This time for Africa

The past few days have been extremely sad when people began leaving Belize and returning to the States. I never thought that I would grow so close to so many people. I am really going to miss being surrounded by my wonderful friends that I developed close relationships with!


A few of us are staying in San Pedro until Wednesday. We are moving out of Pedro's Inn and staying in the Belize Yacht Club (which sounds expensive but we are cramming people into a room to make it affordable). So for the next few days I’ll be relaxing on the beach and enjoying this beautiful town, although it won’t be nearly as much fun without the whole group.

On the bright side…only 4 more days until I see my family and friends! It will be hard to leave Belize, but I am looking forward to getting back to Wilmington and enjoying the last few weeks before graduation.

Happy Easter!

Katy G

Inland Adventures

The view of San Ignacio from our hotel room

Wow…it’s been an awesome week traveling on the mainland! Our group had so much fun—we spent the night in a zoo, went spelunking and zip-lining, visited gorgeous waterfalls and Mayan ruins and relaxed! Also, we were lucky enough to stay in a very nice resort, which was a welcomed change from our somewhat primitive hostel here in San Pedro.

Our trip began last Saturday morning. The other interns and I took a water taxi to Belize City and then crowded onto a bus that carried us to the Belize Zoo.  After exploring the zoo for a while, we found the cool campsite where we would spend the night. The rooms were set up like dorms and had several bunk beds in each room. Thankfully, we had a bathroom and a shower! The zoo is literally in the middle of nowhere so we spent the evening playing card games and relaxing.

Our room at the zoo

Sunday morning we awoke to screeching birds that nested near our room and were determined to wake everyone up before sunrise.  After a delicious breakfast at the zoo, we packed our belongings and crammed into the bus. After an extremely bumpy 2-hour bus ride into the mountains, we made it to our destination for the day: the ATM Cave.  I knew that we would be spelunking (a fancy word for cave diving), but I had no idea it would be so much fun!  The river runs through the cave, so we rotated between swimming and walking when the water was shallow. Mayans used the ATM cave for sacred rituals so there are artifacts and relics strewn throughout. It was amazing to see pristine pottery unscathed by humans and complete skeletons of Mayans who spent their last day in the cave. Leaving the center of the cave was an adventure—we had to squeeze through treacherously tight spaces and swim our way through deep water in pitch-black darkness. It was probably the coolest thing I have done in my life! After a long day in the cave, we took the bus to San Ignacio, a beautiful town on the west side of Belize.

Our spelunking group!

Our resort in San Ignacio was amazing! It sat on the edge of a mountain, overlooked the entire village, and had a gorgeous view of the mountains in the background. We were ecstatic about our next few days in San Ignacio. On Monday, several of us went zip lining in the jungle! Flying hundreds of feet over the trees was exhilarating and again, the view was breath taking.

Zip-lining!

We spent Tuesday at the Caracol site. Caracol was a huge Mayan city that flourished about 1000 years ago. These Mayan ruins were different from the others I have seen because there were huge temples, observatories and trading sites. I was amazed at how massive the structures were—especially the temples. It was so cool to climb and stand on top of the gigantic buildings!  After Caracol we went to a gorgeous waterfall in the mountains. We spent the afternoon jumping from the top of the falls and swimming in the cold water.

Climbing down the Mayan temple

After a relaxing day by the pool on Wednesday, it was time to leave. On Thursday, we caught the earliest bus out of San Ignacio, headed to Belize City, and hopped on the water taxi back to San Pedro.  It felt so nice to return to the laid-back town that I almost consider my home!  

Kids playing downtown in San Ignacio

Thanks for reading,

Katy G

My last week at Isla Bonita

My last week teaching at Isla Bonita was one of the best weeks of my life. On Tuesday it was Winston’s (one of my students) 9^th birthday. A few minutes before class dismissed for lunch, my teacher announced there was a surprise for our class; a taxi would be picking our entire class up at 3pm and taking us to a secret location to celebrate Winston’s birthday. Basically, after school I would be spending the evening with my kids. I was ecstatic! These are the kinds of things that happen so easily and quickly in Belize but never happen in America!  The taxi arrived at 3 and we all piled into the stifling hot van. Thankfully, the surprise location was only a few blocks away. We spent the afternoon at an outdoor pizza shop and park. I played games with my students for hours then we ate pizza and birthday cake, and finally busted open the much anticipated piñata. I stayed with my students at the party until well after dark so Winston’s parents drove every child home on the golf cart. It was an awesome day…I’m so glad I got to experience an authentic Belizean birthday party with my amazing kids!

The fun continued on Thursday at the school-wide Easter egg hunt on the beach. During lunch the other interns and I hid hundreds of candy-stuffed eggs along the seaside. When the students returned from lunch, we walked the classes to the beach and began the festivities! It didn’t take too long for the kids to find the eggs, but they weren’t interested in eating the candy quite yet. The kids wanted to swim! Luckily even the youngest children can effortlessly swim so it’s not too stressful for the teachers. We spent the remainder of the afternoon jumping off the dock, playing games in the ocean, and eating delicious snacks. Again, another wonderful day.

