With the rooster’s call to the sun, I woke up and realized that the day was finally here: I’m in Belize. What I had thought a few weeks ago was a distant dream, became a reality in which I got to explore and help out a community I have never been to.

The first thing I did today was greet my homestay mother and ate breakfast with Emma (NMH Student) and Gabby (Medical Fellow).  I ate a Johnnycake with peanut butter and then washed the dishes after.  Then I got ready, headed out to the San Antonio community center, and set out to Caracol (Mayan archeological site) and the Rio Frío cave.  

As I look back to what happened at the trip today, I felt like I have traveled through centuries full of Mayan history and feel as if time hasn’t passed at all. The trip was an overall unique experience that I believe I can’t get anywhere else even at home in Indonesia. It has been a truly on unforgettable experience that I am further grateful for.

--Jennie Young’ 20 (Reflecting on Day 2, March 10, 2019)

Kelly Cao ’20 similarly shared her reflections of Day 2 (March 10, 2019):

Belize has been so welcoming of us so far. From the hospitality of my host parents, homemade meals made from the fresh fruits, vegetables, and poultry in the garden, and the open-mindedness of the home visit families that we provided our services to today. Visiting the Mayan ruins yesterday and Rio Frio was absolutely breathtaking and I was so grateful for the opportunity to step foot into the remains of such a complex culture. Furthermore, venturing through the nooks and crannies of the cave was truly cathartic, as the damp, mildew scent that engulfed me further grounded me within the Belize.

Jordan Lafave ’21 described today’s activities (Day 3, March 11, 2019):  

Today we had our first day of home visits, and they went really well. The families were open to us practicing and letting us into their homes. Returning from the home visits, we got together as a group to discuss hand washing and nutrition. We will be presenting information about hand washing, nutrition and other topics to a local school on Wednesday and Thursday. All is great!