Belizean Welcome

From Puerto Cortez we travelled with about twelve others in a "panga." A panga is a small motor boat, used to travel short distances between the Port of Cortez and Valencia Belize. I remember that boat ride very well. My little sister could not take the up and down of the boat as it glided and began hurling her breakfast all over the place. Everybody else kept their distance for fear of being smeared. I could care less. Dolphins were swimming along us! They swam underwater and jump once in a while as they accompanied us. Our boat also made the occasional school of flying fish leap in the air, added on top the constant spray of salt water that our boat made. We approached a coral island to refuel. The dolphins abandoned us the closer we got to the island, and as we got closer the water became clearer and clearer. It became turquoise and it looked like you could reach down below and touch the coral reef that appeared from nowhere. Fishes of many kinds swam below us. We beached on a white sandy coast quickly refueled and moved on to Belize. It was a memorable moment that will define my later life in Belize - a natural paradise with little worries while growing up next to pestering sisters (just kidding girls).

We finally arrived to Belize after the three hour boat ride and made it through customs. It was to be one of the few times that we were together as a whole family. My Mom had gone looking for us in Honduras while my Dad waited for us in the Belizean side. While the five us walked to the upstairs room that Dad had rented, a Creole kid began following us. Then he began saying things I could not understand in a language that will later become my own. One thing we all understood. He was interested in the t-shirt I was wearing - that I loved dearly.

"Maaa, look!! he shouted. "Da bway have wan Bugs the Bunny shut!!!
He began pulling and hanging on my shirt as I ran away scared from him to hide behind my Mom. He meant to tear the shirt of my back!!
"Bugs di Bunny shut!!"
"Bugs di Bunny!!" "Bugs di Bunny!!"
"Gimme di Bugs di Bunny shut!!"
It was a riot as he chased me around and I trying to push people in between. Of course my sisters were are rolling with laughter and my Mom and Dad were having a fun time too.

Welcome to Belize - I guess?