Meet Mr. Elder Quintanilla.

Even under the hottest of suns, despite having to rake after filthy us, cleaning our streets day in and out, he will have a smile and a wave if you just look and acknowledge him. I walk past him nearly every day, and our exchanges have only ever been of the smile and maybe a passing comment on the weather.

Elder Quintanilla Street Cleaner Teakettle-1

Well, I finally managed to get him during a small break recently, and I found out that he is from Teakettle Village in the Cayo District! Funnily enough, we’d been tossing village names out loud in the office, deciding where we wanted to visit next for Backroads Belize. Teakettle was high on the list for its cute name and it’s proximity to several other areas that sound fun to explore.

And Mr. Quintanilla is from there! He’s been on the island for nearly 9 years, and has been working hard all these years. High five Mr. Q, you rock!

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About the Author: Mary Gonzalez

Mary Gonzalez writes under the pseudonym 'Tia Chocolate'. Tia Chocolate enjoys writing short stories that focus on her life growing up in the small Maya village of San Antonio, Cayo District, Belize.
Tia loves (and we mean LOVE) eating and writing about her food experiences, often times trying out new recipes to try and recreate the foods of her memories. She also loves to travel, indulging in the culture wherever she is privy to visit.
She is slave to a giant cat named Kitty Boo Boo, and her cooking exploits are enjoyed by her significant other, Pookie.

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