I'm here

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Well I am finally at the Wildlife Care Center. My journey was strange.

I had several rushes to make flights and several delays. Once I arrived in Belize City I found that my expected ride was not there (My plane had been quite late getting in). After many stressed phone calls I met up with a man who was serving as a guide to a school group (from a SUNY I believe) that were going to be having dinner at the same place I was going to be spending the night.

It took about an hour or so on the bus (perhaps more) to get to Cheers, the restaurant and lodge I was staying at that night. The woman in charge was very friendly and even treated me to dinner because of the airport mix up. I ate a quick dinner and then went to bed early. This morning was surprisingly chilly (in the 60s i heard someone say). I got up early and I had a nice relax breakfast at the restaurant. While paying for the room and asking about the bus system, the woman told me that if I was ready to leave on of the lodge workers was driving into the closest town and could give me a ride. So I grabbed my bags and he gave me a lift about 20 minutes away to Bonmopan (I think) and dropped me off at the bus station.

The Belize buses are all school buses. I was pointed in the right direction and got on the bus. They go around asking where you're going and collecting money and people can jump on anytime by waving them down on the side of the road. I was told I would have to get off and switch buses in Dangriga, but when they got there there was a big switch between buses and I ended up staying on the same one.

After 4-5 hours on the bus I was finally dropped off at the gate of the Belize Lodge, where the Wildlife Care Center is stationed. The staff showed me to my room (I'm sharing with another worker at the Wildlife Care Center right now but heard I should have my own room soon). Then I settled in and wandered around the GORGEOUS property (i'll post pictures later) until animal people got back.

I met Marika (my roommate) who works with the monkeys and birds (tucan and parrot) and rabbit and Leo (a Beilzean student who comes on the weekends) who works with the jaguars. And I met Robin, the woman in charge. She seems very nice.

My accommadations seem very nice. I think we're sort of inbetween being staff and being guests at this high-end resort. We're living in staff housing and eat with staff and can help ourself in the kitchen and have to go in the back way and parts of the dining room are off limits ect., but we are still cooked for and cleaned up after... so I'm not sure what the dynamic is with the workers.

Tomorrow is my first day of working. Unfortunately, Robin is tied up this week, so I won't be able to work with the jaguars yet, but I will see what else i'll be doing. From what I gathered from being showed around, It seems quite similar to my work at the museum. I'm a bit worried i'll be bored (work days only from 7-4 and i'm already being encouraged to take time off). I'm hoping to get good suggestions of where to travel around locally and get to do that some.

Until next time I update I'll be enjoying my warm weather imagining you all back in the snow.

~Michela

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