Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007
  • Home
  • About Belize
    • My Move to Belize
    • Living in Belize
    • Belize Tourism Board
    • Blog Press
    • tacogirl.com testimonials
  • Flights to Belize
    • Flying in Belize
    • Flights From Belize
    • Duty Free Belize
    • Aerial Tours
    • World Nomads Travel Insurance
  • Belize Vacation
    • Vrbo Belize – A Paradise within a Paradise
      • Vrbo Ambergris Caye – Sunshine, Luxury & Fun
      • Vrbo San Pedro – Food, Fun, and Adventure
      • Vrbo Placencia – A True Getaway
      • Vrbo Hopkins Belize – Experience Culture
    • Ambergris Caye Accommodations by Price
    • Belize Resorts and Hotels
    • Pet Friendly Hotels
    • Belize Vacation Deals
  • Coupon Codes
    • Big Belize Travel Deal
  • Travel Store
    • tacogirl Recommendations
    • Easy Donations
    • Eco Friendly Belize
  • Fun Activities
    • Getting Around Ambergris Caye
    • Fitness
    • Things to do in Belize
    • Belize Excursions and Tours
    • Voluntourism
  • Travel
    • Central America
    • Yucatan
  • Home
  • Belize Weather
  • Belizean Food
  • Restaurants by Price
  • Beach Bars
  • Nightlife
  • Discounts
  • Virtual Vacation
  • Belize Beach Webcam
Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

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

  • Home
  • About Belize
    • My Move to Belize
    • Living in Belize
    • Belize Tourism Board
    • Blog Press
    • tacogirl.com testimonials
  • Flights to Belize
    • Flying in Belize
    • Flights From Belize
    • Duty Free Belize
    • Aerial Tours
    • World Nomads Travel Insurance
  • Belize Vacation
    • Vrbo Belize – A Paradise within a Paradise
      • Vrbo Ambergris Caye – Sunshine, Luxury & Fun
      • Vrbo San Pedro – Food, Fun, and Adventure
      • Vrbo Placencia – A True Getaway
      • Vrbo Hopkins Belize – Experience Culture
    • Ambergris Caye Accommodations by Price
    • Belize Resorts and Hotels
    • Pet Friendly Hotels
    • Belize Vacation Deals
  • Coupon Codes
    • Big Belize Travel Deal
  • Travel Store
    • tacogirl Recommendations
    • Easy Donations
    • Eco Friendly Belize
  • Fun Activities
    • Getting Around Ambergris Caye
    • Fitness
    • Things to do in Belize
    • Belize Excursions and Tours
    • Voluntourism
  • Travel
    • Central America
    • Yucatan

Follow up

by tacogirl 04/05/2011
written by tacogirl 04/05/2011
San Pedro Belize beach pictures

Today’s post comes as a follow up to yesterday. After seeing Heather’s letter – Maureen sent me the speech she gave at her church and a picture pf the pink toilet they have been using for fundraising motivation. While reading her words it all came flooding back to me – that first hook up between the Sowders and the Direct Abundance girls. All of us excitedly  talking over big @ss burritos at Waruguma. I was also there a couple of times to document the excitement at Holy Cross from the magic red suitcase and all the treasure inside.

Once again I ask you all to please put your thinking caps on and help us to make contact with people who can help turn  the rough concept drawings Heather has into a reality. She needs to find someone who has experience with building wastewater gardens to help do the building plans for the first system – volunteers to help hands on with the builds (Maureen’s group is coming in June and I know they feel the more the merrier to help get this job done.)

Maureen’s Speech

Volunteer Belize

Imagine not having one

I am really happy to stand here before you today and say “I am blessed”. When Pastor Peter asked me to join the mission committee and advocate for those in Belize, I of course accepted without hesitation but I didn’t realize it would grow to actually bringing my church family directly from Johnstown to my home away from home or more than bringing our “Magic Red Suitcase” as Miss Francis from Holy Cross School calls it.

