Belmopan Belize – Deidra Deandra

10 New Belizean Businesses from Belize’s National University

New Belizean Businesses from the University of Belize

November 16, 2015–Today was such a fun and exciting day as I got to be a judge for the University of Belize’s Marketing Expo. Ten groups had worked to develop products to introduce to the Belizean market. They created the products, developed branding and packaging, and financed and marketed them.

Among the products were glow in the dark, eco-friendly lava lamps; yellow tomato ketchup, fruit juices, jams (including a delicious tomato jam, who would have thought?), wooden bottle holders, coconut oil, face scrubs and barbecue sauce. The response from the public was great and one of the businesses even sold out! Professor Audrey Pascasio said she was very proud of the effort her students put into their businesses and the feedback from the public.

It was so great seeing the next people the enter the workforce creating new Belizean businesses. I encouraged them to not let it be just another project but to actually follow through with their businesses. If they do, you should be seeing a whole new variety of “Made in Belize” products on grocery store shelves. Be sure to buy them!

University of Belize’s Mission Statement
The University of Belize is a national, autonomous and multi-location institution committed to excellence in higher education, research and service for national development. As a catalyst of change it provides relevant, affordable and accessible educational and training programs that address national needs based on principles of academic freedom, equity, transparency, merit and accountability.

See Photos of these New Belizean Businesses on Facebook.

Capital of Belize – Belmopan City!

Welcome to Belmopan City – The Capital of Belize

Capital of Belize - Belmopan City

The Capital of Belize – Belmopan City, is a beautiful destination to visit on your next Belize trip. Belmopan is located in the Cayo District, Belize and is a short 1 hour dive from Belize City. The City is designed with a Ring Road being encompassing the central area and leading off into every other destination in Belmopan.

Belmopan became the Capital of Belize in 1962 after the former Capitial (Belize City) suffered a great destruction by Hurricane Hattie in 1961. The famous National Assembly Building (photographed above) is a beautiful structure in the main center of the City and was designed to resemble a Pre-Colombian Maya Temple.

The city is known to be a laid back and relaxing place to visit. It is also the safer of the two cities in Belize. Belmopan City is rapidly growing from a quiet destination to a thriving city in Belize as the population, businesses and activities in the city increase. Here are 3 fun activities to do while in the Capital of Belize:

Capital of Belize - Belmopan City Go Shopping at the Belmopan City Market Day (Every Tuesday & Friday)! Here you’ll find many Belizean made products, locally produced fruits and vegetables, clothing, and local dishes from a variety of cultures. You’ll see farmers, fishermen, artisans, mobile pet stores, tradesmen, furniture makers, and people of all cultures going about their daily activities.

Visit the Guanacaste National Park! Guanacaste is a 50 acre Protected Areas named after the big and beautiful Guanacaste Tree. Among the activities to do at the park are: bird watching, swimming, picnicking and nature trails. This national park is home to tree species such as the Mamey Sapote, Brazilian Firetree, and the Mahogany, Belize’s national tree. Many animals call Guanacaste National Park home, including the Nine-Banded Armadillo, Kinkajou, White-Tailed Deer, and Jaguarundi. It has also a great place for bird watching as over a hundred species of birds have been sighted at the park including the Black-Headed Trogon, Blue-Crowned Motmot, Belted Kingfisher, Black-Faced Antthrush and Red-Lored Amazon. The National Park operates from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm and has an Entrance Fee of BZ $5.00 (BZ $1.00 for Nationals).

Capital City of Belize - Belmopan City Go Horseback Riding at Banana Bank Lodge! They cater to different levels of experience. They also have a nice swimming pool for adults and children. It is a lovely place to stay as well if you’re wanting to stay in a destination surrounded by the jungle!

PS – If you’re looking for a great place to eat, a favorite of mine is Formosa (Nim Li Punit Street, Belmopan City). It has a nice atmosphere and they are consistent in serving great food!

Queen of The Bay Belmopan

Queen of The Bay 1987 Desiree Smith

Twenty seven years ago this gorgeous woman won the title of Queen of The Bay! She’s my momma! She was absolutely stunning in this picture and she is still a gem today! Looking at this picture got me thinking though. There are times when you don’t feel your best or look your best. This was a happy moment for my mom. She felt her best and looked her best; she probably felt like she was on top of the world. But life was not always like that for her and surely is not always like that for any of us.

She didn’t let those “not her best” moments affect her though. She would say to me not to not to let my outer appearance reveal what’s going on inside. For me, that translated to “Be Selfless.” Sometimes (especially females, let’s be real) can get so caught up in petty things. She said it to me many times when I had a simple flu and was mad at the world. Then, I was reminded by someone in a situation 10 times worse that my flu was not a big deal. You never know what others are going through; we always hear it and it’s always true. So as my friend Lexy would say, “suck it up buttercup” (and I say that nicely), because there’s a whole world of people for you to love on.

Miss World Belize 2012 Chantae Guy

Queen of the Bay 1987 Runner Up Patricia Zelaya

Queen of The Bay 2014 Jasmine Rhamdas

Cool Fact: Apparently, there’s something about Bermuda Street in Belmopan, Belize. Four beautiful ladies, including my mom, have won Queen Titles. Miss World Belize 2012 was from Bermuda Street, so was the Runner Up for Queen of the Bay 1987, and today Jasmine Rhamdas, also of Bermuda Street was crowned our new Queen of the Bay! All these Queens have resided or currently reside on Bermuda Street. Will the legacy continue? Any takers? Happy TENTH Belize!