Checklists, Changes, and Live Listings

Since returning from our little “mini vacay” in Ambergris Caye, we have been trying our very best to finish up every last item on our “To Do List.” This has proven to be somewhat difficult since we’re also trying to keep the kids entertained. Slowly but surely our list is growing shorter, unfortunately so are the number of days that we have left in Belize.

Over the course of the past week we have managed to collect and hang the majority of the artwork that we commissioned for the house, finish all of the painting, cut back lots of palm trees and shrubs, snake the drains in the master bedroom, hang solar lights on the rooftop patio, and make (as well as install) natural floating shelves in the living room. While we are quite exhausted, we are also pleased with the progress we have made and feel like the house is finally ready enough to rent! As with any project, there were plenty of things that didn’t go “as planned.” For example, we never received the beautiful eight-piece Acacia wood patio set that we ordered online, so we had to make due with a few local, hand-made pieces for our patio areas. It is also disappointing to know that we will have to leave Belize without a completed office for Dan. That being said, I keep telling myself that most people don’t rent a vacation home to work in an office. Time and time again, purchasing this home continues to keep me humble and thankful for the things that we do have rather than focusing on what is lacking.

Perhaps the greatest disappointment of the trip is knowing that our kids didn’t “fall in love” with the area. Initially, we bought this house thinking that we would homeschool our kids, which would enable us to spend our winters in Belize and the rest of our time in Indiana. After spending a month here, it has become evident that it would be best for our children to attend private school at home. Don’t get me wrong, there are aspects of our home in Belize that they both love; unfortunately, there just aren’t many other children nearby and we haven’t found many opportunities for them to get involved in sports or extracurricular activities. To be fair, we have worked way more than we have researched opportunities for our children. I’m sure the amount of work that they had to watch us do was a contributing factor to them

choosing not to homeschool as well. It’s not exactly a “dream vacation” to watch your parents scrub and paint and sweat each and every day.

While not the most entertaining trip we have ever taken them on, I do believe this summer has provided some great learning opportunities. Both of our children have stated on several occasions how much they love the work we have done to the house and how impressed they are with how much it has changed since we arrived. They have also learned a lot about Belizean culture and what it feels like to be a part of the “minority” rather than the “majority.”

Amidst trips to the hardware store and learning the value of hard work, they have also had a rare and worthwhile opportunity to get to know a few local Mayan children and be immersed in an entirely new culture. They were even able to experience a local event that showcased the traditional song, dance, and food of the five main cultural groups of Belize: the Mestizo, Mayan, East Indian, Garifuna, and Creole cultures. They have learned that they don’t have to be on technology to have fun, not all kids have phones or video games, hard work can actually pay off, and being hot and uncomfortable won’t kill you. I’m calling that a parenting win!

Finally, the most fulfilling and exciting part of this trip has been finishing the house and getting it listed to rent on VRBO.! 🙌 We are so excited to share not only our home, but this very special area of Belize with our friends, family, and anyone else who may be interested. If you’re ready for your next vacation to be less “touristy” and you would like to experience true, authentic Belize culture then we would absolutely love to share our home with you! It just went “live” on VRBO today and we’re offering a twenty percent discount for the first three bookings! You can find it listed as “Better Together Vacation Home” in Corozal Belize. Enjoy the pics and we hope to host you soon!