That’s the suitcase we have taken the past several years with your generous donations in it. I am so happy and proud to see how much you all as a church family are embracing this mission (Including you Nicole Hill)! When Tracy and I originally booked this trip, I had an idea there was talk about a church mission trip but I didn’t know it would happen this year GOD IS GOOD!

As you have seen in videos and presentations before, the families of San Mateo are in vast need of help. I was very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to meet the right people. My friends, Joanne O’Brien and Heather Zwicker together founded Direct Abundance and started the San Mateo Sanitation Project. Our mutual friend Laurie Norton who lives on the island said to us “I am so glad you are here at the same time to meet each other, I think you can help each other”. Since then we have worked in different ways trying to help the people of San Mateo and the island of Ambergris Caye.

Most of the children of San Mateo do not go past an 8th grade education and the cycle of life isn’t ever broken because of this.

The turning point for me in knowing I was doing something right was a few years ago when we were there I was working in the library and saw another volunteer was helping a little boy read, I could tell she was getting frustrated and I gently suggested she take a break and I would sit with him. I could also see the little boy didn’t recognize his letters, he was trying to remember them. I had him help me make him an alphabet book out of scrap paper and I kept reciting the letters and sounds of the alphabet with him. When I saw the light in that little boys eyes light up and he kept saying “can I have this I want to show my mom how to say the letters” I knew then – I was in the right place at the right time. I found out that day, that little boy is also a child resident of San Mateo. Why was I there that moment the other volunteer didn’t want to be there? I know why….  GOD IS GOOD!

These are the children that live in little shacks on stilts that have no fresh water or toilet facilities and have to walk on the little narrow boards across contaminated water to get where they need to go. I know the pink toilet we have here may be hideous but we are SO LUCKY to even have that as a reminder, others don’t even have one to use.

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.

previous post
Trying new things
next post
Biosphere Foundation

You will also like

Limited Economic Recovery of Ambergris Caye and Belize

05/06/2020

Happiness is Underrated

19/05/2020

How Many Times Did I Go Out? And...

03/05/2020

Bad Things Happen in Threes

24/04/2020

Time Stands Still – 3 cases of Covid-19...

30/03/2020

Grateful for Belize in December

05/12/2019

Busy Season on Ambergris Caye

30/11/2019

Things That Make You Go Hmmm and Sargasso...

27/11/2019

Directions? Look for the Sails

22/11/2019

Belizean Teacher is Chosen for Prestigious Global Education...

02/10/2019

5 comments

Maureen 05/05/2011 - 8:31 pm

Thank you Alan for your input!

Reply
Alan Slater 05/05/2011 - 3:40 pm

Hi Laurie’
tell heather, or Joanne, to contact, ” Biosphere Foundation.” Not only are they a non-profit org. but they specialize in wastewater gardens etc. and have done a project in Belize. This should be right up their alley as a small project ( for them,) You can Google the name. Ask their advice.
The CEO is also a woman, by the name of Abigail Ailing, which might of help, in persuasion. The least they can do, is check the designs etc. Hope you have success, Wish I could do more.
Alan S.

Reply
tacogirl 05/05/2011 - 5:02 pm

Brilliant Alan S. I knew someone out there could help us find people – you are a huge help.

Reply
Carbunkle Trumpet 05/05/2011 - 9:08 am

Big @ss – You have been hanging around me too long as I have corrupted you! Speaking of big @$$ check out my blog today. We may be living in New Orleans very soon.

Reply
tacogirl 05/05/2011 - 9:41 am

Will check it when I return from the pool.

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Search Belize by Category

Duty Free Discount

Trip Advisor Destination Expert

Tripadvisor logo

Get Social with tacogirl Belize blog

Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin Flickr Youtube

 

 

 


 

Get the latest posts by email

Search Belize by Month

Find tacogirl On Facebook

Find tacogirl On Facebook
tacogirl Belize blog
tacogirl Belize blog
5.0
Based on 16 reviews
powered by Google
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
Next Reviews

THE ORIGINAL BELIZE BLOG

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.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Linkedin
  • Flickr
  • Youtube
  • Email

tacogirl.com San Pedro Belize © 2020 Content of this website may not be used elsewhere without permission. Sitemap


Back To Top