26 November 2007

Here are my thoughts- Beth's Version

My brother is getting married soon. In twelve more days he will be a American with a Belizean passport and a Guatemalan wife. He will go back to Guate to his big time university and finish his last two years of medical school. He then plans go to the end of the world to be a doctor.

Why do I mention him? I love him and I am proud of all the hard work he does. But at the same time I am bitter. How dare he exploit our adopted country so? How can he abuse the benefits of being a Belizean in Guatemala when he has no plans to invest in the tiny country that shouldn't have and didn't have to invest in him? Why?

I am not really angry with him. But it is people like him. Not only foreigners how get the Belizean passport so they can bypass the fees of being gringo.... but people who Belize invested in to leave home to study aboard. There they find love, life, riches or whatever. Never return. Their expertise are lost to us (except for a few documentaries, Thanks, Andy) . The small but faithful stipend that cost the tax payers to help with the cost of living so their families don't have to sacrifice so much. I am angry that there are Belizeans all over the world who never look back to think how they can invest back in their little home country. They only think how "tings haad out yah". If life is indeed a fight they are losers because they never gave it a try. Worst than quitters...

Funny, because the Doctor thinks I am silly for not pushing to get nationalize. The truth is I don't need a paper to say that I am Belizean. I eat sere and drink pipe wata. What else does he want? I can't vote. But I love my little country. Yes, I teach at a private school with a foreign curriculum but I am teaching the little minds that smile at me every morning that even though they are a minority, they can be proud Belizeans. They can contribute to their nation. They can grow up to be the leader of tomorrow and they can do it good. They can buy back what our fathers are losing now.

One of my students in Mr. Cornie Dueck's (NRP) daughter, by the way.

6 comments:

Domanick Fabro said...

hehe i know what you mean, but one can only go where life takes em... maybe one day it'll lead em back to bze.

Beth said...

No, I think the problem is bigger then that. I think people, not all Belizean who go out side by the way, pursue money more then purpose. What am I staying though... I am broke and no where neat my dream yet.

Tracy Tillett said...

Many Belizeans study abroad and do choose to stay there; hey, thats where they will get paid what they are worth. And its true, thats a major contribution to why Belize is taking so long from being developed.

Today I was at the Ministry of Education. I think they need more qualified people in their departments instead of giving people positions because of color: blue or red. Another reason why we are so behind; they don't have the right people in the right places.

My head always hurts when this topic comes up, and once again, its hurting; taking a warm bath and then going to bed. I've had a long day.

Leonardo Melendez said...

Beth I'm glad we're on the same page. Strong purpose driven people in this material world.

Leonardo Melendez said...

I recently discovered the Editorial Page on Amandala. Creme de la creme! The Belizean Definition.

Beth said...

Sorry Tracy... I don't talk about my national development ideas much because they give me a headache too. I also think it is better for me to do my part rather then cry that others aren't doing their's.

Leo... Thanks that was interesting. I like the Amandala. Sometimes it makes me feel tired and hopeless though.