23 days.

I'm not sure what to write this week because I've been typing furiously for a week straight. In light of some recent events I've been working on overhauling the volunteer & university relations policies for our non profit and study abroad programs. There's quite a bit to do and I'm increasingly thankful for my experience reviewing contracts in the Northeastern Alternative Spring Break Office. I might not have any political/ legal experience, but I've accumulated enough of a vocabulary to at least draft some policy. As a result of all this I haven't really done much except stare at my computer screen and drink instant coffee.

I have 23 days left in Belize. If we're being exact it's more like 22 days since it's almost 5PM and today is basically over. Whenever I talk to friends and family back home, they always ask if I'm excited to go home. I'm not really sure what to tell them, because honestly I am not excited to go back to Boston. But I can't really tell them that because then it sounds like I don't miss them at all or don't care about them- which I definitely do. I just feel like there is so much more to do here and I don't want to stop helping this organization that has become such a huge part of my life. 

My hesitations about returning home can be broken down into two categories: (1) anticipation of intense reverse culture shock and (2) feeling that my work here, in Belize, is unfinished. 

In terms of reverse culture shock- there's not much that can be done about that. A lot of it is that I'm really not ready to give up my $1US meals of tostadas, garnaches, tacos, and other street foods. I think I'll make it a challenge to see how low I can get my daily food budget back in Boston. Unfortunately there's not a lot I can bring back from Belize in terms of familiar snacks- everything is made by street vendors by hand. 

In terms of my work in Belize... well I've actually made the decision not to give that up. I'll continue to remotely maintain social media and some aspects of volunteer recruitment for Barzakh Falah and NM Productions Belize from Boston. I guess I'm just attached!

I am really really excited for a few things that are waiting for me back in Boston. One of which is my Etsy store! You might have noticed from a previous post that art is a huge part of my life. Last fall I started a small business selling prints of my watercolor paintings. It went pretty well and I sold out of everything I printed. I already have an appointment with the printer and I'm super excited to get round 2 rolling and make some new work! 

I've already started taking pre-orders for reprints of my first series of watercolor prints. You can stay more up to date on this project specifically by following my business Facebook page or my Instagram. Here are some photos from my first round of prints: