This Saturday I had an interesting experience- a bunch of us went to one of the Belizian teacher's farm and picked coffee beans. They grow on large, tall bushes- like 10 to 15 feet high. The beans are actually red berries about the size of a gumball- we have to shuck the berry skins to get the actual bean. Then we have to peel the outer skin off, dry them, and roast them. I don't know why they don't call them coffee berries, because they acutely are berry seeds. Anyways, apparently you can roast coffee beans in a popcorn maker- who knew? I don't plan on becoming a coffee drinker, but it might be cool to taste coffee we made ourselves.
A few Franciscan people are in town today- it's been really fun having them. It's also weird, seeing other Franciscan people here. They are on a mission trip here, but they were mostly based in Belmopan, which is about an hour from here. Joe Kim, who went to Ecuador last year with me, is here, which was a fun surprise. They have been sitting in on classes and shadowing Miriam at the clinic, so they'll get a good idea of what life is like here.
I put up links to Alison's and Ali's blogs, in case anyone wants a different view of Belize. They are both Religion teachers here, and fellow Franciscan grads.