ABOUT THE INSTITUTE Staff Institute Evaluation Application Contact Links Acknowledgments Articles from Asia   BELIZE & CENTRAL AMERICA PROGRAM Introduction Program Overview Requirements Itinerary Institute Evaluation Belize Frequently Asked Questions Program Fees Application   ASIA PROGRAM Introduction India Overview Thailand Overview Requirements Itinerary Asia Frequently Asked Questions Program Fees Application   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION American Consular: Asia Belize British Consular: Asia - India Nepal Thailand Central America - Belize Guatemala	FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - BELIZE Why Belize? Belize is one of the world's more interesting places. A small country about the size of Western Washington with a population of 200,000, it features a gorgeous environment and an amazing diversity of cultures. From the world's second largest living coral reef to the jaguar preserve to the azure Caribbean, everywhere one looks is an ahhhh experience. Why should I travel with the Institute for Village Studies? Some travel without a map on fortune's wing. Others need a map. We offer experience in Belize and a network of friends and colleagues in areas such as Mayan culture, Garifuna culture, ethnobotany, reef ecology, and environmental studies. Our mission is to provide community service on the village level. Our students teach in schools among other activities. We are like the Peace Corps/Teach for America only our perspective is grass roots up, not government down. We're more alchemists than anthropologists. We want to transform our students and save the world one student at a time. What can I study? Each student has a focused project and course of study through a designed individual contract with one or more of our faculty. You can expect a great deal of flexibility in both the design and structure of your work. What will be my most dramatic adjustments to life in Belize? "Village Time" is different. When you first arrive, you might be disorientated by village time. Everything slows down. The sun comes up, the day unspools in slow motion, and the sun goes down. Hello, moon! What happened? After you have been in country for some days, you will wonder where the time went. You will think this village time thing makes sense. Be in the moment; savor today! You should be prepared to consider all of the implications of your behavior. Decisions you make about your relationships have long range impact. Remember, while you will be leaving Belize, the villagers will continue to live with each other. Look around the village. Most women with children are single parents. And there are a lot of children. The country as a whole is 60% under 18. Where are the men? Why aren't they taking responsibility for their children? Do you want to contribute to this social instability? Remember names. The Garifuna and Mayans are both oral cultures. They remember names. They remember stuff. You, however, will be likely casual with names. Who was that, you'll think? And the fun of it will be that when the whowasdat walks past you in the village and you don't remember their name, they will likely shun you the next time and gossip about you: "There Goes Can't Remember Names," they'll say, and they won't be smiling. Spirituality is very important to these people. Belize is full of spiritual practice and tradition. You will not be invited inside the ceremonies unless you are worthy. How you become worthy we don't know. We know how not to: be impatient, disrespectful, too quizzical. And once you bring out your camera, you can forget it-- you have moved from Possible Human Being to Tourist. In a traditional culture it is best to listen, to wait for permissions, and to carefully observe all protocols. The best description we've heard about Belize is that it's a contradiction. It's a paradox. Anything you can say about it, the opposite is probably also true. It is the sign of a first class intelligence to be able to hold two completely contrary ideas simultaneously without rejecting one. It's a good challenge. You are either going to love the paradoxes or get a little goofy in trying to decide about what's true. How can I communicate with friends and family back home in the States? You will want to call home. Nobody back there will believe what you are experiencing unless you tell them quickly. There are a lot of people to call. It is expensive and difficult to call America from Belize. Our village has few phones. If you call collect, everyone will have a big surprise when the phone bill arrives. It's about $9.00 a minute. You can get a calling card in Belize City at the airport and in Dangriga and a few other places. It's the best way to go. But they are expensive, too, and seem to evaporate before you can really explain what is going on and why your responses all start with ahhhh. E-mail--Set up a hotmail account for yourself and hope for the best. There is a funky computer in Maya Center and Internet access is not always available there or in Hopkins. Better to assume that you are going far away, that village time dominates, and that everyone will be happy to hear about your stories when you return home to the States. How can I get academic credit? Institute credit can be given through your parent institution or is fully transferable through a transcript provided Prescott College. What should I do to prepare? You will be required to attend an Orientation Session on San Juan Island (times TBA), where we will introduce you to Belize history and culture. In general, you should read as much and as deeply as you can, and we will send you a bibliography when you are accepted into the program. Little that you read, however, will prepare you adequately. Empty your mind and open your eyes and heart. Belize is too paradoxical and complicated for words. Start with a low hum and work your way into song. Can I travel on my own or must I stay with the group? Independent travel during the course of the program session is arranged individually, based on student interest and project requirements. Students wishing to stay for additional travel beyond the session may do so, but expect about a $75 addition to your flight cost for changing your return date. Belize and Central America offer many exciting travel opportunities. We will help you settle in various sites in Belize