Day 14

It is hard to write down all of the memory’s I’ve made through these amazing two weeks in Belize because I feel like words wouldn’t be sufficient to express what I’ve experienced. I have met wonderful people, heard the stories and struggles of their lives, grew closer to the girls who share the same passion as I do, and, most importantly, fell in love with the country and people of Belize. Going into this trip I thought that I was going to be giving back to the people of Belize. Little did I know that I would be taught so much more than I could have taught them. I learned to say “yes” to new experiences. During our first week in Belize, we were given opportunities to participate in a variety of activities. We were able to snorkel at the second largest barrier reef in the world. I saw many species of different fish and sea life that I didn’t know existed. It made me realize that there is much more to life than meets the eye. We kayaked in Ranguana Caye, where the waters were clear enough to see fish and massive sting rays float right under you without a care in the world. We swam with nurse sharks and sting rays off the coast of the Caulker Caye. Though I squeaked and squealed every time a shark swam right by me, I am really glad I was able to witness these harmless animals in their natural habitat. “If you respect the animals, the animals will respect you”, said the tour guide. We went tubing into ancient caves that held many years of Mayan beliefs. I was in awe of the vast size and beauty as we floated in the same area the Mayans had worshiped their nine gods of the underworld. We went ziplining through the jungles and over rivers appreciating the nature that was right beside us. We visited the Belize zoo which housed animals that were rescued or endangered. I was able to take pictures of “Junior” the leopard as he stood three feet away from the fence that separated us. Last, but certainly not least, we visited Altun Ha. The Mayan Ruins and history was overwhelmingly beautiful and so rich with history and culture. All of these experiences may be once and a life time for all of us and I am really glad we had the opportunity to experience them. I learned not to take things for granted. During our many road trips to different cities within the country, I would observe the local people outside of the window. Most of what I saw broke my heart. Many of the houses had palm branches as roofs and open windows and doors because there was no air conditioning. I wasn’t even sure if some of these homes had indoor plumbing or electricity. It made me realize how little I think about the things that are second nature to me. I don’t have to worry about the rain or wind destroying my home or if I’m going to have a warm meal at night. I don’t have to worry about clean water or how I am going to get from place to place. I also don’t have to worry about something as simple as a sharpened pencil at school or splitting an eraser because there is only one for the whole classroom. Those who were around me may have to, day in and day out. I learned how to put myself in someone else’s shoes. I met many people during my trip and each one of them had a different story to tell. I met a fisherman who would fish for weeks on end, unable to see his family until his job was done. I met tour guides who desperately wanted to continue their education to better themselves but could not quit their job because they were the only source of income for their family. I met a local shop owner who desperately wanted to learn English to provide him and his family a better life and fearing that his children will have a hard time finding work because of their lack of English. I met a young girl at one of the schools we visited in Punta Gorda. She spent her entire Christmas break working with her mom to provide food for her family. All she really wanted was to be at home for her break and not work. Though my heart hurt for many of those I talked to, I found myself falling in love with the values and drive that most of them possessed. I will always keep their spirit in my heart. I learned to be confident in myself. Though our first week of experiencing the country’s activities was great, the second week with the students at Stella Maris was the reason this trip was unforgettable. As a beginning clinician, I always wondered if I was really making a difference or if I even knew what I was doing. But as soon as I was able to interact with my classroom and meet the teachers, it felt like I was born to do speech therapy. I was able to focus on the specific needs of the students with communication difficulties and educate the teachers on helpful tips and tricks to carry on after I left back home. I learned the importance of collaboration. I did not realize how much I use the printer for activities in therapy. It is so much easier to press one button and wait for the paper rather than taking three hours to create what could have taken 30 seconds to print. It is amazing what a room full of future speech therapists and a suitcase full of arts and crafts supplies can create. I was able to identify my strengths and work on my weaknesses when it came to producing therapy material from nothing. We are definitely spoiled by SuperDuper and Teachers pay Teachers. I also really enjoyed getting to know the undergraduates for TAMIU. I was blessed to have had a great partner during out time at Stella Maris. She really was the ying to my yang. I learned that a little does go a long way. Though we had a short week at Stella Maris, my heart was glued to my nine students (ages 12-16). I got to witness a transformation in the way a deaf student communicated as well as seeing him come out of his shell. During the first day, he used to not want to even look my direction but on the final day, he would grunt to catch my attention, sign “come play”, and beat me at tic- tac-toe no matter how many times we played. I spent one-on-one time with a student who was unintelligible and taught him to move his “speech machine.” I was able to help a student learn progressive -ing verbs during a sentence activities. The little bit of help these students desperately needed, did go a long way. The little bit of knowledge I was able to give the teachers did go a long way. The activities the undergraduate and I made to facilitate hands-on learning during class did go a long way. The love that each student and teacher in my classroom showed me throughout the week, really went a long way. I will never forget the way I felt everyday walking into that classroom. I will always remember the look on their faces as we introduced a new activity to them. I used to think that the term “life-changing” was cliché but because of those nine smiling faces I am forever changed. I am changed as clinician, I am changed as a student and I am changed as a person. The last day being there was filled with tears and heavy hearts as my classmates and I told our students goodbye. Our hearts were heavy knowing that our lives would move on when we headed back home and they will remain at Stella Maris. As I hugged my teacher, Ms. Ferguson, goodbye she said, “It’s never goodbye, Ashleigh. Its see you later.” I welled up with tears and told all of them, “see you later.” I fell in love with everything Belize had to offer and I know it is not goodbye. It’s a “see you later.”  

