingly it didn’t work out, but from what I remember of my original dream. It didn’t work out then either. The rum came after. The good news is that things never got awkward. We still hung out afterwards like it had never happened.

Friday 16 March 2012

۞       I saw dolphins. A pod of dolphins swam near our boat. We actually were right behind them for a while, and I was in the front most part of the boat. I put my hand in the water not even a foot away from one swimming.

۞       I saw a sea turtle up close and in person. We were snorkelling off the northern coast of Ambergris Caye when our guide found a relatively large sea turtle resting underneath some coral. He got it out with his flipper, and It swam inches underneath me.

Saturday 17 March 2012

۞       I went to an Island without the direct supervision of any group. Ellie, Cindy, Jessica, and I went to Caye Cauker again some days later (the Saturday). We took the water taxi, and met some really friendly people. We also got to eat a fresh coconut.

۞       I had mango ice cream. Not the world’s most ground breaking first, but hey it was pretty good all the same.

Sunday 18 March 2012

۞       I watched the sunrise on the ocean. I had seen the after-effects of the sun on the ocean before, but I had never gotten up before it rose and watched the whole thing. Out of everything I saw on the trip, nothing was more breath-taking than the golden gleam on the water from that first ray of sunlight. I truly regret not watching it every day.