Belize Study Abroad Trip March 2019

This spring semester I decided to do a study abroad trip in Central America particularly in Belize. The course was a combined with four other courses such as anthropology, dentistry, health promotion, and sustainability. I ended up taking the sustainability course since I needed to complete a course for my minor in sustainability. At first I was super scared, anxious, and nervous it was going to be the first time traveling without my family. I was scared because I recently visited Nicaragua let me tell you it was a heck of a ride because of the revolution. The experience I had in Nicaragua was scary and stressful at times. I thought Belize was going to be same way since it's the neighboring country of Nicaragua. I was excited overall I knew it was once in a life time chance and I was going to love it. On the first day we took a bus from South Bend IN to Chicago Midway. Funny thing I had hectic midterm week let me tell you I was finished with my day at 8:00 pm. I had to wake up at 11:00 pm to get on the bus that was waiting for all of us at the school. Then we took the plane from Chicago Midway at 3 am to Fort Lauderdale FL. Luckily we had time to stop and eat shortly after we catch the plane to go from Fort Lauderdale FL to Belize City it was like 1 or 2 pm when we got there. The school bus was waiting for us at the airport. Drove us like three hours to our final destination at the Log Cabin Inn in San Ignacio Belize. Our main goal while we were there was to do service projects at the school. We built picnic benches, taught the kids dentistry, sustainability, and health. Much of our time spent in San Ignacio Belize was touring the place:

       
          Belize Botanical Gardens 

          Mayan Ruins 

          Marimba Drink dancing 

          Garifuna Drummers 

          Chocolate Making 

          Local Outdoor Market Place Shopping

          Rio Pools/Rio Pool Caves
          Belize Senior Home
          Snorking


Then we on our second to last day we went to Caye Caulker Belize. The island next to San Pedro, if any of you listen to Madonna songs, one of her songs is called San Pedro. Caye Caulker (sounds like Key Caulker), we went snorkling and saw many of the coral reefs, and fish. We also went out and explored the island by using golf carts. By the way you are only allowed to either travel by bike, golf cart, or walk. Let me tell you the island is so colorful it looks like Greece and Hawaiii put together. After we explored the island we dressed up and went bar hopping. We lived it up! I would say the best place to visit in Belize is Caye Caulker Belize. Skip San Ignacio if you just want to chill, and the best part of the trip was seeing the sunrise on the beach before we left Belize to go back home.

I remember Belize by these two things: The quote from garifuna drummers, "Live your life day by day." Music that reminds me of Belize is "Girls Like You" By Maroon 5 (in reality they played this song over and over in Caye Caulker Belize).