Day 13

Jan. 13, 2017

Our incredible journey at Stella Maris has come to an end today! 
The mission of the Students for Global Communication organization of Texas A&M University-Kingsville was to educate and provide speech-language services to underprivileged children around the world; one sound, one word, one child at a time. This experience has provided that opportunity, and I speak for all the members of the Students for Global Communication organization when I say we will be leaving with much more than we could have ever expected. I personally feel I have grown as a clinician and more so as an individual. The teachers and students of Stella Maris radiate with optimism, positivity, and humbleness despite the obstacles (as we see them) they face. 

Today we met a little boy who recently lost his brother, cousins, belongings, and shelter in a tragic house fire. When most would sense devastation, he found the light. He has been collecting cans and cutting lawns in order to provide his family with income to supply their basic needs. What child in the states would react this way, would help in the time of need, would despite tragedy be grateful for all they have? I am amazed by the people of Belize and their culture—giving, friendly, and hospitable. It is definitely not what I expected to face in this country. 

In the morning we had the chance to partake in a Devotion Ceremony hosted by a specific classroom at Stella Maris. The ceremony included a religious skit, praise and worship songs in Creole and sign language, the national anthem, questions about scripture readings, outstanding student awards, and gifts as a thanks to us for partaking in the education of their students and staff. It was amazing to be a part of such a powerful ceremony, their passion for their culture and religion truly touched my heart. 

Saying goodbye to our students and assigned teachers was the hardest part of the faculty led program so far! We have witnessed tremendous improvements among the children despite our short stay. Four nonverbal children said their first words, a child who was deaf with limited sign learned twenty signs within a span of ten minutes, one child communicated their need to use the restroom for the very first time, those with sensory needs eliminated mouthing objects, etc. It devastates me that there is so much more we can do as graduate clinicians to enhance the language and communication of these students—my only hope is that the teachers continue what we have taught them and allow the children to partake in opportunities that exercise their communication skills. 

A part of Stella Maris will always be with me, in heart and spirit. I am truly blessed to have been able to impact the lives of children in need. In a way, this trip has instilled a sense of confidence in my abilities as a future speech-language pathologist. From this point on I hope to be a light for all those I come in contact with. Belize will always be my home away from home! 

Day 12

Good Morning from Belize! Today was day 4 at Stella Maris. I am extremely sad to say that we only have ONE more day left here in Belize {tropical paradise}. I started off my morning with some cereal and I was ready for an awesome day. SGC loaded up the bus and I loved reading the back of our mint green shirts saying "Making a difference around the world, one word at a time" with Speech Therapy at the top. Such an awesome quote to read before we started our day at Stella Maris. Arriving, we all know that it’s time for work. My partner and I made our way once again to the "lower autism" classroom. The tables are turned in a manner that the kids can't run around and do their own thing; it was set up that everyone is kept "inside." The class was doing a sing-a-long for religious education. It was great to walk in to that and seeing the children involved. After that was over, the teacher had all the children get up from their seats and gather around the front area to do the day of the week, month, date, and year. She would pick out one of the children to place the words on the "mystery machine" {Scooby-doo}. The teacher also asked how the weather was outside and would give the children different options such as: is it raining outside or if there are clouds out. I really liked how the students were attentive and were listening to the teacher. This week has been pretty chaotic with the students not having structure. However, as the days go by, there is more structure. These students are unique individuals and all have different strengths and weaknesses. We have talked to the teacher numerous of times and she explains that they are “out of control” because of the helpers coming in. These types of distractions mess up their routine and the students tend to put on their own show. When the teacher told the students to go back to their seats they all did so. At times the teacher wanted us to do work one-on-one with a student and she would tell us what to work on. I had a student who was working on counting 1-20. He knows 1-10 very well but when it went beyond that, it was difficult and he would mix up some of the numbers. I had a file folder that consisted of pipe cleaners making up numbers 1-20 and used a popsicle puzzle that had 1-10 but made them into 11-20. My student really enjoys the sensory jars so I used this as a reinforcer. I would do 1-10 {strength} and then give him one minute with the sensory jar. He would give it back and only get it back once he counted 11-20. He did so and would get the sensory jar. This worked great! I had my student count 1-20! I stressed the numbers in the teens and he caught on the pattern. After a while he lost his interest.

I worked with another student who seemed “nonverbal” but I was interacting with him and he was imitating everything I said! I have continued to be surprised by what the students are able to do when they are worked with one on one. The teacher has a big load on her hands and the levels of knowledge are a big range. I really like how the teacher works to their strengths. She told each helper what each student was working with.. It was snack time for the students and structure was established once again by having the students get their snacks only when called by the teacher and by sitting down. When snack time was over, we broke up into groups to do months of the year, days of the week, and the abc’s. I had two little boys in my abc’s group and learned that one could do his whole alphabet all by himself!! Today was the first time he was in class this week and it was great to see his abilities. After group work, I used one of our activities my partner made last night. It consisted of colored construction paper and matching colored clothes pins. I had three students use this activity and all three knew their colors! This was a great success. It was time for lunch and the students always wash their hands before. I noticed with one nonverbal student looking himself in the mirror and getting excited. I got behind him and started to wave and say “hi.” He would get super excited so this would be a great way to get some production out of him.

