Traci: Saying Goodbye

Trip Start Jun 05, 2011

Trip End Jul 05, 2011

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Flag of Belize Punta Gorda, Toledo, Belize
Friday, July 1, 2011

Today is our last day at Hillside. Team 2 loaded up the mobile for a half day clinic in San Felipe. We had been there previously. The quick 30 minute ride to the health clinic seems so routine now. I cant imagine a week from now I will be back in the States on to my next rotation. I have grown very close to my team and we are already planning a reunion. Clinic was a little slow at first and we attempted to entertain ourselves with hidden talents. Evan amazed us with his ability to braid hair. We soon ran out of talent and progressed to games such as I Spy and 20 Questions. Thankfully, the patients started showing up and the rest of the morning flew by.

After clinic we went to lunch for our final evaluations at Cyrila's Chocolate. I had been to a more commercial chocolate factory in Punta Gorda but this family did not use any sort of electronic equipment for chocolate making, Instead they utilized the techniques founded by their ancestors in the making of mayan gold (aka chocolate)

Hidden Talent

. Lunch was amazing. I have almost conquered my fear of meat on a bone and ate half of a chicken leg with rice and a chocolate mole sauce. As a treat we were offered a hot chocolate drink, which seemed crazy in 100 degree weather.

After lunch we went around the table each taking a turn to talk about our most memorable experiences at Hillside. One of our favorite activities is to switch accents with the English girls. Despite both speaking English, American and British use similar words in very different way and sometimes completely different words. Here is part of a dictionary we composed.

American to British Dictionary

Zucchini Courgette
Eggplant Aubergine
Cilantro Coriander
Swim Suit Swimming costume
Tums Rennie’s
Diaper Nappies
Trash Rubbish
Trash Man Bin Man
Bathroom Loo
Toilet Paper Loo Roll
Angry Cross
Procrastinator Faffer
Procrastinator Pottering (but more productive than a faffer)

The chocolate demonstration was hard work

Shelling Coco beans

. We were given plates of roasted chocolate beans to remove the outer shell. Next we attempted to remove the small shell pieces by flipping the beans in a bowl. Most of the beans ended up in the floor or all over the table except for Sreyla who proved to be a master shell remover. On to the hand grinder made of volcanic rock over 100 years ago. We produced a paste a substance from the roasted beans what was later produced into coco powder, chocolate bars, and coco oil.

A few facts about chocolate:

1.     100% Chocolate is bitter

2.     Mayan Gold is another name for chocolate in Belize

3.     Chocolate comes from the Cacao tree

4.     Chocolate was first created several thousands of years ago

5.     Hand made chocolate is the best I have ever had.

Working out my arms for some chocolate bliss

6. Chocolate making is hard work

Despite have tons of leftovers from the barbeque last night, we decided to head into Punta Gorda for a last group dinner. Conversations are always lively with our bunch and we spent the next 3 hours laughing at the differences between England and America. Not ready for the evening to end we headed out to a club where we played pool and danced the Punta Rock with the locals. It ended up being an amazing and memorable night. I have grown to love my Hillside family. We walked back to our dooms being serenaded by frogs, dogs, and crickets as I found myself wishing I had more time at Hillside.

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