We know Belize is a potpourri of people- Creole, Garifuna, Mestizo, Mennonite, Maya, East Indian; as well as more modern immigrants from North America, Europe and Asia. In November we celebrate all the unique cultures that call this country “home.” Mitch has returned to Peninsula International Academy this year and Friday was the big Family Feast. I love this tradition! Every child is asked to bring a dish representative of their culture to share with the school. Parents (and younger siblings) are invited to attend and everyone partakes in a communal buffet of different dishes. How fun is that?
Some children dressed up in traditional Mestizo and Chinese clothing, we were treated to Garifuna drumming while we ate, and I really enjoyed looking at the kid’s plates and seeing the range of selections they made. A crowd favorite was American mac & cheese from a box- I think just about everyone under the age of 10 had a scoop of that on their plate. Mexican rice also got rave reviews as did Lo Mein and Panades. I overheard a conversation among a table of boys and got the quote of the day: “When you eat lasagna together with fry tacos it hit different.” Haha! Yep, that pretty much sums it up. Life is better with a bit of diversity.
I made Irish Potatoes, a traditional confection from the Greater Philadelphia region where I’m from. The candy shops make these treats around St Patty’s Day and they contain no actual potato. It’s a simple mixture of shredded coconut, confectioners sugar, butter, vanilla, and cream cheese rolled in to balls and coated in cinnamon. I ate some excellent conch fritters, lobster salad, potato pancakes, and tried sahou for the first time. Sahou is a Garifuna beverage made from cassava. I’ve heard of it but had never tasted it. It wasn’t what I expected from a “drink.” It was more like a porridge. Served warm, it is super thick- like the gelatinous part of oatmeal without oats. Spiced with sugar and cinnamon, it was very nice.
I know, at the age of 7, that Mitch probably doesn’t appreciate the simple beauty of experiences like this but maybe one day he’ll look back and understand how special his childhood was. How wonderful is it to grow up in not only a beautiful place, but one filled with such rich and vibrant cultures?