Friday was my last day with my students. I was sad to say goodbye to the sweet kids I grew so close to over the past weeks. My teacher had warned me that there would be surprises during the day, but I never anticipated what he planned. Friday morning, I brought my class breakfast from the local bakery and we watched a video I made with pictures of them. It was only a half day so we spent most of the time playing games and talking about Easter break.  Shortly before school was dismissed, my teacher announced that he wanted to give me a few things. He presented me with many thoughtful gifts including a Belize t-shirt and towel, a signed picture frame from my kids, and a beautiful handmade necklace. I was in tears reading the adorable cards and letters from my kids. I felt guilty leaving because they were literally begging me to stay in Belize as their teacher. However, the final bell did ring and my kids did leave.  I walked back to the hotel reminiscing on how dramatically my life has changed as a result of my precious students. A few hours later, one of my friends yelled into my hotel room that my students were outside on a golf cart waiting for me. I was confused, but I knew better than to doubt the situation.  Long story short, my entire class along with my teacher was outside of my hotel with a golf cart (a limousine style golf cart…very long). They were waiting to take me to the beach! We drove to the south part of the island and swam and played games all afternoon. The best part of the day was that I rode with my teacher to take all of the kid’s home so I got to see each of my students’ homes. It was so cool!

The fun continued on Friday evening at the going away party at Isla Bonita. The teachers hosted a huge party for the teachers and interns and cooked a delicious Belizean meal for us. I can’t believe how good the staff has been to us! I was truly blessed to have been placed at such an amazing and welcoming school.  

We leave San Pedro today to visit the mainland for a week. We are spending the night in a zoo, visiting Mayan ruins, caving, zip-lining, hiking in the jungle, etc. Needless to say, I’m very excited about the upcoming week! 

Thanks for reading such a long update! 

Katy G

The Beginning of the End

Today was my last Monday at Isla Bonita. I cannot believe this is my last week of teaching! The past four weeks have really flown by. I am so sad to think about soon saying goodbye to my kids. I was blessed with a loving, grateful and truly precious group of kids to teach and I am so attached.

After a busy week of teaching, the weekend couldn’t have been any better. Friday night our group sang karaoke and hung out near the beach for the night. Saturday was one of my favorite days in Belize so far! The volunteer art teacher at my school, Miss Natalie, hosted a fundraiser to raise money for art supplies. The goal was to paint a mural on the outside of the school entrance. Throughout the morning, students arrived with their own paintbrushes and donated money to receive a cup of paint. I was elated to see how many kids and parents helped out, not to mention that every single teacher was present. Painting the mural also turned into a fundraiser for one of the teachers, Mrs. Yvette (my partnership teacher’s wife, and the sweetest lady ever!). Her father has heart disease and needs surgery, so the teachers cooked BBQ chicken and sold delicious plates of food to hungry kids, parents and volunteers.  

My sweet boys helping paint the mural!

 Most of the students and parents were gone by early afternoon, but myself and several other interns stuck around all day to complete the mural. After correcting and few mistakes and outlining the design, I was amazed at how great it looked! The principal and art teacher were so pleased! It was so refreshing to see how the entire school came together on a Saturday to support Mrs. Yvette and help paint the mural. My school in Belize is like one big family and I am thankful to not only witness the unique relationship between the students, parents, and staff, but also that I am included.

The fun continued on Saturday night when a few of us teacher interns braved a soccer game against the parent’s soccer team. We had practiced several times during the week and greatly improved, but we still lost 3-2. It was so much fun though! I have never played soccer in my life so I definitely was not the star player, but I really enjoyed playing with my friends and challenging the parents. We are holding practices again this week and having a rematch on Friday, so we’re hoping for a better outcome J

Yesterday was a completely relaxing day. I slept in and enjoyed a delicious breakfast on the beach with several friends. I hung out on the beach for the remainder of the day and I have a wicked sunburn to prove it. The last wonderful thing that happened yesterday was talking to my mom for the first time since I’ve been here! She finally got Skype working and it was so great to talk.

That's it for now!

Katy G

Lessons Learned

I cannot fully explain how my experience in Belize will make me a better teacher. On the very first day, I was thrown into a classroom the size of a large closet, handed two workbooks to teach 5 subjects, and presented with nine smiling students who I would teach for the next 4 weeks. Looking back, I would not want it begin any other way. 

From day one, I challenged myself to teach engaging lessons with no technology, visual aids or materials. I wanted my students to be actively involved in my class. I wanted my students to learn, but most importantly, I wanted them to enjoy school, so that if nothing else, I could leave them with the memory that learning can be fun and exciting.

