In Memory of Bertie

On Friday, we joined several PCVs and staff in the village of Hopkins for a ceremony held in honor of Bertie, a fellow volunteer and friend who passed away last month. The school dedicated the library she spent so much time on, in her name. This library was an extremely important project to Bertie and will now continue on in her name as a tribute to her commitment and dedication to providing reading material for the children of Hopkins.

Our trip to Hopkins began with a visit to Janine in Dangriga, where we got to see the teacher resource center she has created in the District Education Center - it's really incredible, Janine has really worked hard and done a great job. We headed out early in the morning to catch a bus to the Hopkins junction where we awaited our transport from Peace Corps into the village. With the recent rains and flooding, no one was sure what we'd be facing on the roads - but it wasn't too bad, just a few pockets of deep water to drive through.



While we waited for the ride, a group of tourists happened to stop to figure out a plan since they were unable to visit the sites they hoped due to flooding. While sitting in their hotel van, one man noticed a tarantula under Ginnie's foot. He came out and said "if you don't like tarantulas, don't step back." Then the vans emptied as the group came to check out the big spider. We'd already taken some photos, but we couldn't help but get a shot of the tourists taking pics of the tarantula. That guy was a hit for sure!

Before the ceremony was to begin, we headed over to Innies for breakfast where we made a new friend. He enjoyed sitting with Nicole and then running around the dining room for Anthony to chase him.



The ceremony itself was a beautiful memorial and dedication to Bertie's work at the village primary school and was filled with stories shared by her students, some PCVs, and remarks by villagers and PC staff. Children performed cultural dances and sang Garifuna songs, while others played the traditional Garifuna drums. It was a beautiful tribute to a remarkable woman. At the close of the ceremony, the library was officially dedicated in Bertie's name and will now be called "Miss Bertie's Library." We also had plaques made by a local artist with a dedication to her in the Garifuna name the children called her, "Dunuru," meaning bird. This was a joyous service to honor Bertie and we are so glad we could be there. She definitely made an impact on everyone she met and we all are lucky to have known her.

Following the ceremony, our APCD (Project Manager), Austin, drove us over to check out Hopkins Bay Resort. The resort is a compound of about 50 ginormous houses in groups of 9-10 all surrounding small pools and overlooking the Caribe Sea. Stepping onto the lush landscaped grounds with cobblestone walkways was like entering a whole new place altogether. It almost felt like we were no longer in Belize; it's very strange to have such an elaborate resort right next to a village. It almost seems like tourists who stay here cannot truly know this country.

Below is a picture of the sea, which lies opposite Miss Bertie's library