Sometimes You Need Extreme Patience

Daily life in Belize is not always easy. I messaged both Wade and Kathy from Roadkill Bar this morning to let them know that I was finally changing my sign that is on display along the outside fence of the bar. After that, I decided to check and I found the start of getting the sign repainted dates back to May 20th, 2016. I tried to speed up the process but there was just no way around it. I was not only waiting on one sign painter either. I tried three and finally, I ended up going with the original of the three. And yes there is great a lowdown to that slow down however in the interest of respect, I am keeping it light 😀

The irony of this story is when I turned up at the internet cafe to leave some money for the clear coat, my previous sign painter was there – I have literally not seen him in years. Belize definitely was showing it’s sense of humor when it had me on delay for my sign.

Although there has been no study done, I believe we have some sort of weird magnetic pull going on. I know a few who would agree it is highly likely for things to get delayed and sidetracked here in so many ways. Whether you live here or are just visiting, a pocket full of patience for daily life in Belize will take you far. Persistence and timing help too.

Have Patience…

• Patience to wait in line – (ATM or bank). Holidays and paydays always make for long lines and more often than what you might think, the ATM’s run out of money. Sometimes it takes a while for someone to come and fill it because they have to arrange for the guards before they can do it. Once you know the days that lineups inside the banks are the worst, you can adjust when you go.
• Patience to get where you are going. The streets (especially in town) are not very wide. Two of the three main streets are one-way so you need to be aware of your surroundings. Signage is not bad. Traffic “checkpoints” are very common too, so always carry your driver’s license and ensure your golf cart is insured.
• Patience to get a job done. This one is especially tough for expats because it can be very a painstaking process to get legal papers done such as residency or permits without patience and persistence.
• Patience in making medical appointments. It is not uncommon for a Dr. to “not be in”. It’s a good idea to confirm the appointment (even the day of if you have to travel) to make sure your trip is not wasted.
• Patience to remember, this is a bit of a gossipy island. Think of the telephone game, as events and stories get passed on they change slightly depending on who is passing along the information. Chances are you do not always know the whole story behind something so it is always good to carry a pinch of salt (or two) in your pocket as well – sometimes hard to remember.

Thankfully the next part of my sign job will somewhat make up for lost time. My trainer Sarah was willing to help me hang it. When I messaged her that it was at my place, she got back to me fast saying she could hang it right away. The universe, however, decided to put that on Belize time yet again. We were in for a good shower right after our conversation. Once again I am patient and I know that this will still move fast as Sarah likes to get things done. Just what you want in a trainer. Not only can she wield a drill she can push you hard and do work out therapy all at the same time 😀 This week it was some gut-busting abs and arms along with usual squats and a few other legs and cardo things.  

A sudden downpour the other day put my friend Victoria on delay too. If you are coming down soon note that daytime showers are starting to happen, for how long is anyone’s guess. We need the rain though because it’s been so hot and dusty otherwise.

Another reason I like scattered daytime showers is they wash calming energy over the island. Of course, I say that now that I live in town. It would be a different story if I was still down south in my old mudpuddle hood (San Pablo) 😀

Patience is definitely a virtue in Belize.

I will leave you with a few pictures from around town this week.