Last year I was lucky enough to go to Belize on SPU’s faculty-led study abroad trip.

During this study abroad we spent over two weeks on a small island called South Water Caye studying coral reef biology and marine life. The island was absolutely amazing, and I woke up everyday so happy that I joined this trip. 

We spent every single day going on snorkeling excursions with our local guides and studying the fish that we saw. We were able to bond with our guides and boat drivers since they would come out with us everyday. These people that I met quickly became one of my favorite parts of the trip. 

One of my favorite snorkeling experiences was seeing a giant sea turtle and swimming with multiple nurse sharks. After snorkeling, we would spend the rest of the day hanging out on the beach, studying, playing games, eating great local food and watching the gorgeous sunsets. I could go on and on about how wonderful this adventure was. 

Before coming on this study abroad, I had never been out of the country before,

so this was a completely new experience for me. I was able to go on this trip with five of my good friends here at SPU. I am so thankful that I got to go to Belize with them. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we all hold very dear. 

As a non-science major, I would say I was a little bit intimidated about doing this biology study abroad, but I am so glad I did. I learned a lot about myself while studying something more out of my comfort zone. I was deeply impacted by learning about the coral reefs and what we can do to save them. We spent time learning about the

large impact that humans have on the marine environment and how this is hurting our oceans.

I was also impacted by what we learned about Belizean culture. We were exposed to so many different foods and traditions. On our last night on the island, our guides treated us to a traditional Belizean cultural night. They played traditional Belizean instruments, and we all got to dance and sing along to the songs. This was an event they had talked about for the entirety of the trip, so they were very excited to finally show off some of their culture. 

I admired the way that the people we met there had an amazing community. They were so welcoming and friendly to us. I also loved being able to share a piece of our home with them. For example, pretty much every single night my group of friends and I played the game spoons, and we taught it to the locals as well. 

The connections that we made with our guides have lasted throughout this year as we became Facebook friends with them. Through social media, we have been able to remain friends. 

Overall, I would recommend that everyone do a study abroad program if they are able to. I think there is so much to be said for going to another country, learning about their culture and doing something you have never done before.