As it stands I have safely returned to the states and somewhat successfully re-entered normal life. I guess you could say that's a success. I won't lie though, it's just as difficult re acclimating this time around as any other time I have left the country for an adventure.

All that aside though, I have a Caribbean adventure to finish reporting on so let's get down to business. You'll need some underwater gear, a shot glass and some sunscreen for this post. Take all the time you need and when you are ready, proceed with reading this. No rush. 

Here's an image of the Belize countryside dotted with banana trees to enjoy while you compose yourself-

What was happening when I last wrote? Ah, yes. We had settled into Belize City for the evening after a long day of ruins and chicken buses. I won't lie to you all, Belize City is a seemingly dodgy place. Not to say I didn't meet some great people, just noting that's it's a tough city as I like to call places I encounter that don't exactly make you feel uncomfortable- they just keep you on your toes and alert during your time there. It's kind of like shoe shopping on Black Friday- it's not completely unsafe, but you feel the need to brush up on your self defense skills in case you need to fight a middle-aged woman over the pair of boots that are 75% off and they only have one in your size. 

We had a lot of great adventures during our time there though, including a tour of a rum distillery (which we crashed) and some putzing around the city admiring a few sites. 

First, the rum distillery. 

Let it be known that in Belize they drink rum like water. Travelers is one of the biggest and most widely consumed brands in the country and they are proud of what they do and justly so. As we found out, they are actually very environmentally conscious and treat their employees very well from what I can tell. 

So we arrive at the place and inquire about a tour only to find out they aren't having any, until a prearranged tour group of older adults arrives and we finagle our way into their outing. So here we are, two spry young adults attempting to blend in with a group of individuals ranging from 55-75. I think we pulled it off without anyone knowing. 

There was a grand amount of tasting and touring and tasting and more touring. I have toured numerous distilleries and breweries so I am decently familiar with the processes, but it was fun watching Vincent take in his first tour of this kind. This was a big trip of firsts for him and I'm glad I was there for them. Watching people experience new things brings me so much joy. There was one thing on the tour that we both experienced for the first time together and that was a little party with a Garifuna group that required us to dance. Before we get to the dancing let's discuss the Garifuna. This is a collection of individuals that live mostly in the southern part of Belize and they hold very tightly to their rich traditions and roots. They are a tribe-type congregation. Their music is similar to traditional African music and according to anyone you ask "your body cannot resist the urge to move when you hear the drums. It starts in your feet and moves throughout your body" their words, not mine. 

Well, the movement happened. It started in my feet and then took an awkward turn into what I guess you could consider dancing. So, I danced. We danced. Which is a feat in and of itself. I'm not a dancer. I lack rhythm something fierce, but I think I may have found my people because their style of dancing is spot of with how I dance when I do actually decide to do so. One dance was about Pelicans and literally all you had to do was move your arms kind of like you're pretending to have airplane wings. In that moment all I could think was- yes, this is real. I have found my people. All my life I thought I was just awkward when in reality I was just thousands of miles away from people who understood my method of dance. Ah, sweet acceptance. 

After the dancing and tasting and touring, we set out to find more gems in this city and find them we did. Mostly notably, the giant Belize sign. 

Thank you to the very excited bystander that took this picture for us. She even left a little piece of her to take with us forever- her finger in the top right corner of the picture. We will cherish it forever, very excited bystander. In all my sweaty glory, I managed to slip and slide my way onto the letters and feel as if I had accomplished some grand feat as I towered a solid five feet above everyone else standing in the area. 

Sometimes you just need to feel like you have some power. Even if it's only by standing on top of a painted cement letter beside the ocean with dying patches of grass surrounding you as a local man in the background tells the very excited bystander that just took your picture- "I am the only man in the world that can impregnate you just by looking at you".

No one ever said life is always glamorous.

After this, Vincent and I split up for a bit while waiting on the water taxi. He went for the Belize museum and I went for a stroll. I happened upon this lighthouse (yay!)

And then this piece of street art which got me thinking- surprise, surprise

What we consider patriotism in the states does not translate the same in other countries. Something as simple as the intent behind placing these words in a public place can be considered patriotism. It doesn't have to come in the form of waving your country's flag in everyone's face and singing your national anthem loud and clear for all to hear. There are no guidelines for how we take pride in the things we love and enjoy. None at all. It can just as easily be simple and beautiful as it can be loud and obnoxious. 

After a sweat filled day of leisure touring about, we boarded the water taxi and set our sights on the island life at San Pedro for the remainder of our trip. Not without catching the sunset from the boat though-

Island life is great. I am very pleased to have started this adventure and ended it on the islands. I would not have wanted it any other way. 

We breathed in the ocean air, watched a soccer game from the top of a cement wall and had the best salbutes I have ever tasted in my life (because obviously we are experts on them now after having them only once before). 

The big news from San Pedro was that we went snorkeling and swam with sharks. Now, I am not ashamed to admit that I have a small fear of the ocean. I just can't get down with the fact that it's so big and dark and scary like my soul. It has so much water and there are things that live in it. It has a life and mind of its own and that sends a small sting of fear down my spine when I think about just hanging out in it. BUT, I set that aside and we went snorkeling in the barrier reef. We actually ran into Dory from Finding Nemo while swimming around, so that's my famous person siting for the trip. Fun fact- the reef in Belize is the second largest in the world. #themoreyouknow

That's us post snorkeling- pre shark swimming. More accurately I should say pre paralyzing fear.

