Here are some of the things that I feel make Belize an interesting and unique place…
Milk
There are cows in Belize, I have seen them yet I have only seen fresh milk once! Most people seem to use powdered or soya milk. There is a lot of beef on the menu though!
Good Night
If you happen to walk around after dark and meet someone, or call someone at night the first thing you will hear is “good nightâ€?. I first heard it when someone stood outside my former host’s gate and shouted “good night Ms xxxxxxâ€?. It was only 8pm and I wondered why her someone had stopped to wish her good night. I shouted back good night and sat down and she shouted good night back. My former host who had been in her room came rushing out and let the lady in. It was only later I realised that saying good night is used as a greeting in the same way people say good morning or good afternoon.
Speaking Creole
If you want to blend in as a Belizean, it is not about race, it is about speaking Creole. I remember sitting on the balcony in Cayo and listening to three Hispanic guys speak Spanish then all of a sudden the switched to Creole and it was not just a change in language, the accent changed too. It was amazing.
Sir, Ma’am, Mr and Ms
Belizeans are incredibly formal and respectful. It is rare for someone to be addressed by just their first name. If you bump into school children they always greet you.
Belizean Time
Anyone familiar with Kenyan timing will know what this means. It is usually twice as long as the original time stated. I am still not sure whether Belizean time is slower than Kenyan time but what makes me laugh here is that people will usually quote both times when referring to something. So if you are waiting for a meal they will tell you 10 minutes US time and 20 minutes Belize time. Apart from the buses, which sometimes leave early, most things run on Belizean time.
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Mika says
I hope you are collecting material for a book. Is it not nice to go to a new place and explore it, learn it and mix with the “natives”?
Have you picked up creole yet?
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Kaki says
That ‘Goodnight’ story was really funny. Reminds me of how the English language varies by location esp. African english and American english. I realized that alot of things we used to say back home are directly translated from the plethra of other languages we speak not to mention some of words we used that are not used in America eg. boot (hood), lift (elevator) and rubber (eraser). Try asking someone for a rubber hukus and see the looks you get :):):)
One time I was talking to a workmate and she told me about some loss she experienced. So being sympathetic, I am like, “Oh sorry!” and she was like “What for?”
Yeah…ati kumbe “Pole” does not work in the same way in American English.
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Ray says
hehehe, that “goodnight” story was funny. Reminds me of the confusion i used to have with the New England wave, a hand gesture which was exactly the same as the summoning gesture we had in kenya. The number of times i hurriedly went over only to be told that it was a wave hello!