Today was SO COOL!

 A few of us woke up around 7am (still affected by the 2 hour time change) and went to breakfast down the street for eggs and coffee. We met the group and got on a tour bus to explore a Mayan Community that still speaks the native language and participates in some of the same values and traditions of the original Mayans. In the home that we were invited into, we got the opportunity to learn about how the women make tortillas and other forms of bread from simply corn and water, and then practice it on our own. Let's just say I did not have the skills to maneuver the grinding stones as the Mayan ladies did! My tortilla with Coconut Oil and Sea Salt was still delicious though!  After learning about their uses of corn, we observed a man making pottery followed by a wonderful lunch made by some of the women in the community. 

Once we got on the bus, we headed to the Amish Mennonite town. (Fun fact: There are a ton of random speed bumps throughout roads in Belize. Our guide called them "sleeping policemen" haha!) Around 8 families live in this neighborhood, where they have an abundance of land and spend their time farming and raising vegetables, herbs, and other crops. We were welcomed into the home of one family and got the chance to ask them any questions we wanted! I learned so much: they have no technology or electricity, rarely leave their land, only attend school through 8th grade, and basically live the most simplistic life. One of the questions I found interesting was, "What do you guys do for fun?" The father answered back with another question, "Why do you feel the need for entertainment? That implies that you have time for leisure and might be bored with life." 

Although both the Mayans and the Amish Mennonites lives are very different from ours, it was fantastic to learn and experience the two different lifestyles so closely. It was eye opening to see that families can live and survive with so little, and yet be so humbled and at peace with their lifestyle.