THESE DAYS, we can hardly believe that so much time has passed since we last said goodbye to you all in Belize City. We’re not sure about you, but we can still taste the fryjacks and stew chicken. It seems like just yesterday, Miss Emily left commitment rocks and encouraged us all to “Be a shining light.” Now that we have all transitioned back into our daily lives, it’s so easy to miss the beautiful, controlled chaos of our teaching space at Helping Hands.

Over the course of 21 days we watched you all open yourselves up to new experiences and challenges. You overcame fears of leaving home, fears of not being good teachers, fears of homesickness, and fears associated with vulnerability… which, we should add, led to our first and only confrontation with one another…that then brought us even closer together. That tedx/gla evening will stick with us as the moment you all really took ownership of what you wanted the program to be.

We want you all to remember that it’s ok to have fear but it’s so important to push through those fears and attempt to find out what’s on the other side… and as Miley would say… it’s the climb.

I hope that the take away from this adventure is that you can all make a difference in whatever community you are involved in. One person can’t change the world, but together you can and I hope that you rely on one another and hold each other accountable. Do Good things in your lives.

Also… please please someone invent some type of oil that 100% repels sand flies 😉

And also keep working on reducing your carbon footprints! Spread the word

“I live a life of flavor, I know who I am”

 

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Can you Belize it has been so long since we were all chugging water after tasting all of Marie Sharp’s hot sauces after our final day of service? (Everyone looked so stunning in their hair nets.) I hope you have all adjusted to cooler temperatures, being able to flush your toilet paper, and are appreciating your teachers the way your students appreciated you.

We were so impressed with the open minds and organization you brought to the school at Cotton Tree. You eloquently and passionately ran a summer school program, keeping students engaged and excited to learn for a week and a half. This wasn’t without challenges, heat exhaustion, debates on if Takis are better than TopTops, and hours of preparing lessons and activities for your students. You legitimately shed blood, sweat and tears through this experience and we hope you recognize the amazing work you put into it.

The community you established not only welcomed everyone we met along the way into it, but made them have a sense of belonging in our spunky, silly and excited group of characters. From rice ‘n beans on jeopardy night to being completely vulnerable with each other during your “Where I’m From” poems, you’ve thrown your full selves into every opportunity that presented itself. We hope you continue to stay in touch with each other, because the 30 of you are the only people that will truly understand this experience to the fullest.

You all embody Miss Emily’s quote to “be a shining light,” in this world, and we believe you will continue to make positive impacts in your communities. Thanks for truly showing up in every way to these two muggy weeks in August.

Mad love to each and every one of you,
Jordan, Emma, Codi, MG and Kelli

 

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Hello, Belizers!

It’s hard to believe it’s been a whole month since you landed here, ready to hit the ground running. We miss running around Belize with you, and hope you’re having a great time back home.

It feels like just yesterday we were sharing our goals and excitement for our two weeks together, with everyone eager for service and snorkeling. Who knew there would be so much more in between?!

From scorpions to coconuts, futbol and iguana poo, we shared a lot of laughs. (Maybe just nervous laughter) What brought us the most joy, however, was the way you rose to the occasion at St. Margaret’s, getting up extra early for pickups and pouring your hearts and souls into each of your students in your own unique ways. We’ll never forget the way you herded the littles into the classroom and played your hearts out on the futbol field! You truly gave everything, to the point that saying goodbye was heartbreaking— a sign of a job well done and a bond everlasting.

We hope you continue to carry your experience with you, learning and growing from it for years to come. We know we’ll do the same, thinking fondly of you!

Thanks for being such a great crew!

Emma, Danielle, Meg, and Jordan

 

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Hello gals! How has it been a month since we’ve seen your bright, beautiful faces?! We can’t ‘Belize’ it and we also can’t ‘Belize’ how much we miss you. Sunrises and starry nights just aren’t the same without you!

We just knew that our two weeks together were going to be incredible from the moment we woke up on arrival day and saw a beautiful toucan perched above the clearing! We were proved right within hours as each of you stepped off your planes and onto Belizean soil. Your can-do energy was impressive from the get-go when you wrangled the five gallon water jug alone!

We loved exploring Belize with you— from beautiful Caye Caulker and snorkeling with the crew to the lush hills surrounding Xunantunich. Everywhere we went, each of you put your best foot forward, fully engaging and thinking deeply, even after long days! Your deep consideration of all aspects of travel and leadership made our jobs easy and rewarding— you truly owned your experience!

You also owned your service experience, too! Despite challenges with the schedule and space, you rose above and poured your hearts and minds into the students assembled at the library. We loved the way you made a point to be grateful and compassionate at every turn, and we loved watching your confidence grow with each passing day! We hope you’ll always carry the important lessons you learned, along with countless moments shared with your students.

We hope that when you look back at your time in Belize, you cherish the relationships you made with your students, each other, and everyone else you met along the way.

Love you BEYOND measure,

Emma, Laura, and Danielle

P.S. The scorpions miss you!

 

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Wow! We can’t believe it has been a month since our time together came to an end. We have missed your lovely faces and are serious about a reunion in the future! As our first program and first group you will always hold a special place in our hearts, and hope that you feel the same about our wonderful two weeks in Belize.

It was an unforgettable time from the minute the first of you stepped off the plane bright and early at 6:00am, and from there it was one unforgettable moment after another. From spontaneous staff head shaving (it’s so long now, y’all) to tears at the Green Iguana Project, and from scorpions all over home base to grinning students at service, and everything in between!

Whenever we drive past St. Augustine, we think of you and the tender and compassionate way in which you went about service, working your hardest and gaining more confidence each day. We loved seeing you come to understand how difficult and rewarding your work was, and we hope you carry the lessons you learned with you for a lifetime.

We hope that when you look back over your time you remember the relationships you made with your students and each other for years to come!

Here’s to a lifetime of travel, leadership, and service for each of you!

Love,

Emma and Danielle

P.S.
We hope all of your big bites have healed— ours haven’t. Miss you!

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our 2019 programs, or enroll now.