The new bills feature important local figures on the front, and different local images of Belizean wildlife or important local monuments, such as Mayan ruins.
A regular-sized bottle of water is sold nationwide for $1 BZD ($0.50 USD). However, it is really common for people here to buy small bags of water, called shilling water. They are called shilling waters because they are sold for one shilling, or 25 cents. You just bite the corner of the bag and drink as much as you want.
The best meal I had this week was, hands down, the fish my host mom made me for lunch one day. I love fish, and this fish in particular was caught by my host mom's son the previous day! He dropped off a whole bucket of fish at our house that night for her to cook the following day. The fresh fish, along with vegetables and perfectly cooked rice and corn tortillas, were the perfect meal.
This week I listened to a lot of Johnny Cash and Billy Strings which is normal for me, even before I came to Belize. Old country and bluegrass are two of my favorite genres. I also listen to Jack Johnson most nights as I'm falling asleep. However, I also listened to some local genres such as Punta Rock, characterized by its high-energy and drum-heavy beats.
The most fun I had this week was swimming in the Carribean Sea. It was my first time swimming in 2026, and my first time going to the beach in what felt like a long long time. The weather was perfect and the water wasn't too cold.