Lunch was great once again! We had chicken and a type of cold pasta with a salad. It was super delicious. Once again, I wanted to finish fast to go play outside with all the students. I love this time of the day because the students just want to have fun and take a break from learning. With all the {fun} we bring, the students just love us! Plenty of hugs, new friends, and lots of bubbles. The children love the bubbles and of course getting what they want we always tell them to show/tell us what they want: more bubbles in sign or verbally. I would start a train with the students and everyone would tag along. It was a beautiful sight to see with the smiles of the children’s faces!!! After lunch is over, we lined up our students from our class outside before they entered the room {more structure that is being observed}. The teacher put on the TV and played the DVDs of singing and Leap Frog {ABC song}. During this time, the students (except one), were asked to take off their shirts for P.E. time. We went outside and did some stretches and played with the soccer ball. In the beginning, it was pretty rough and some of the students were wondering off but knowing that they were just testing us we wouldn’t chase after them. I would elicit language by turn-taking. I played with one student that really doesn’t do much in class and got him to say “my turn!!” He is the type of student that is very active and seems to love hands on activities. The students did well with the other teachers by lining up and kicking the ball when it was their turn. Going back inside to the classroom, once again, water was given out to the students who were quietly sitting. By this time, it was close to us leaving so my partner and I talked to the teacher for tomorrow’s plan and maybe an arts and crafts activity in the morning. Being here at Stella Maris has opened my heart even more than before. The children here are great but it’s just sad because they don’t get the services they need. I know for a fact if they get more one on one time with a Speech Pathologist, they can excel more. I was absolutely exhausted after today. I now know about the one thing SLPs need to have…STAMINA!!! Getting back to our hotel, I went straight to my room and knocked out (shoes on and everything). I woke up to get ready for dinner at Bird’s Isle. We had a great dinner with some great karaoke.

Overall a wonderful, yet exhausting day. I’m EXTREMELY sad that we will be saying our “good-bye’s” tomorrow and that I’m definitely going to hold back the tears. It has been a wonderful time working with the students and I cherish each one of them. I’m hoping to end our week/study abroad program with a marked footprint. The teacher has been great and kind to us and even though she gets frustrated with the chaos, she does a wonderful job handling it.

Day 11

Today we arrived at our classroom more prepared than we were on day one. Yesterday, we were able to write down our classrooms schedule so now we could create some activities that heavily involved language but still went along with our classes curriculum.  My partner and I made two sequencing activities that went with science.  One was the life cycle of a butterfly and the other was the life cycle of a seed to plant.  For our math activity I had made a build your own sundae.  Each part of the sundae was worth a certain amount. The idea was to have the students create a sundae worth so much.  Well as any speechie would know things don’t often go as planned… on our way to the school my supplies bag tipped over on the bus, which I didn’t think was any big deal.  However, when I bent down to pick up the materials I slowly saw my sundae math activity falling onto the road through a hold on the bus floor… This was almost comical to me.  I’ve learned on externship that a lot of times what you have planned will not work out.  So, when we got into our classroom our first lesson was supposed to be math.  Well this is where our quick thinking speechie skills come in.  I knew I had some popsicle sticks in my bag that were different colors.  My partner and I brainstormed and we came up with a pretty good addition activity that also targeted fine motor skills (writing) and language.  We assigned each color popsicle stick to a certain amount. We would then have the students choose a number of sticks and come to the math problems on the board.  We also made this activity target turn taking and managing group conversations.  To me this is one of the best skills a student, teacher, or SLP can have, because often you are going to be asked to think on your feet. 

My favorite part of today was being on the playground with the kids.  Its amazing to me how easily language can be incorporated into almost any activity with the right set of skills.  I was able to interact with a lot of the younger kids during this time.  I was also able to meet up with classmates and have them introduce me to kids in their classrooms.  One of the nonverbal boys on the playground today was playing a high-five game with me today.  During each clap I would count “one, two, three” during the end of our game he wasn’t able to actually say the numbers but he did catch on with producing the syllables. He really did enjoy the game too! He kept following me around the playground to do it over and over again.  It warms my heart to see how malleable these children are! Many of these are still like sponges and with a little (or a lot) of work they can make such significant progress in both academics and language.  I hope that by coming on this trip and spreading awareness it will increase the awareness of the country how much speech therapy could benefit this country. 

Day 10

Today was day ten of our Belize adventure. It was an important day because it marked the first day we were in our classrooms to see how the children and teachers function on an everyday basis. The goal of today was to observe the teacher, interact with the students, and to supplement to the lessons. The classroom I was placed in was the older autistic ranging from ages 10-16 years old. In the morning, the children are told to sit and place their backpacks on their chairs and wait for the other children to arrive. I instantly noticed the need for an introduction activity to keep busy while the other students arrive. I spoke with the teacher to get a feel for how the classroom management was handled. She said that many of the students throw tantrums. In my experience children with autism generally throw tantrums because they do not have the language skills to express their needs. She told me the schedule and how what she does for math. Math is done on a very basic level by counting and sequencing numbers 1-10, however I noticed she only gave cards to two students. She explained the other students do not comprehend well so she just bypasses the skill. I took note oaf the children so they would be included, simple manipulatives can help increase the comprehension.

