Today, the Island Academy (an International School for Children on Ambergris Caye Island) in Belize, honored the death and memory of Sir Barry Bowen.

Lady Dixie Bowen (our principal) remained strong, as she read to us kids, a letter that she had written to her one true love, expressing her most deepest thoughts.  We were all very touched.  She told us, that Barry had said to her, "No one will remember me if I die", and today Lady Bowen told us "He was wrong".   We do remember him, and she loves and misses him every day.  

Barry & Dixie Bowen have done many wonderful things for this country.  They have started and contribute to many schools, hoping to offer the children of Belize, a better future, by educating one child at a time.



SIR BARRY BOWEN, WE DO REMEMBER YOU - THIS DAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2011.  We sang songs together, Lady Bowen read a letter to us about you, and we all marched to the sea, and tossed a flower into the water - to remember you by. 

This tour was absolutely the most exciting thing I have done thus far.  When mom decided it was time for another adventure, we packed our bags and grabbed our friends.  We boarded a boat, early in the morning and headed for the Belize mainland to hike through the jungle interior.  I was age 7 at the time.

I didn't really understand what we were about to do, but everyone was excited to see what the day would bring.  We entered the facility and our group was assigned to an individual guide.  The guide helped us to get our harnesses, helmets, gloves and gear on, that we would be using for the morning.  We then took a brief walk into the jungle for a short distance.  There was a little climbing involved, but we soon arrived at our first platform high in the jungle tree tops. 

As each member of our group jumped off the platform, I soon knew my turn was next.  I just did what I saw everyone else doing.  When it came my turn to jump off the platform, to feel myself flying through the air (high in the jungle tree tops), the pure excitement of it all, caused me to wet my pants.  I look back on it now, and laugh.  You can tell by looking at the photos, that I was having the time of my life.

This is definitely something out of the ordinary, and I really enjoyed doing this.  When I go back to the States, I am often asked, what it is like to do this.  I would recommend this tour to any family (who does not have a fear of heights).  I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as I did.

This was one of our quarterly family outings, that we took back in the fall of 2007.   I wanted to share the pictures with everyone.

Cave tubing is something our family has done several times, and to tell the truth, it will probably be something we will do again very soon.  It always seems to be "on the list" for things to do, for anyone coming to Belize for the very first time.

My first time cave tubing, I didn't know what to expect.  But as I slowly got use to it, I came to realize, that it is actually quite fun.  My grandparents could do this tour, in fact anyone's grandparents could do this tour.  There is some light walking involved, but once you get to the river, all you have to do is sit in the inner tube and float leisurely down the river.   

What I really like to do, is hold hands and float down the river together.  My brother thinks this is stupid, but I kind of like it.  It's a girl thing, my mom says.

When I go back to the states to visit my family, everyone asks me what I do in Belize to have fun.  When I tell them I hike through jungles, float through caves, zip line through tree tops, eat conch, lion fish, shrimp, stewed chicken, beans & rice........nobody believes me.  I laugh when they realize, "I really do!".  Yeah, I guess I'm sort of a different kind of kid.  I don't ride a school bus, I don't own a pair of snow shoes, I experience winter by watching it on television, and the beach is my backyard.