The first thing that really comes to my mind, is the many similarities that Honduras and Belize share in topography, livelihood and in some ways, gender roles. What really shocked me is from my experience from Monkey River Town and to extent Punta Negra, is that they have a positive outlook for the future. In Honduras, it was very hard to get people to work together or trust each other and only on a “blue moon” did they have a positive outlook on the future that did not involve family. Even the government of Belize was either looked to for money and land grants or skirted to other “higher” authorities to achieve goals. In Honduras the government had little to play, except appropriating money donated to them. I am also shocked that women play a much more active role in politics than in Honduras. Even though Ms. Emily is an anomaly, since she lived most of her life in New York, she seems to be accepted and followed in the community. Also, women like Tanisha have an integral part in committees and in the infrastructure of the town.

As for our group, we really came from diverse backgrounds and many of us did not know each other and never have had an international experience in a developing nation.  With that in mind, we had little to no complaints about our setting, food, transportation (except Frank) or many of the other amenities we take for granted in the States. Not only were we given a sizeable task at hand, with little time to do it in, we accomplished it in due fashion and had time to ourselves.  And what can I say, there is nothing like a “rough patch of water” to make a group come together.