Life at "The Nab"

So much has happened so far, it is hard to know where to begin! I have learned so much already and anticipate a very full semester. I can barely believe we’ve been here for over two weeks now. The first week was full of orientation activities, getting us acquainted with the farm on which we are living, the surrounding towns of Succutz and San Ignacio, the transportation system, and each other!

Our campus, named Nabitunich, is located on the farm of the Juan family. Though it is a cattle farm, it is the complete opposite of the Iowan landscape of Northwestern! There are palm trees everywhere, rolling green hills, beautiful (noisy!) birds, horses, and so much more! The farm is about 500 acres, so I have yet to explore everything.

 We live in stone cottages with basic amenities: a bed, a dresser, a bookshelf, and a bathroom with only cold water. It’s amazing how refreshing a cold shower feels in this climate though! The first night, I was surprised to find a giant cockroach under my mattress and a large spider climbing up my wall. The next night, there was a gecko, and just yesterday a mouse jumped out of our trash can. Needless to say, we are never lonely!

Our classroom is a wooden, screened building decorated with art made from rustic and recycled materials. As we enter the building, we take our shoes off, partly to keep out the dirt and partly as a symbol of our intentions to make it a sacred place of learning.

The palapa is a white-stuccoed canopy area where colorful hammocks hang for lounging. Attached to this area is our laundry facility. Our washer is a metal tub with a washboard. Our dryer is a clothesline. My arms will be quite strong, I think, by the end of the semester from wringing out all my clothes before putting them on the line!

We have a library with books on development, ecology, theology, and literature. There are already so many that are on my list to read…in between all our adventures and reading that needs to be done for class.

Last, but not least, is the building that houses our dining facilities: a kitchen, a veranda, and a student lounge. Here, we eat all our meals, have Sunday community nights, hang out and play games, and read for our classes. The kitchen staff is wonderful. Miss Flora and Miss Shelly are our cooks. They welcome help at any time, so it is on my bucket list for the semester to learn how to cook some of the Belizean meals that we have been having, especially these wonderful fluffy tortillas that have quickly become a staple in our diet.

I must admit that things were a bit overwhelming at first. However, as we are adjusting to academics and to a somewhat consistent routine, the “Nab” is becoming more and more a home away from home for me. Each day holds so much potential, and I am learning to find the value in each one as it comes. It’s far too easy for me to look down the road and think about the weeks and months to come. But, in doing that, my eyes miss the treasures of today – moments and opportunities that are far too valuable to risk overlooking.