I don't know how to title this.

On February 28th, a man named Sir Barry Bowen perished in Belize after crashing his plane. He brought along with him a couple named Michael and Jill Casey, along with their two children. Michael was the principal of the experimental school in a tiny town in Belize called Gallon Jug. Jill was the sister of one of the owners at a lodge nearby Gallon Jug called Chan Chich. All of them died and were then laid to rest the day following.

Why am I writing about this? I have been going to Chan Chich lodge in Belize since I was six years old. This means that the first time my family brought me there, my brother was only three. To get to Chan Chich, you have to fly into Belize City Airport and then take a little tiny 6 person plane to Gallon Jug. Once you're there, a guide picks you up in a van and drives for about half an hour into the rainforest. Chan Chich is situated in an old Mayan site, and there are lots of different ancient buildings that are now covered by years of dirt, grass, and vegetation. I have been going there every year since I was six years old, but I haven't been there in about a year and a half now. My family's schedule has been too hectic to get us all there (even though there's only four us) but we are planning to go back as soon as possible...partly because of this news.

My family has seen Chan Chich go through several different managements and seen even more developments and buildings being built and roads being carved out. We go there because it's actually one of the few places that has preserved rain forest. We see all sorts of animals, including large cats, koatamundis, and so many different types of birds. We wake up every morning around 4(unfortunately) to the sound of howler monkeys, which still manages to freak the hell out of me, but then sometimes get to fall back asleep. I've known the guides there for 10 years of my 16 year life. Some of them have seen me grow and mature in a way that is completely different than the way that anyone else has seen me grow up. We begin with hugs and end with wanting to come back again and again.

Barry Bowen made this all possible. He was the heart and soul of Belize, and he made sure that everything in Gallon Jug (the coffeebean farm, the horseback riding, Chan Chich, and the experimental school) were run well and safely. His name is on every water bottle that you find in Belize and he was the biggest, most important business tycoon of the entire country.

I've only visited the Gallon Jug Community School a few times. It covers several grades (I don't remember which) but everytime we've been there, everyone has been kind and wonderful. My father has entered contests in which money is donated to them.


Along with the loss of Barry Bowen is the principal of this school, as well as his wife and two children.

I don't know how much is going to change about Belize, the Belize I've known my whole life, but I'm scared to find out. I can just hope that the families who have been affected by this, even more than I have, as well as the whole of Belize (and I am not stressing nearly enough how much this man meant to the country) can keep on functioning to the best of their ability.

My father just told me this today, and I don't know how to handle it.

Some things are too good to stay, I guess.

I am sorry that this is so different than my regular blogposts, but I feel so crushed because this has been such a central part of my life for the majority of it. I will be posting again soon, but I don't know what else to think about right now.

Rest in Peace. I know everyone is thinking of you.

Thanks for reading. <3.