with the network that we have there. Our role is to try to keep you safe and healthy, as well as assist you in completing quality research and community service. You are responsible to us and to the group to follow the laws of Belize. What can go wrong? Just about anything. Your major concern is assuming a new level of responsibility for maintaining health. While barracuda and poisonous snakes are real, most problems arise from less exotic sources: infected cuts and dehydration. You'll need to keep close track of your passport, project notes, and other personal possessions. You'll need to avoid any legal or bureaucratic problems. The government is slow, unforgiving, and unpredictable by our standards. These and other problems are covered thoroughly in orientation prior to your trip. We are extremely careful and wary. We avoid any obvious danger. We are trained professionals. If you listen to us, you will be safe in Belize. What about drugs? Drugs are illegal in Belize. Consequences are very harsh. It is the Institute's policy that any student found to be using drugs will be given a choice between immediately returning to the United States or being turned in local authorities. Where do we stay? That depends on what you are doing and where you are. At Maya Center, working with the Mayans, you will stay in bunk rooms. In Hopkins, you might stay with the Women's Cooperative in enclosed structures. Out on the caye, you will need a tent. Each site is different. In general, think more in terms of primitive than in terms of your local Motel 6 where someone is going to leave the light on for you. Bugs? There are a billion. Every kind of flying critter seems to love Belize. The ones we like best are the sand fleas. They are blind, heat seeking, and have little bitty sharp teeth. The botflies are cool, too. They bore in, plant an egg, and there you have your own bug crawling around under your skin creating a ruckus. The noseeums come at you from every direction and get your attention quickly. What to do? Citronella works for some and "Deet" works for others. The veterans among us say: get over it and learn to love your skin again. Food? The staple is chicken/fish, rice and beans. We have had armadillo, iguana, and shark. The food varies from season to season and village to village. The Mayans eat well. Sometimes you will fantasize about pizza. It is a good idea to bring protein bars, nuts, supplementary staples with you (as much as you can carry). Vegetarians can survive quite well, but you will need some coaching, too. If you are a vegan, you will need a longer conversation with us. What about public transportation? Think: first, expensive. Gas is about $5 US a gallon, so you get the idea. Second, unreliable. There are two paved roads in the country (or almost paved). Most everything breaks down, The two bus services are not predictable. A trip from Belize City to Hopkins is about 3 hours on jaw-rattling roads. You will be covered in road dust. You might not make it. You will be laughing and having the time of your life. Why go? You need a real adventure, not a made up tour guided hoax. You want to do something valuable by volunteering in an indigenous community that genuinely needs and wants your help. You want to travel and get high school and/or college credit. You are interested in ethnobotany, Mayan/Garifuna culture, and/or reef ecology and Belize is the place. How many students are in the group? It varies, but we do not go over fifteen. There are normally two faculty members travelling with you. What should I bring? Travel light: you don't need half of what you think you do. Clothing [ ] 1 pair long cotton or cotton/nylon-mix pants [ ] 1 pair shorts [ ] 1 pair swim shorts/bathing suit [ ] 2 tee shirts [ ] 1 long sleeve lightweight cotton shirt [ ] 3 pair cotton or nylon socks [ ] 1 pair lightweight hiking shoes (prefer hi-top, breathable, with firm tread) [ ] 1 pair Teva type sandals or thongs [ ] 3 pair loose fitting underwear [ ] 1 wide brim hat [ ] 1 lightweight rain jacket or poncho [ ] 1 modest dress or skirt Personal Care Products [ ] 1 quart water bottle and water purification tablets or iodine [ ] Sunscreen [ ] Toothbrush, in protective ventilated case [ ] Toothpaste [ ] Shampoo [ ] Soap [ ] Lip protection [ ] Insect Repellent (deet for body, permethryn for clothing & tents) [ ] First Aid Kit including Band-Aids, hydrocortisone, antibiotic creams, ibuprofen, etc) [ ] Prescription medications with written prescription Personal Gear [ ] Passport (color Xerox copy) [ ] 1 medium size backpack/internal frame (adaptive or with separate day pack) [ ] Money belt or pouch worn under clothing [ ] Sheet sleeping sack [ ] Lightweight sleeping pad [ ] 1 lightweight towel [ ] 1 pair sunglasses [ ] Whistle [ ] Pocket Knife [ ] Camera [ ] Film [ ] Binoculars (optional) [ ] Journal [ ] Pen and Pencil [ ] Lightweight flashlights with batteries [ ] Watch [ ] International Student ID What will a typical day be like? If we do it right, there is no typical day. Each day will be different for each student. Your time will be divided between your service projects and activities related to your individual research project. Belize is your classroom, and your lecture. In the late afternoons or evenings, we usually gather to discuss, seminar style, the day’s experiences. Time is also allocated for personal exploration by students.		Adjust and adapt the language as you need to. It is your plan, so do it your way. "Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself," as the Zen saying goes.     Belize is one of the world's more interesting places. A small country about the size of Western Washington with a population of 200,000, it features a gorgeous environment and an amazing diversity of cultures.     In a traditional culture it is best to listen, to wait for permissions, and to carefully observe all protocols.     You should be prepared to consider all of the implications of your behavior. Decisions you make about your relationships have long range impact.     Belize and Central America offer many exciting travel opportunities. We will help you settle in various sites in Belize with the network that we have there. Our role is to try to keep you safe and healthy, as well as assist you in completing quality research and community service.
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