After math, the teacher began writing skills such as tracing their name and letters. I instantly noticed only three students were given paper and pencils. The teacher said that many of the students either ate the crayons or wouldn't hold the pencils. I decided to make some outlines of the students and helped L. trace the letters using the hand over hand technique and he was successful and proud. One of the students M., left early and the teacher explained it was for physical therapy for stretching. This particular child had fine motor and gross motor problems and displayed rigidity in his arms hands and feet.

After writing it was break time where the children had snack brought from home and allowed to play outside. I like that the break was implemented so the children could take a "brain break" from the academic tasks before beginning more learning. I feel if children in the US were given this break attention spans and learning productivity may be increased. During the break I did notice that there was no structured play modeled or supervised.

The bell rang and the children headed back to the classrooms for learning. The teacher allowed my partner and I to work on language activities with the students to better bond and assess the children. My goal was to work on life skills and to make sure that no child was sitting without something productive at their desk. One student randomly stood up and grabbed the pointing stick and pointed and said every letter of the alphabet, numbers and days of week on the wall. One student who was extremely shy and did not engage sat and did the bedroom/ bathroom categorization began to imitate. I completed this task by placing the desired item next to my face so the student had to look up and so he could watch my mouth to see how the mouth moves to form the sounds. I explained to the teacher to give each child some busy work such as puzzles, coloring, and blocks. I explained that if each child has some type of activity then she can focus on addressing each student one at a time.

The bell rang for lunch at 12:00 and the children went down for  hot lunches freshly prepared. At lunch I got the opportunity to share and hear about classroom experiences from my peers. One of my classmates shared how she performed and oral mechanism examination. She noted that the tongue almost looked cleft on the dorsal section. This student also had groping, no intra oral pressure , and limited tongue range of motion. I found that sharing experiences at lunch was exciting and provided a chance for learning about all different children.

After lunch the bell rang and the children returned to class. When we returned the home economics teacher was there to help provide services for activities of daily living. The teacher decided to bring in fresh items to make some juice. This teacher was great at managing the children. She introduced the three materials, cucumber , ginger root, and lime. The selection of materials was appropriate for the children. She was wonderful at naming and describing everything. The children helped cut, pour, and mix the juice. I enjoyed watching this skill as did the children. The sense of pride they showed to drink something they made was heart warming. I looked around for materials and noticed there was a lot to work with. This went to show that having materials does nothing if you do not learn how to implement the tools for efficient and successful learning.

Today was overall very rewarding and challenging. I left with numerous ideas of how to help the teacher. Materials that would be functional to the teacher and the students.

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Day 9

Today was the day our group showcased our knowledge of speech language pathology and shared what we know with the wonderful teachers of Stella Maris. Stella Maris is a nonsectarian school for the special education population in Belize City. Most of the schools in Belize are run by churches, but this one is not. Our group created presentations pertaining to several components of literacy. These literacy presentations were presented to the educators of Stella Maris and we encouraged them to incorporate the information into their classrooms with their students. The literacy components discussed during our presentation were phonemic awareness, phonology, story retelling, alliteration, rhyming, and training the educators how to construct their own busy bags. The busy bags were filled with numerous opportunities for the students for speech production and language development. This will assist the teachers with their lessons in literacy throughout the years to come.

                This week the speech graduate and undergraduate clinicians have been tasked to plan lessons and interact with the teachers and students at the Stella Maris school. Using a naturalistic approach, we will assimilate into the classroom culture and gravitate towards students that are observed to need supplemental assistance from speech services. The children that were at the school appeared to be in cheerful moods and looked excited to see us. When my co-clinician and I were assigned our classroom for the week we walked down the breezeway of the second floor of the Stella Maris campus. The second to the last door was our classroom. We walked into a dark classroom that was illuminated by the sunlight that came in through the window. A young lady sat behind the teacher’s desk and ate her lunch of stewed chicken, rice and beans and cole slaw and picked her head up periodically to glance at my co-clinician and I as we wandered around the classroom creating mental lesson plans. I walked up to the young lady and asked her name. She said her name was Empress. She explained she was watching over the classroom while her Mom was in a meeting. As we waited for the students to come back inside, I took the opportunity to chat with Empress. I asked her how old she was and what grade she was in. She said she was 12 years old, almost 13 and she was in grade 8 in Belize. She said she also played the violin in the national youth orchestra. She appeared very proud of herself when she stated that because at that moment a huge smile stretched across her pretty face. I gave her some background information on why we were in her country and why we were inside of her Mom’s classroom and she appeared happy to know we would be around to help her Mom with the students. We spoke for a little longer and we learned that Empress would like to be a toxicologist when she grows up. She was a lovely young lady, and in that short amount of time speaking to her she sounded like she had a good head on her shoulders. I enjoy meeting the people from Belize, they all have such wonderful things to say and they are all very proud of the country that they live in. The Monday morning looked like Monday’s in the States because the streets were packed with cars and people walking to their place of employment.

                Having a full work week ahead of us to teach the children and integrate into their classroom naturalistically is going to make a big difference not only for the children but an impact on our lives. This opportunity to travel to Belize City and provide clinical speech therapy services to children who are under served is beyond humbling and I know we will never forget these experiences. I look forward to working with them this week and learning from them. I believe they will be able to teach us more than we could ever teach them. They are so appreciative of everything we have provided for them in the past, and welcomed us with open arms today to the school. 

