Crooked Tree was such a great experience for me personally. I really enjoyed getting to understand the way that a place’s history can really play such a big role in contemporary times. This town is unique because it has held on to much of its culture, and everyone is embracing every aspect of said culture. The food consisted of hearty portions, savory flavors, and meat that fell off of the bone. I am a firm believer that you can get a good understanding of a place through its cuisine. There were some items of food that I had not seen in Guatemala, but there were a lot of dishes that I found to be fairly common between both countries. I noticed that the methods of cooking plantains were vastly different. In Crooked Tree [Belize], I noticed that the plantains were usually more savory while in Guatemala I had only had sweet-tasting plantains. This highlights the fact that the entirety of the descendants within the Maya area are not homogenous in their methods of survival. The people in the highlands do things differently than those in the lowlands, as well as those in Crooked Tree. I really enjoyed learning about the cooking methods from the San Antonio village. It was amazing to see their ways of using contemporary Maya customs. Throughout each region, I really enjoyed seeing the ways that people have learned to adapt to their environment and be resourceful. This aspect really made me really impressed with each Santiago. I really learned a lot about the Maya people of Belize and Guatemala and have found a newfound appreciation for both countries. In the words of my cohort’s bus driver Edíomi, “We are all one people with one diverse culture. We are good people with feelings, and have nothing but respect for one another.”
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