An All-Encompassing Adventure

By Madelyn Yale and Amalia Houff

Over January-term of this year (2023) we had the privilege of traveling to Belize and Guatemala for a study-away course. As a preparation for this course, students were expected to be at class by 8 a.m. and be released from class around 3 p.m. During the first week of classes we had taken two tests (a midterm and a final). The purpose of these checkpoint tests were to make sure that we not only learned the material but also were able to reflect on it to use while we were in Belize.

The first section of that week (leading up to the midterm) was based on learning about culture, a little history, and some terrestrial and marine species. We watched an interesting movie called “Apocalypto” that gave us some insight into the culture of the Mayan people who inhabited the land prior to being colonized. The final test was about the rest of the terrestrial and marine species. A meeting was held that Friday (the last class before we had flown out) to discuss necessary items to pack and from there we were Belize-bound.

A mandatory part of the course that stood out to me was a journal that we were required to create and submit when we had gotten back to the United States. Within this journal, it was mandatory to include an itinerary of the trip, daily entries, pictures taken in the field, 15 separate species behavior observations and a list of species seen from day to day. Personally, I loved this aspect of the journal. The final product was not only a completed assignment but also a piece of memorabilia to remember this trip. In my journal (Amalia), I drew my own pictures of the amazing animals and sights that we saw, but my favorite part was my inclusion of a ‘song of the day’ for every entry.

When we did have free time we took advantage of mingling throughout the local shops. There were a lot of small vendors that were selling their work, jewelry, and other items. Investments into their work served as great souvenirs while also helping the small businesses. There are some incredible craftsmen and artisans in Belize, and they produce incredibly beautiful artworks and jewelry that combine their culture with modern style and marine themes.

Overall this course was very enjoyable. To get the opportunity to see the species and be able to recognize and document them was fascinating. Although we had a jampacked itinerary and nights filled with journaling, we still found time to head into town and have a bunch of fun. We made new friends wherever we traveled.