Day 8

 Unlike all the sunny days we’ve had, we were greeted with the howling of the wind very early in the morning. We had a full day of educational activities and we were all hoping that the rain would not accompany the gusty winds. We all had breakfast early in the morning and we were on the bus by 8 am to the Mayan Ruins. We met our tour guide who shared several facts on the Belizean customs. He told us that most of the lobster we eat in America, comes from Belize, high schools are called colleges, religion is a must in every school, and when hurricane hatti hit, Belize city was covered in 12 feet of water for more than 30 hours. I guess it doesn’t help that Belize city is 3ft below sea level. He also mentioned that it took nearly 90 miles to get to Mexico from Belize and 3 and a half hours to Guatemala. I thought that was pretty cool since it takes nearly half a day to get anywhere out of Texas. On our trip to the Mayan ruins, we made a pits stop at a local grocery store for some medications the girls needed. My stomach has been in knots from being homesick and since today is sunday, normally, I would be at church. As we waited in the parking lot, the bus driver was messing around with the knobs above his radio. I didn’t think too much about it but when I heard the radio turn on to a worship station, my heart exploded. Some of the girls on the bus began to sing “Yes, Lord, Yes, Lord, Yes yes Lord” with all the synchronized hand movements. Once the girls loaded the bus, the music shut off and the tour guide began to share more about the Belizean culture. I continued to look out of the window, still a little homesick, and to my surprise I saw three german shepherds. I know that may not seem like a big deal but part of my homesickness was from missing my 100lb cuddle monster german shepherd at home. I thanked God for the little bits of comfort he gave me for the day and was eager to dive into thousands of years of culture. Pictures may be worth a thousand words, but I was speechless looking at the Mayan sights at Altun Ha, meaning “stone water”. Our tour guide walked us through the temples explaining the architecture, the customs of the Mayan people, the tools they used and the areas in which they lived. He described the chert, cacao, jade, obsidian, feathers, and leopards skin that were traded among the Mayans. He also explained the importance of Jade within the Mayans. Over 800 items were unearthed at that very location, including the jade head, which remains the largest piece of carved jade within Mesoamerica and the western Hemisphere. Not to mention that its also worth over 10 million US dollars. Though the beautiful stone was not there, a replica was displayed in its place. The group began to walk around, admiring the size and majesty of the ruins. Exiting the ruins, gift shops were lined up all in a row. I met a lady named Stephanie, a shop owner. She was pregnant and told me that her C-section was scheduled for this coming Tuesday. Her and her husband was very excited to welcome a new baby and she was waiting for someone to take her place at the shop. I bought two wooden crosses from her and wished her luck. For lunch, we arrived at the hotel for the best meal ive had this week. Lamb, coconut rice and black beans. I had a rice pudding cake for dessert which reminded a lot of my grandmas arroz con leche. It was my little bit of home in Belize. After lunch we were privileged to hear a Mr. Samson, from the University of Belize, lecture about the history and current issues today. We talked about the simple societies, Mayan civilization, decline of Mayan civilization, coming of the Spanish, challenging the Spanish American Empire, British Settlement in Belize, Anglo-Spanish Treaties, Battles of St. George’s Caye, African Slavery, Caste War, Migrations to Belize, Nationalist Movements, and the Belize/ Guatemala Territorial Disputes. I don’t really like history but learning about the culture was so interesting. After the lecture, we met with the undergraduate student who will be collaborating with us at Stella Maris. We created therapy material and a powerpoint to present to the teacher’s tomorrow morning and afternoon. I am very thankful for this opportunity and for the undergraduate I am joining forces with. I am looking forwards to being in the classroom with the children at Stella Maris. I know I will learn so much from them. Probably even more than I could ever teach them.

 

Day 7

            Our day today started with a boat ride to the island of Caye Caulker. On our way there our tour guide Minor Tom and the captain Kareem spoke to us about the different islands we passed by. I learned that George's peek used to be the capital of Belize, but since hurricanes hit the island often, the government decided to change the capital to Belize City. This was to avoid the loss of important documents. However, a hurricane hit Belize City and destroyed large part of the city, so the capital was moved to Belmopan, where it is currently. Tom mentioned that we would pass by a lot of islands that are owned by famous and very wealthy people. There was one island in particular that stood out to me, and that was one that had a beautiful three-story house. Tom mentioned that it belongs to the owner of one of the water taxi companies that travels from Belize City to other islands such as San Pedro. At that point, Tom mentioned that the owner of one of these companies is Chinese. That stood out to me because I have entered several convenience stores in Belize that are owned by Orientals. Actually, once at the island, we asked Kareem why a lot of the shops are operated by Orientals, and he mentioned that a lot of the products are imported here from those countries and so they have opened their own shops here. I think that this shows how diverse Belize is. It is such a beautiful country that I would not mind opening a business here if I had the means. It would be like a vacation all the time. As we continued on the boat ride, we also saw a resort where Tiger Woods has golfed, according to Tom. Tom and Kareem say these things with such pride. I love that they love their country so much. After about an hour, we arrived to Caye Caulker. Everything was so colorful! This island is about 5 miles long and less than a mile wide. The first thing I noticed were all the tourists sitting by the water. They all seemed to be having such a great time enjoying the beautiful clear water. While a group of the girls went snorkeling, some of the girls decided to stay on the island and explore. Tom and Kareem said, “Meet at the split at 3:30.” At the ‘split’? I didn’t know where that was or why they would call it that. I later found out that the island was split by hurricane Hattie and they began calling that area “the split”.  We had lunch sitting in the sand under a palm tree.

