I recently left the United States for the first time in my life. The first stamp in my brand spankin’ new passport was from the country of Belize, which is located in Central America. Unlike the greater known tourist destinations of Italy, France and Germany, Belize is a quiet place set to run on their own time. Life abroad is so vastly different from the norms I have come to expect, so here are just a few things I learned in the ten short days I was away.
1. American Diets Suck
Granted, rice and beans are not the greatest meal in the world either, but at least they are not overloaded with processed and fake sugars. Even the sodas in Belize were made with REAL cane sugar.
2. It is Possible to Survive Without Internet
In a country where having Wi-Fi could be argued as a need and not merely a want, it was almost a relief to be able to get away from it all. Though it was slightly annoying not being able to ask Google where the nearest restaurant was, not having internet allowed me to look up from my phone and enjoy the beautiful scenery and company of the people around me.
3. Do Not Take for Granted the Availability of Running Water
Unless the electricity went out, I have never been without running water. Some places I passed through did not have electricity of any kind. It was not uncommon to see people doing their laundry in a nearby river.
4. Seeing in Double
I went to several different markets while in Belize, and it completely blew my mind that they all sold the same thing! If I wanted oranges, I had only to walk to the vendor in front of me, beside me, behind me or to the one down the street.
5. The Perceptions of Americans
The connotation of being American in a developing country is that you have money. The American dollar was worth twice that of the Belizean, and many places preferred that you pay with American money and not the local currency. Visiting the crafts market was slightly terrifying because everyone wants to swarm and push this souvenir or that at you.
6. There is Less Waste
Unless it’s time we’re talking about, nothing was wasted. When you do not have much to start with, you learn to conserve. The whole time I was in Belize, I never used a paper plate, plastic utensil, or disposable container. After finishing a soda, I would put the glass bottles back into the crate they were shipped in most likely to be recycled.
7. You Start to Appreciate Home
Though I was only gone for ten days, I definitely started missing home and all my friends and family. Family is one of the most important values in Belize. Seeing the love everyone had for one another gave me some major feels and motivated me to go home and share the wealth.
8. Hamburgers Are Not a Thing
I have learned that one of the most American things you can do is work too much and eat a hamburger. I either ate some version of chicken, fish or pork every day, but beef was not a part of the picture. Chick-Fil-A would not have a hard time convincing Belizeans to “Eat mor chikin”.
Though my experience in Belize was nothing like I expected it to be, I came back a more humble woman. I travelled a developing country, but I did not witness poverty. Instead, I walked hand in hand with a culture so very different from my ow, and I fell into the open arms of people who live it every day.