I ignore the blisters on my rugged hands as I tear a vine with a seemingly never-ending root from the soil. Yes, those hands that are routinely darting over the keyboard and performing other delicate tasks. After all, we become writers because we’re afraid of hard physical work, the heavy lifting and the spine-breaking labour in construction or on the field. I twist out yet another turf of grass, toss it on the ever-growing pile and decapitate a thorny weed with a hoe. I won’t make the mistake again of pulling it until my hands bleed. The dark clay stains my fingers, stains I’ll not manage to get off of my hands with even the most generous helping of soap. Continue Reading →
Tag: belize
Safety in Belize: tied up for two hours and other stories
Entering a new culture, you often wonder: is it safe? In Belize as well, we questioned the safety. If you don’t know what to expect, you expect the worst. The first week in my cute little student town in Tartu I walked around with a pocket knife in my palm. Just because I didn’t know the place and the people. Once it was dark outside, my brain started to emit fear.
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Caye Caulker, Belize: How many crocodiles can you spot?
“Kitty, kitty, kitty!” our guide called, and he threw another sardine into the reddish-brown water. It was so hot on Caye Caulker, Belize, that the bottoms of my sneakers melted on the wooden bridge. About one thousand insects buzzed around my head. The only things missing from the mangrove were the crocodiles. Continue Reading →
Dangerous animals in Belize: the jungle wants to kill us
Anete and I are sitting on a terrace amidst lush rainforest, sipping large glasses of refreshing blood-red sorrel juice. Squirrels hop by in nearby trees, insects make a lot of noise, and a couple of drops of rain have once again threatened to kick off the monsoon officially… but it’s not quite the time yet.
The whole scene is rather idyllic. Or is it?
What the reader might not realise: this environment is trying to kill us. Continue Reading →
How we decided to throw ourselves into the unknown
Swinging my legs under my office desk last summer, I clicked on one of those dreamy beach pictures that make every 9-to-5 job holder count their days until the next vacation. It was a post shared by a page called Workaway. That website gathers thousands of volunteering opportunities around the globe. In exchange for a part-time job, you’ll get free accommodation and food. Continue Reading →