            While we were having lunch, a 4-year-old boy named Antony said cheerfully, " hey guys!" I love that he was so friendly and talking up a storm with us. As a SLP student, I immediately notice how a child communicates. Antony brought over his 2 year old brother Noah who has Down syndrome. Noah communicated with one-word utterances but it was mostly jargon. I joined Tessa in giving him therapy. I expanded on everything that he was playing with and tried to get him to say some words. I was very proud when he imitated some of the words that Tessa and I would say. Mostly I was very proud of Tessa because she did not hesitate to join the kids while they were playing. It was interesting to me because the kids' parents were off working on other things while the children were alone by the water. I think that in America, parents, well at least mine, would be a little bit more concerned, especially when they are both so young, and one of them has a disability. I thought about it, and came to the conclusion that the parents are probably like this because this is what they are used to; this is their life and I’m sure they only do it because they know that they will be ok, not because they don’t care. Actually, Tessa let me know that at one point, the mom came up to her and told her to watch them while she went and did something else in the family’s shop. I think that goes to show how trusting and kind Belizeans are to complete strangers. I love that we ended up eating at that particular spot because we would not have met these two little boys otherwise.

            After we ate, we visited the shops where I bought some souvenirs to take back home. I love seeing all the work that goes into the items they sell; from embroidered items, to hand-made jewelry. Some of the jewelry at a table caught my eye so I decided to walk towards the couple that was selling it. I found out that the woman was from France and the man was from Argentina. They told me that they make jewelry and go around the world selling it. How amazing is that!? I think that is so incredible and would not mind having that opportunity to travel to beautiful places. Why was I not born with that jewelry-making talent? But at the same time I think that I love my profession and I hope that the traveling will come later. We got to do some other amazing things, such as feed tarpons, watch seahorses, all while listening to crazy stories from Kareem. Like I have mentioned in previous blogs, the kindness of the people in Belize never ceases to amaze me. Both of our tour guides today went above and beyond so that we would have an incredible experience throughout. They even took a detour on our way back so that we could see dolphins. I have never seen Coralie so happy before. Dolphins are her favorite animal and when she mentioned that she wanted to see them, they didn’t hesitate to do what they could to make her happy. They even traveled to an area where we might see manatees so Tessa could be happy. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any. During dinner we found out that the people that worked at the zip lines found Coralie’s phone in the jungle.  I think that this is so amazing and incredibly nice from their part. I’ve had experiences in the US where I lose something or something is stolen and people don’t even try to help. I am very excited to go to the Mayan Ruins tomorrow. This is what we were supposed to visit the first day when our flight was cancelled and I am very ecstatic that we will get to see them after all. 

Day 6

Today marked sixth day of our time in Belize. Our group had the amazing opportunity to zip line and tube in a cave that the Mayans once explored.
Our first activity was zip lining. We had three instructors whom all predominantly spoke Spanish, all of which were from nearby cities. They all agreed that they enjoyed their jobs, as well as the tourists that visit. Every day, I have been surprised at how friendly the locals are to us tourists. As we each approached the edge of the platform which seemed miles from the ground, the expressions of the girl were easy to read. Each one of us were excited, nervous, and exhilarated all at the same time. As soon as our feet left the ground and we were flying through the air, there is no doubt in my mind that we were all having the time of our lives. As we zip lined, we could see massive Palm trees surrounding us, and clear waters below. For many of us, it was a way to face our fears of heights. 
While zip lining was an amazing and thrilling experience, I personally don't think that it could ever compare to our cave tubing experience. When we arrived to our tubing expedition, we were instantly greeted by a man selling coconuts. This man used a machete to crack open a coconut and then handed it to us fresh with the coconut juice that still remained. When we were done, all we had to do was crack it open to keep enjoying this delicacy. I have traveled to island destinations before, but I have never had such a fresh treat that was prepared for out of a truck right in front of my eyes. Instances such as that one made me feel as if I am truly getting a taste of what the nature has to offer in Belize. At home, we may have coconuts, but there is not one place that will cut it open for you to enjoy on the spot. 
As we proceeded to the cave with our tubes, we hiked through more palm trees and finally reached water! In front of us stood massive caves. We continued to enjoy our view and continued to crack open our coconuts and eat the remaining meat. When it was time to enter the water and go through the cave, we were all instructed to make sure that our head lamp was on, because of the darkness that awaited. Entering was exciting, but I did not appreciate the magnitude of our experience until after our tour guide started to discuss the Mayans and their travels. He explained that the Mayans traveled the same dark caves in complete darkness with only a raft or canoe, with no knowledge if the cave would ever lead back to an island! It felt surreal to be in the same cave where the Mayans had risked their lives in order to explore the land. 
I learned that the cave and the darkness which we were engulfed in was called The Underworld. However, the term "underworld" is not to be mistaken for "hell." 
The Mayans believed in reincarnation, and that there was a certain process of steps that must be followed in order to finally reach heaven. The Mayans also believed that there were nine Devils in the underworld, and that a person must surpass all nine gods in order to finally reach heaven. Whenever the Mayans would sin, or needed guidance, they would pray to the trees of life. Therefore, the land that we hiked today in order to reach the "underworld" is considered to be sacred. 
While we were traveling back to Belize city from the zip lining tour, we commented on how our tour guide, Tom, honked so much. He explained that honking is a sign of friendliness, not of road rage as in America. Every time that Tom honked, it did seem friendly, and people responded in a friendly manner! There does not seem to be frustration in the streets of Belize. That is something that I would love to have corporated in America. Tom drove through the downtown area in Belize city and honked and waved to people. He also drove dangerously close to bicyclists and was cut off by several of them, but never flinched once. I could instantly tell that driving so close was just a way of life, and everyone here is comfortable with it. There seems to be less worries here, as well as less anger. Everyone in the downtown area seemed genuinely happy. If I were back at home, for example in Austin, people would have yelled and been very upset at the driving that occurred. This island life is a calm, and easy going life. Tom stated that there is no other place in the world that he would rather be. 
At one point, we passed though a graveyard, and I commented about how I enjoyed the uniqueness. In Belize, the people are buried with a big box on top of the ground, which resembles a bed. The reason that gravestones are built on top of the ground is due to the fact that it is considered disrespectful to walk on the ground of where people are buried. I found it especially interesting to learn that there are some gravestones that are double stacked. A double stacked gravestone indicates that there are two people buried in one grave. The two people could be a wife, a sister, a mother, or another loved one. It was even more interesting to learn that after eight years, some graves are dug up in order to collect the dusty remains of the deceased and have them placed in a beautifully decorated box. Our travel guide, Tom said that he had seen his grandfather dug up after eight years in order to place his grandmother in the tombstone, and that what remained was purely bones. I found all of this information to be romantic and beautiful. I think that being buried with a loved one is a lovely concept, so that the physical being of someone can stay physically bound to a loved one for all of eternity. 
I will always remember the experiences that I encountered today. Not only did we all have fun doing the excursions, but we all became more cultured.

