What's happening here?
Is it a scene from the classic Hitchcock movie The birds?
No, but close!
Actually, all those little black dots in the sky are flying termites. These pictures were taken in the Central American country of Belize. To be exact, they were taken in Armenia Village on the Hummingbird Highway in the Cayo District of Belize.I lived in Belize on and off for about 5 years, one year of which Atsuko and I spent together. Belize is a beautiful place. It's a very small country between the nations of Mexico and Guatemala with a population of only about 250,000. Belize has much to offer. There are rainforests, grand Mayan ruins, delicious food, beautiful beaches, and the second largest barrier reef lays of it's coast.
When I first came to the small village of Armenia, close to Belize's capital Belmopan, there was no electricity or running water. That was less than 10 years ago, but much has changed. Today those amenities as well as telephones and cable have penetrated the once very quiet village. However it is still an amazing place bordering the jungle and full of Latin and Mayan culture.
Like Wakayama, Japan, there is a distinct rainy season in Belize and that season is now! During the rainy season numerous varieties of frogs can be heard calling out to be loved, the land becomes greener than ever, and certain insects become more restless than usual.
In Japan, it is the firefly that proliferates and shows off in great numbers when rains come. Flying termites are the winged insects that dominate the sky on rainy, humid nights in Belize. They are like a plague at times, getting into EVERYTHING - food, cabinets, floors, and even inside your ears, eyes, and mouth.
雨季になると大量発生したシロアリが何万と飛びます。来たらすぐさま家の中に入らないと、数が数なんで、目や口の中にも入ってくるくらい・・・。
家の窓とかドアを閉めておいても、隙間からいっぱい入ってくるしで、大変でした。
始めは数匹飛んで来たと思えば、気付けば何万と押し寄せてくるので、映画さながらの光景です。
数時間で去って行くけど、それまでは暑い暑い気候（もちろんクーラーなし）の中、ドア・窓締切りになるんで、家の中はなかなか蒸し風呂状態です。
何回かシロアリアタックを経験するうち、シロアリは光というより、熱に引き寄せられてる？と気付いたんで、それからは料理をしてても一旦中断して、去るのを待つようになりました。
シロアリアタックが過ぎ去った後の家の中には、めちゃめちゃ沢山のシロアリの羽が残されて、いつも掃除が大変でした！！
In Armenia village three distinct languages are spoken. Most prevalent is Spanish, followed by Mayan dialects, and finally Creole English. Creole English is quite different in it's accents, intonations, and vernacular, from standard English.
My good friend Job (pronounced Hubb) was born in Guatemala, but came to Belize with his family who sought refuge from the wars in their home country. He came to Belize shortly after he was born. All of Job's family speaks Spanish and many speak Creole English as a second language. Job speaks both. He also speaks "Jobbish"! That is, he kind of makes up his own language for fun. It is fun too! For many of the other children in the village picked up on Jobbish and began using much of it in day to day conversation.
One of Job's more "famous", or memorable terms was "titiritie"
(pronounced TEE - TEE - DEE -TEE). Titiritie is the name Job Lopez gave to flying termites. How did he come up with this word? Where does it stem from? These questions only Job can answer. All I know is, for the rest of my life, flying termites will always be titirities and whenever i see them, Job will always come to my mind.
When Job and I first met, I was 23 and Job was just 10. He was a cute young boy with a big smile, full of enthusiasm. The only thing that has changed is, he's 3 times as big as he was then. He's a handsome young MAN with facial hair now. That's mi numero uno amigo above with his girlfriend!
PHOTOGRAPHS and INSPIRATION
by JOB LOPEZ
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