To Read or not to Read

So, those of you that know us, know that we have an all consuming addiction to books. It is genetic and hasn't skipped anyone that I know of in at least two generations. Armed with this knowledge, we left Canada with one or two books each tidily stuffed in our suitcases. We all thought that would hold us until we found a book store in Belize. We were soooo wrong!! The books ran out on about day two. We searched Belmopan... we searched Dangriga... No luck. We asked in Belmopan and were told to find Angelus Press, they have books. We found Angelus Press. They have primary readers and lots of school supplies but no books. We were told to find Dakers. They have one shelf of used books but mostly steamy romances. Not exactly what we had in mind. Then we moved on to Dangriga. Of course they have books ... at the office supply store. (you'll notice no one has ssaid 'try the book store') They have one copy of a Danielle Steele hardcover and, suprise, lots of office supplies. Finally we ask at the office. someone must know where there is a book store! 'Hmmm, have you tried Dakers?' Well, yes we have, actually. Finally someone comes up with the idea to try the 'phone book. (just as an aside - how small is belize really? Well, the 'phone book is both white and yellow pages for the entire country and is about half the size of the Sherwood Park 'phone book) Guess what? There are exactly no book stores in Belize! I am complaining about this in the car one day to one of the girls' new friends. (I was in the crabby stage of withdrawl) and she says 'Miss Dana' (here all the women are called miss something. It is a term of respect) 'you need to join the library.' THE LIBRARY!!!!!!!!! Why had no one mentioned the library? ('Oh, we thought you wanted to own books' was the common response to that query) So off I go and join the library. It is a very nice little library. One room with lots of wood and sections for children, non-fiction and fiction. All of the books have been donated and most are old but they are books! And many, many of them are not steamy romances! They are stacked three deep so it takes a while to look through them and I'm sure we will have read them all by the time our year is up but ... There are books!! We have been there twice now. The second time the librarian remembered us - not just our faces, our names as well. There is no card catalogue that I have seen and it's probably not the place for serious research but it will fill the craving for now. It is kind of like a blast from the past as they use the old card and date stamp system of signing out and everyone whispers and walks on tiptoe as they 'search the stacks'. For me it is like being home.