Day 5

Hot pink, tangerine orange, yellow, with wisps of blue and purple- there isn’t anything better than waking up to a beautiful sunrise on an amazing coastline! As I saw it disappearing in our rearview mirror this morning, I was reluctant to say goodbye to Punta Gorda. The people and the culture will forever hold a special place within my heart. Punta Gorda ignited a passion within me and revealed my strengths, strengths that I didn’t know I possessed. When we visited preschools the day prior, I knew without a doubt that God had placed me right where I needed to be. My aspiration of becoming a speech language pathologist has never been more clear. We went to Punta Gorda expecting to help and share our knowledge with children and teachers; however, little did I know I would be learning far much more from them then I could ever imagine. I find myself leaving this incredible village completely and utterly transformed.

Today we drove from PG to the Belize Zoo; the drive to the zoo was wonderous as well as humbling. For all of my wildlife people who want to know how the landscape is here in Belize- it is a captivating jungle that consists of multifarious species of trees, vines that overlay the branches creating canopies, and clear, cool rivers where I imagine fish are plentiful. I spoke about how pretty the landscape of Belize was with a little girl and how I found myself wanting to hop off the bus and being an adventure, simply lose myself within the incredible nature that God created. The little girl smiled from ear to ear, she was adorable in her tattered yet beautiful pink dress and began to tell how each mountain had a name and a story behind it. While driving along Hummingbird Highway I saw various homes that made me realize how truly blessed I am back in the states. These homes made me smile because I knew these people must have so much pride. I talked to one of the locals the other day and he had naturally brought up within our conversation that as long as his family had a roof over their head to protect them from the sun and rain they would be singing praises. It was humbling talking with that man.

 I  LOVED the Belize Zoo!!!The Belize Zoo is very unique compared to our zoos back home because they stress and promote conservation. My father is a gamewarden so I grew up learning that wildlife conservation is imperative and if we don’t want these beautiful creatures to die out it is important for people within our society to be educated about various species.  It was particularly heartwarming to hear that all of the animals within the zoo were rescued. There were several signs around the various animal cages that gave each animal’s backstory. One of the jaguar’s name was Junior. Junior’s mom was a rescued cat brought in by the Belize Zoo. At the time the zoo keepers were not aware that Junior’s mom was pregnant to their pleasant surprise Junior was born shortly after her arrival. It seems like a beautiful story; however, it is quite melancholy. Junior was rejected by his mother. Junior was raised by the zookeepers and is very fond of people. Seeing junior was probably one of my favorite parts of the zoo because he was absolutely beautiful. He was standing on a branch looking right at us when we walked by. I laugh as I am typing because he was loving the photos and attention, he actually came across as quite the narcissist. I also enjoyed seeing the Tapir and monkeys! It was interesting to hear that Tapirs, which are a cross between a horse and a rhino, cross highways and become problematic like white tailed deer back home. When observing the Tapir it appeared like no other animal I had ever seen and simply looked as if it were a made up animal that belonged on the movie Ice Age. Visiting the Belize zoo was an absolutely amazing experience! I strongly suggest that if anyone decided to vacation in Belize they go spend at least one day at The Belize Zoo.

