Frequently Asked Questions about Belize
Where is Belize?
Yes, Belize is its own country as of September 21, 1981. It was formerly known as British Honduras when it was a British territory. It is located in Central America. It borders the Caribbean Sea to the east, Guatemala to the west and south, and Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula to the north.
Where did you live in Belize?
I lived two hours from the coast on the border of Guatemala and Belize in a small town of about 11,000 people called Benque Viejo del Carmen.
What language do they speak in Belize?
Because of its British influence, the official language in Belize is English. It is the language that everything is taught in at school. However, most Belizeans' first language is Spanish. In Benque Viejo del Carmen, I speak with all of my students in English, however, most of my students speak Spanish to each other and with their families.
First Language:
Spanish 50%
Kriol 37%
English 5.6%
Garifuna 5%
Maya: Kekchi, Mopan, Yucateco 5%
German 3%
Chinese .8%
What are the primary ethnicities in Belize?
The primary ethnicity in Belize are the Mestizo who are the descendants of Amerindians and the Spanish. The Kriol are the next highest ethnicity who are the descendants of African slaves and their British owners. 
Mestizo 34%
Kriol 25%
Spanish 15%
Mayan 11%
Garinagu 6%
Mennonite 3%
Other 6%
-East Indians
-Chinese
-Taiwanese
-Lebanese
Is it really poor down there?
Yes. Belize is way poorer than you would think. There are many shacks and shanties that are very dilapidated. And yet it's not as poor as you would think. It depends from house to house and family to family. Most houses are in good condition, however you will see that 34%-58% of homes are indeed in poverty. Most do have running water and most do have electricity, but there are many that do not. In Belize, you can see a family of four living in literally a huge mansion or you can see a family of fourteen living in a two-room half-outside half-inside wooden shack in the same town. The latter is probably more likely though.
What religions are in Belize?
80% Christian
- 50% Catholic
- 29% Protestant
--Pentecostal 7.4%
--Anglicans 5.3%
--Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%
--Mennonite 4.1%
--Baptist 3.5%
--Methodist 3.5%
10% Other
-Jehovah Witness
-Mormon
-Hindus
-Muslim
-Ba’hai
-Rastafari
10% Non-believers
What is the culture like?
Belize has a very interesting culture. It is a mixture of Caribbean, Latino, and Mayan culture. It is a very laid-back machismo culture that realizes spending time in the present with individuals is more important than meeting deadlines and making appointments. The family is very central to Belizean life, however, often due to problems with male servant leadership families are divided and split up. Traditions and rituals are considered very important. In general, there are a not a lot of opportunities past high school and so there can be a lack of educational and occupational drive. The people are very, very friendly and have an excellent sense of humor.
How did you hear about Belize?
I went on a spring break mission trip with Franciscan University of Steubenville in my senior year to Belize. After spending a week of teaching in Belize, I fell in love with the people and the place. I knew a few missionaries down there at the time and after seeing the way that they lived - I realized that I could and should do this.
What organization did you work for?
I work with a religious order called the Society of Our Lady of the Trinity (SOLT) which was founded in 1958 by Fr. James Flanagan. The goal of the order is to model the relationship of Mary with each person of the Trinity through the different vocations who work on ecclesial teams of priests, brothers, sisters, deacons, SOLT families, and SOLT lay single people. The Belize mission was started in 1967.
What did you do for the mission?
I taught high school religion at Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School in Benque Viejo del Carmen. There are currently around 400 students at the high school.
How much did you get paid?
I was provided with food and housing. Besides that I was a volunteer teacher who earned a weekly stipend of US$37.50 or BZ$75.
What kind of housing did you live in?
My first and second year I lived in a two bedroom house with 4 other male teachers. We had a bathroom, a refrigerator, a very basic washing machine, a kitchen sink, and a table with chairs. My third year I lived in what is called "the shack."
What did you eat?
A very basic diet of rice, beans, eggs, and tortillas. Some days we will have ground beef, chicken, soup, or beef chunks.
Were there other volunteers with you?
There were about 11 other American volunteer teachers ranging from the ages of 20-32. Some taught English, Math, Religion, Science, and Music.
How many students did you teach and what did you specifically teach?
I taught 120 students total. For 15 hours a week, I taught 3 classes of the 3rd form boys and girls Old Testament, and I taught 2 classes in the 4th form class of boys and girls Christian Marriage/Morality/Church History. Last year I mostly taught 1st form and 2nd form boys (freshmen and sophomores) because they split up the boys and girls for the first two years of high school then combine them in 3rd and 4th form.
What are the students like?
A lot of them are coming from broken homes and/or very tough cultural, financial, familial, and personal problems. Yet the students are very child-like with a very funny sense of humor. They are very loving and they thirst for the truth of faith, hope, and love.
Was it safe where you lived?
Yes, as a male I felt very, very safe. Many of the female volunteer teachers although they get cat-called occasionally also feel very safe.
Is it really hot in Belize?
Yes, absolutely. It is around 85-95 degrees every day with humidity in the 70%-85% range. The sun is much more direct in Belize and it is not uncommon to be sweating constantly.
Did you go through complete culture shock when you returned home?
Yes and no. It honestly feels like I live in two very different worlds that are completely divorced from each other. When I am in one it feels like the other is a dream and so it's actually easy to adjust back and forth from being home to being in Benque. The one thing that continually shocks me is when I am home I get excited each and every time I realize I can flush my toilet paper.
What did you do during your free time?
What free time? Ha! Everyday we woke up, walked to school which starts at 8 AM taught a few classes, after school we graded, did lesson plans, prepared for future classes, spent time with students doing different things (tutoring, training for sports, homework, discipline, helping with different clubs or activities, advice, etc...) After school we headed to dinner at 5PM, have Eucharistic Holy Hour at 6PM, Mass at 7PM, headed home at 8PM, rested and relaxed and maybe do more work or relax by watching a movie, talking, playing cards, or something else. On the weekends, we either cleaned the house, did laundry, played sports, watched a movie, went out to eat (Chinese food or Benny's, a favorite restaurant of ours), went to the market, graded, prepared for future classes, etc...
Did you like it?
Yes I absolutely loved it. One of the best decisions I have ever made was to go to Belize.
