Good food, good people and good conversations

We started our day with an amazing breakfast that was kindly prepared by the locals here in Soccotz. After having breakfast we went to the city of San Igancio, in the city we were able to walk around and discover parts of it. One of my highlights was seeing the street art/graffiti; it was just very beautiful, creative and inspiring (the pictures are below). One of the drawings that garbed my attention the most was a huge piece of art that summarizes the past, present and prospects of the future of Belize. The piece entails pictures that symbolizes the slavery struggle, British colonial legacy, the struggle for independence, civil wars, Mayans ruins, oil extraction, and a Beliziean woman holding mother earth in her hands. We also saw some street art pieces of Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, and Bob Marley. 

After that we got to have lunch at the "Flayva" restaurant. I ordered a very delicious typical local Belizean dish which is called "Stewed Meat" and it consists of beef in sauce served with rice and stewed beans and a friend plantain (the picture is below). Later in the day we got to visit a three thousand year old Mayan ruin that is called "Cahal Pech," whose name means the Place of the Ticks. Walking around the ruin and getting exposed to the rich history of the Mayans was very interesting and great. Honestly, I find it astonishing that we the current inhabitants of the world are able to visit and explore the history of other civilizations and cultures that existed thousands of years ago. 

Later, we went back to the Nazarene compound and had another delicious local meal that was prepared by cooks that live around the Nazarane compound. After dinner, I got to share a presentation with the group about my home country, Palestine. I talked about the history of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Israeli occupation and major challenges that are present in the day-today lives of Palestinians. Also, I got to talk with the group about the Christians of Palestine/the Holy Land. The group was very responsive and we had a very engaging conversation. Being able to share with the story of Palestine and the occupation with the whole group, a cause that I am deeply passionate about, meant a lot to me and I am grateful that I was able to share my story.


Peace,
Qossay