After snorkeling came the shark interaction. These particular sharks are nurse sharks which I admittedly know nothing about. I also didn't know that they were nurse sharks until yesterday when I was discussing it with a professor of mine because I couldn't clearly understand our guide and thought he was saying "nose sharks". Again, I will not lie to you all. This was emotionally compromising. These sharks were larger than me. Larger than any human, really. Certainly much larger than what I would consider a comfortable size for interacting with sharks. In reality though, is there really a size that makes sharks comfortable creatures to interact with? So the situation goes as follows- we got into the water and the guide proceeded to feed the sharks fish scraps to get them near so we could ogle at them. Wonderful in theory, right? Of course. 

Except not.

Here's a little picture that Linda, the third party of our snorkeling group, captured with her GoPro and sent to me just today. 

As a first-hand victim of the fear associated with said shark swimming, I do not think the picture does their viciousness or size justice. But this is coming from the same person that got startled when a fish tickled her leg while snorkeling. So. Take it with a grain of salt. 

I told you guys the ocean wasn't my most shining moment. 

So the feeding to keep the sharks at bay so we could ogle, wonderful in theory yes? Except for the moment when he runs out of food, the sharks become disinterested and begin to disperse. 

Life became very real, very quickly. It was in this moment that I realize they are starting to swim in my direction and I immediately wanted to Kool-Aid man out of the situation. Straight up, I was not okay. Somehow- and I have no idea how- I was able to have rational thoughts and kept repeating in my head- 

Emilie, don't you dare flail a single body part. Don't you do it. Become one with the ocean. You are blending with the water, the sharks can't see you. You're wearing an aquatic cloak of invisibility. If you want to make it out of this ocean you better pull yourself together and make it back to the boat in a calm manner. 

So I see the guide reaching for the ladder for us to climb into the boat with and I swear to you all in one fluid motion I ripped both flippers off under water, threw them over the side of the boat and had both feet on the ladder before he even had it secured to the side of the boat. I was not playing around and I definitely was not going to be dessert for those fellas swimming around me. Not happening. I can count on one hand the amount of times in my life I have moved that fast and one of which happens to be a time in college when I heard there were free tacos in the student center. Because I mean, tacos. 

So I made it out alive. With all of my limbs, most of my dignity and a new respect for sharks. Prior to the sharks, Vincent had become sea sick from the mixture of the strong current while snorkeling, the gas fumes and the boat ride in the ocean so he sat the shark interaction out. For a slight moment I envied his motion sickness. But to be honest, I wouldn't have traded that experience for anything. It truly was amazing. 

The remainder of our time on the island was spent just purely relaxing. Isn't that the point of islands to begin with anyway? So that happened and it was glorious. Sunday we woke early to catch the water taxi back inland and head to the airport but not before I got pooped on by a bird on the way to the water taxi station. Not just pooped on, but right in my hair. Yes. My hair. As I was setting out for a solid 24 hours of travel back home. This is my life, people. Vincent saved the day by removing what he could from my hair and I did triage once arriving at the airport. Lets just say the shower I took when I got home yesterday was hands down the best shower of my life.

After one interesting cab ride later- a song played the entire journey explaining that "plain" women make better partners because they're lacking so much on their looks that they make up for it with inner qualities. The exact phrase was- "it's not what's on a woman that makes her a winner". My inner feminist was raging so hard that all I could do was laugh uncontrollably. At the end of the day if you can't laugh at life, then what good is it? So one interesting ride, a long flight delay- during which evening the ground crew took a little nap

and an increasingly drunk group of undergraduate college females later we finally make it back to the states.

Celebratory selfie while in line for customs:

Vincent set off for his return flight to the Ham and I settled in for a 12 hour layover. A few hours of sleeping on the floor of the airport later and two flights more, I landed back in the ham yesterday.

So what did I take from this trip? You all knew this was coming. You know I process everything. Don't act surprised. 

Being my first trip to Central America, it was very different from any other trip I have taken. I think the thing that sticks out most in my mind is that quality of life and happiness are measured in so many different ways. I encountered some of the most amazing people on this trip and they are people who, compared to American standards, have very little. But in a place where you do not value happiness, wealth or success in material gains, you don't care very much about what fills your home or the amount of things that you own. I envy a culture that operates in this way. I truly do. We all know that I measure my life in experiences and this is a culture that I very easily identified with in that way. 

The biggest joy I got out of this trip was watching a thirst for travel grow within someone else. This was Vincent's first trip out of the country and being able to watch him grow through travel was pure bliss. One of my favorite things in life, as those of you that keep up with this blog know, is watching others grow and evolve. I believe it is one of the most magical things in life. It's not a feeling you can place in a nice neat emotional box- it's kind of a messy blend of several different emotions. All the more reason why I love it so much. 

So. That's it. That's the end of this adventure and it was everything I had hoped it would be and so, so much more. 

To all of the amazing new friends I made on this trip- 

I wish you continued safe travels (if you are doing so) or successful re acclimation back into your every day life (which I know is difficult). 

To the country of Belize- 

Thank you for being raw and real and so, so culturally rich. If you could do something about the bugs though, that would be amazing. Just a suggestion. 

To Vincent-

Thank you for being a wonderful travel companion and for allowing me to be a small part of your first experience abroad. 

To Adele-

Thank you for accompanying Vincent and myself through this trip. We know very clearly now that you cannot love us in the dark.

A return to real life, adulting and responsibility happens this week which is always a slight bummer after such an amazing trip. Fear not though, Wallace and I will be back at in March when we take on Canada, so there's a little something for everyone to look forward to, eh?

Until then, I encourage you all to chase your own adventures and live your life for yourself- even if just for a brief moment. We get so caught up in living for others and putting others first sometimes. Stop for a minute. It's your life. Shouldn't you be happy with it?

Go and do and be- feels and stuff.