Justin's Blog

How Belize Got Its Name The story of how a nation got it’s name Belize is a young country. It is also one that has many people, and many stories. But it only has one name. How did Belize get its name? Some stories say the Maya are responsible, others the Spanish, some the British. Not this story… Close Your Eyes & Relax... Imagine you are now in Africa… You are walking through the Congo... Imagine Walking in the forest. See the trees. SWISH SWISH SWISH. There is a tiger over there. ROOOOAR! There is a monkey in the tree. OH OOH AH AHH! There are birds in the trees. SQUAAAAACK!  Now keep your eyes closed and listen to me! Imagine you are walking in the forests of Africa. Imagine stepping on old branches. How does it sound? CRRRACK! Keep walking. We walk and see Belize! No. Not our home. A village called Belize in the Congo. See a little house, a house built of sticks and stones. A man came out wi...

Justin M. Vera Ms. Katie Jones Eng. 210 June 25, 2018 The secrets of Portia and Modern Women Revealed “A woman is like a tea bag - you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water” (Roosevelt, 2014). Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of former United States president Theodore Roosevelt, stated this. So, why is a woman like a tea bag? We don’t know the strength of a tea bag until we put the tea bag into hot water. A woman’s true strength comes to the surface when she gets into hot water. You will see women stand out under pressure and at that very moment you will see her determination and resolve carry the day. Never underestimate the strength of a woman. In today’s society those words hold up, but this is also true at a time before they even said these words! Portia and modern women are straightforward, most of the time, yet they are different in some ways, for example: Modern women are independent in the Merchant of Venic...

2018 Independence Day Vigil Presidential Speech Belize Da Fi Wi – Now & Forever, 8867 Good night and welcome once again my fellow colleagues to JP2. I begin with addressing this year’s theme “Belize Da Fi Wi – Now & Forever, 8867”. A fun fact about this theme is that it is from Corozal resident Fernanda Tun who was this year’s winner of the theme competition. Technicalities aside, let us dive into the past for a brief moment… What if George price did not start the movement for independence? What if the start of the "peaceful, constructive Belizean revolution" on 29 September 1950 had not started? Where would we be?   Imagine speaking to others about how oppressive the colonial rule of the British is, or imagine a Guatemalan rule, no diversity, and just Hispanic culture. No more rice and beans, just Chile, tortillas and frijol every day, all day! So, I ask all those present here today…        (LOOK AROUND AT EVERYON...

Ecce Tua Donum, Mater Here is a gift, Mother An aura as thine, deserves no other Than my sincerest appreciation, Hold my words to your heart dear, Of which not a soul can come near. A love as grandiose as thine, Resilient to stand the passage of time. How fortune has blessed me, great is this luck of mine At my lowest, your love has never fallen short, Praises followed me at my Best, There is no need for proof, for evidence or for a Test, You have been my pillar of support

My Time @ John Paul II Junior College It was two years well spent. I have to say I will miss the place, and the people, and the friendships made there. They say all good things must come to an end. Well, I guess that is true. But I won't let two years go uncompensated. I made two videos as a homage to the school and the people attending. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.  To see the videos click on the links bellow: Video 1 Video 2 Please like the videos on my YouTube channel. I would really appreciate it if you did.   

El lamento de una flor Purpura Oh mi pequeña flor purpura, El hombre de naranja te ha abrazado con la oscuridad. Escoges soledad comunal, y te encoges Disfrutando de la indefensión de la vida * Oh mi pequeña flor purpura, Una máquina tan brillante como el sol te ha pisoteado. Y ahora las abejas vuelan sobre tu belleza, Dios dado. ¿Quién se responsabilizara? * Oh mi pequeña flor purpura, Tus rasgos morados ahora débiles bajo partículas de polvo. El peso de tu martirio dobla tus hojas hacia el suelo Este dolor, por favor busca una cura * ¡Oh gente que engendra maldad y miseria! Tú que oyes este grito, deja de transitar tus carruseles. Disfruta una caminada debajo de los cielos azules Y vive en el mundo en pacífica armonía. * J. M. Vera 3/21/19

Belizeans Helping Belizeans By: Justin M. Vera             One teacher from Mount Carmel High, eight students, and three teachers from John Paul II Junior College went on a one week mission trip to the rural village of Aguacate in Toledo to serve their fellow Belizeans.             They all traveled early morning on the 20 th  of January, 2019. Despite the several hours of travel, their spirits were high the students were excited when they experienced firsthand the phenomenon of the car being pulled back by the hills super high concentration of metals that cause the strange magnetic field. Everyone was excited when they entered the village, immediately interacting with the residents. Their curiosity peaked as they heard their guide explain various things about the community.               The visito...