wadda gwan?

wadda gwan, gaal? i don't know how you spell it, but that's how people say 'how are you/what's up?' in creole. 'am straight, boy,' is how you reply. i've mastered saying 'wadda gwan'...

yesterday was belice's independence day. what's funny is that belice's flag is red, white and blue, so independence day here looks like fourth of july. on the eve of independence day, people celebrate downtown and fireworks go off at midnight. people are ready to party!

during the day there was a parade. i helped put together the cornerstone foundation float for the parade and decorate t-shirts for the children to wear. i got to march in the parade with the cayo aids committee and pass out condoms and candy to the crowd in the sweltering heat. it was fun. we ended the parade in the park where i ate tacos!! taco truck like tacos that were the bomb.

when we were marching, we were behind these huge speakers blasting punta music and aids public service announcements. punta music is the local music and punta is the local dance. punta is the shaking of the ass! just the ass and hips, super fast. i mean super-duper fast! it's tough and tiring! little girls can control their individual butt cheek muscles to move in different ways. gringas like me look hilarious trying to punta, but i think i might be starting to catch on.

today, i'm going to a local school to do an aids presentation. tomorrow, i'm going to try to go to the ruins close by. saturday is a trip to some reserve with waterfalls and rivers to swim in. sunday i leave for caye caulker and the beach. then a few days after that i'm off to mexico.