The SGC girls ended this wonderful by singing some karaoke at the restaurant we had dinner at. I think all of us girls developed some baby abs after laughing so hard at some of the performances! “Wasn’t Me” sung by Brenda, Tiana, and Misha was definitely the highlight of my evening.

I am blessed to have spent another incredible day in Belize with a group of amazing, fun girls who radiate compassion and yearn to help others. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings, until then, sweet dreams!

-Tessa Flores

Day 4

I don’t even know where to begin with today’s amazing experiences. By far, the most rewarding day since we arrived. This morning we woke up to the great view of the Caribbean Sea right in front of our hotel. Today we were scheduled to visit preschools in town and visit the University of Belize for a Q&A forum to meet with parents of children with any speech or language disorder in the area. I set my alarm at 6:30, but of course as always, didn’t wake up till 6:45 a.m. I was filled with excitement and was ready to go visit some tiny humans. Belize, thus far has been an unforgettable experience. Although it’s only been 4 days since we arrived, the snorkeling, paddle boarding, and kayaking and the food have been incredible. Many do not have the opportunity to travel to Belize and to be able to do such things is something I am truly grateful for. We ate breakfast, which in my case was comprised of cereal (Corn Flakes) and fruit at Beya Suites before taking off to the preschools. It had been a while since I’d eaten them. I remember being at my grandmas in Tamaulipas, Mexico and I recall always adding sugar for a hint of sweetness. We didn’t leave the hotel at 8:30 a.m. as we had planned, due to pharmacy stops and a couple of other bus delays. Nevertheless, we made it out at 9:30 a.m. and arrived to the first preschool for the day.

We arrived at Progressive Early Learning Center where we greeted about 30 students. We met a couple of the teachers, who then pinpointed some of the shy students. There I met two wonderful four-year-old girls who touched my heart with their joyful faces as soon as they saw us. The girls split up into groups and we visited with the different children using materials some of the girls had brought. One thing I was really surprised by was how similar the preschool appeared to those in the U.S. Not only that, but the teachers also had the same enthusiasm to teach their students and surround them with a learning environment. Although teachers may be teachers in every country, they don’t always have the same resources. This preschool did not have any A/C, it was a small place for that many students and there were many other distractions that prevented us from hearing much of what students and teachers were saying. When we left this place, our bus decided to break down so we waited a good ten minutes before we were back on the road.

After this, we visited St. Benedict Roman Catholic School. We went into a classroom and there we interacted with about 15 students of about 4-5 years old. Here, my partner and I visited with two little boys who were two very playful individuals. Again, we used materials to provide them with therapy and played a couple of games, one which included scaring Dr. Al with cat masks. The kids loved Dr. Al’s reaction to the cats and wanted for us to scare him too.

We left for lunch, which was quick as everything was already prepared for us at Marian’s Bayview Restaurant. We had options there, but I savored some delicious BBQ chicken, vegetable rice, and spinach casserole. Oh and I almost forgot, my favorite part, the corn bread which was the absolute best. They also offered some black fruit cake.

 We continued our route and arrived at Little Flower Roman Catholic School where we saw older children running around in the playground. We thought we’d be working with older children. As we walked to the back of the school, we passed by many of the classrooms with older children, not expecting to see any little ones at this site. Once we stopped in front of the classroom and looked inside, we saw the tiny humans I love working with. This classroom had about 12 students so my partner and I had only one student to work with. This boy was so delighted to see us he had even asked if we were going to be his teachers. As we started working with him, we realized he was shy but opened up to us as we asked him about his friends and family. As a farewell, the children sang a song for us, gave us hugs and made us feel special.

The last school we visited was Forest Home Methodist Church, where my partner and I screened a 7-year-old bilingual girl speech/ language problems. Her teacher had concerns and we took her to a room and visited with her while informally assessing her language skills. We later found that her mother at home spoke Spanish, she was taught in both English/Spanish and that her first language was only affecting her second language. We told teacher she would catch up soon and that it was only a delay. She was more than happy to hear the good news. Here, we played games, sang with the children and I even got to ride a bike that belonged to one of the boys. Needless to say, I almost fell on my face.

Although, the Q&A forum was a nerve-wracking experience, being able to provide any help and being thanked for it is far more rewarding than I ever imagined. This was the one event none of us were expecting or prepared for. Here, a fellow classmate and I met with a parent with a with 5-year-old child with autism who came to us seeking help and advice for her child’s behavioral and communication problems. We collaboratively interviewed the parent on her child’s abilities and provided all the strategies and tips we could. We listened to her struggles moving from place to place and how the transition had been difficult for her and her son as she had still been in school. Before the event was over, she was so excited she wanted us to meet her son. We did and he turned out to be the sweetest boy. I played games with him and interacted with him then took him over to interact with the rest of the kids. We told his mother that we hoped the strategies and tips we had given her would help in the near future. She thanked us for all and I couldn’t help but feel tingly.

The day ended with dinner at Waluco’s Restaurant. I ordered chicken strips and fries and we all enjoyed to some live entertainment from some drummers. Now this was a great way to end the day. We learned how to dance punta and paranda, two types of genres they dance to in Belize. We even had two of our girls dance with the performers. This day has definitely reminded me the reason I’m doing what I’m doing. These memories will forever stay with me and hope to one day become like these teachers and parents we met today. Passionate and devoted to helping these children.