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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

You came to the right blog for Belize Resources and Information.

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Self Defense and Can You Go 9 Days Phone-less?

by tacogirl 14/10/2016
written by tacogirl 14/10/2016
Smart Phone Belize

As many of you know low season is upon us and my $700 128 GB Nexus 6p smart phone recently got stolen by an “Evil Houdini. As one friend said after hearing my story, that guy is too good at his job. Thankfully I had 5 great people come to the rescue. Fou of them were willing to mule phones and the 5th was my wonderful Mom who wanted to make me feel better after being stung and put $300 in my Canadian bank account towards a new phone.

This is how my days went:

  • Monday Sept. 19th – Sadly, my phone was stolen. I used music and my friend Aimee’s good attitude after just seeing her lose hers in Mexico, to keep me happy.
  • Tuesday Sept. 20th – Had my phone still been with me I would have been editing the work pictures that were on it.
  • Wednesday Sept. 21st – Would have used my phone to take Independence Day parade pics. Instead I stayed home and shopped online for a new one. I did get amazing video of the Electric Sky the night before and a few pics of the after parade party.
  • Thursday Sept. 22nd – I totally would have started this write up it on my phone if I had one. Flip side I would not have had the idea to go 9 days phone-less if I still had one.
  • Friday Sept. 23rd – 10:00 pm; I miss my brain training games. I am officially on team Belize for Elevate.
  • Saturday Sept. 24th – Out for a walk and I would have made a note of something had the phone option been available.
  • Sunday Sept. 25th – Muscle memory kicked in. The first thing I usually do after putting my things down when I walk in the house is take my phone out of my bag. Impulse kicked in but there was no phone to take out.
  • Monday Sept 26th – Miraculously I did not think about my phone.
  • Tuesday Sept 27th – Big excitement! My phone was delivered by my friend Kendall along with some treats I had ordered from Yandy. Love that online clothing store – they made it super easy for me to ship a fun Halloween costume and a tutu to two different mules.

Of course, I missed tinder a few times but that is what windows store desktop apps are for 😉 Overall after 9 days while I did miss my phone many times, I can honestly say it was refreshing to have a break. Many of us are way too addicted to our devices and do not give ourselves enough free time away from them.

Smart Phone Belize

Love my Google Huawei Nexus 6P with Spigen case and Nearpow glass screen.

Can You Pass This Simple Test?

If you know you are one of the technology addicts like I am, I challenge you to see if you can power down your smart phone for 24 to 48 hours. If I had to find a silver lining, my experience serves as a good reminder to take a break more often and reach for my phone a little less.

Stolen Phone Advice

While the following Act Fast on a Stolen Cell Phone was written more so for losing a Smartphone in Belize, there are some great tips that apply anywhere. There are also some really good links to beef up your phone security and how to track it down from your laptop.

Smart Phone Belize

How to not run out of data by DigiCell – I pay $39.99 BZ a month for 2 gigs.

Belize Tememedia LTD

My new DigiCell sim card with same number cost $11.25 with tax at Belize Telemedia LTD.

Featured image (at the top) is a Google Huawei Nexus 6P above courtesy of pcmobitech

A Lesson Learned

Do better next time. There are 3 things I learned in Renee Wentz’s self defense class that could have helped me prevent this. I highly recommend her course if you are in Belize Email me at tacogirlbelize[at]gmail.com and I can get you get contact. Cost: Girls age 7-14 yrs $15.00; 15+ yrs $30.00 and worth every penny (fee must be paid in advance).

  • Have my bag fully closed even though it was blocked by my arm.
  • Wear it to the inside of traffic while walking down the road.
  • Wear it across my shoulder in case he had tried to grab the whole thing.

 Banyan Bay Resort Conference Center

Had he been seconds slower I would have loved to shove or elbow the thief hard and knock him off his bike.

Basic Self Defense

Here is a bit more on what I learned in self defense with teacher Renee Wentz, an 11 year black belt in Taekwondo. She gave us a safe place to practice and taught us some solid moves and tips to protect against stranger danger of all kinds. We learned everything from how to defend ourselves against someone coming at you from behind, to a person attacking you with a machete or a gun and everything in between.

Carry yourself in a fearless aware manner; head up looking around; strong body. Remember to trust instinct if you think something is not right and act accordingly.

5 Fingers of Self Defense Martial Arts Camp

  • Think, observe, be safe – Becoming too routine creates un-mindfulness and provides opportunity for thieves.
  • Yell – Make noise to create awareness.
  • Run – Get to a safe place.
  • Fight – If you have to, fight back hard.
  • Tell – Always report your incident to the police.
 Banyan Bay Resort Conference Center

Big turn out for a self defense class with Renee Wentz from Belize City.

Related

tacogirl

Laure Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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Corey Holm
Corey Holm
04:38 25 Feb 20
I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor
15:53 24 Feb 20
Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton! I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice... to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local... information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
Sandra Godfrey
Sandra Godfrey
15:58 23 Nov 19
I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
William Jones
William Jones
13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do what... everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson
18:28 03 May 19
Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
Michael Rieck
Michael Rieck
20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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THE ORIGINAL BELIZE BLOG

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation.

If you have any questions or want Belize discounts, Contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

3 childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age.Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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