 I discovered that I am extremely innovative and creative in planning lessons and teaching. There were times I made use of random items in order to teach. For instance, I wanted to do a math activity where students estimate how much liquid can go in various containers, and then use a measuring cup to find the actual amount. I wanted it to be a partner activity so that every student could have the kinesthetic experience of measuring, but I could only find one measuring cup. So, I cut all of my old plastic water bottles and used a sharpie to turn them into measuring cups. It actually became a joke among our group of interns to see who was being the most resourceful (AKA teaching with the most ghetto supplies). I will forever be more inventive and imaginative in my planning and teaching.


Teaching in Belize has definitely improved my flexibility and adaptability. I have always been a “planner”; I like schedules and organization and I am consciously methodological in my lesson planning and teaching.  In a country where time is relative and organization is trivial, I learned from the best how to literally ‘go with the flow’. On my first day of school the morning bell rang five minutes late, my students returned from lunch 15 minutes late, and school was released about 10 minutes early. I quickly adapted to ‘Belize time’ and I now enjoy and cherish the calm and informal atmosphere. If I want to do a math activity in the morning so the students are better focused, I easily rearrange the entire day’s schedule. If I want to teach creative writing or science at the beach, then we make the 3 minute trek and continue our learning.  The ambiance and remarkable mood of the island has made a lasting impression on me. I am certain that I have improved as a teacher.

We made our own sea salt for a science experiment. The kids loved tasting the salt!

Writing penpal letters to my students in the States!

They loved reading the letters and writing back!

 My proud students showing off their work!

Thanks for reading,

Katy G

My weekend

I’ll be honest…teaching does consume my life during the week…but weekends in Belize are amazing!

Friday ended my second week teaching. Every day was sweltering hot and I grew more and more thankful for the tiny air-conditioning unit in my classroom. On Friday night, I played bingo at the local Lion’s Club with a few others. It was fun even though I never wonL  After bingo we met up with another group to play trivia at one of my favorite local spots, BC’s. I actually saw one of my students playing on the beach at BC’s and was introduced to his parents. I have met all of my students’ parents at least once. Seeing my kids after school and on weekends is just another joy of teaching in a small town on a small island!

On Saturday morning, our group biked to the south end of the island to explore a Mayan ruin site. Even though we left at 8am, the heat was intense, making the 5-mile bike-ride to the site all but fun. Fortunately, most of the ruins were in shaded forest areas, but we then had to battle with bugs. We were able to see ancient Mayan artifacts such as pottery, tools, and bones. It was so cool to stand on desolate land that at one time was a bustling Mayan trading post. Now I am even more excited to see Mayan temples and more ruins on our inland trip in a few weeks!

I spent Saturday evening at the Miss San Pedro High School beauty pageant. It was…interesting; much different from the kind of pageant that would take place in America. Nearly the entire town gathered at the outdoor auditorium to show support. My favorite thing about the pageant was that it was supposed to start at 6pm….but it did not begin until almost 8oclock…making the pageant last way past midnight! Belize time is crazy.

Sunday was my favorite day so far in Belize. Again, our entire group woke up early, but for a very different reason. All 22 of us piled onto a boat and spent the first part of the day snorkeling at two different sites: the barrier reef (gorgeous) and Shark Ray Alley (scary). I saw so many different kinds of fish, nurse sharks, stingrays, and eel’s. By far the coolest animal was a huge sea turtle that swam only a few feet away from me. After snorkeling, we sailed to Caye Cauker, the Island directly below San Pedro. We had a delicious lunch and spent a few hours shopping. Caye Cauker is even smaller than San Pedro, with only one main street and hardly any activity at all. It was gorgeous though! The long boat ride home was a perfect end to a perfect day as we sailed beside dolphins and watched the beautiful sunset in the distance.

Today was back to the grind of teaching full time. I really missed my students over the weekend and we had a fun day together.   I started reading a short chapter book, “Frindle” to my class today and they loved it! I loved their eagerness and excitement for me to read to them. I am excited for what the rest of the week will bring!

I have learned a great deal from my partnership teacher in Belize. Hector teaches with limited resources and materials, but is always prepared to teach an engaging lesson. Learning to plan and teach with limited materials and supplies has been most valuable to me. In Belize, I have stretched my mind beyond what I thought I was capable of in order to teach without any materials. I have learned how to improvise and make use of the supplies that I do have. For instance, I wanted to teach an interactive math lesson on measuring liquids, but I only had one measuring cup. I ended up cutting plastic water bottles and using a marker to turn the bottles into measuring cups. I have actually enjoyed planning lessons without materials because it takes much less time!  All it takes is an interesting presentation of the content and an engaging activity or game.

Adios,

Katy G

Letters to Jesus

Every day we have devotion at Isla Bonita Elementary School. Normally, the students only sing a few songs, but today I wanted to try something different. I gave the students an assignment to write a letter to Jesus. The only instructions were that "the letter must include what you are thankful for". 
Some of the letters are silly, some are inspiring, and some made me teary. I cannot fully justify how sweet and precious the letters are…so I’ll have to share…

As you can tell, my kids have such big hearts! Their positive attitude and genuine compassion amazes me each day. I am so blessed to be their teacher and learn from them!

Thanks for reading,

-Katy G