One-of-a Kind Experience!

This experience was probably one of the best experiences of my life. It was a perfect mix of giving back and receiving. We were able to see and learn so much about Belize, their way of life, and also participate in some fun leisure activities-like hiking up to the Blue Creek cave and afterwards going for a dip in the swimming hole and waterfall. We also went to a spice farm and got to taste the various spices that grew there. Another day we went to the local Cacao farm in Punta Gorda where we ground our own corn and made corn tortillas. We also ground the cacao bean and tasted them in their various stages. One day we even went to our bus driver’s sister’s house, who were kind enough to host and cater the best lunch for us! Shout out to Kenny and his family!! I was taken aback by the sense of community displayed. More than anything, it was such a rewarding experience as a grad student to be able to interact with the students and clients we met. This experience taught me SO MUCH about myself, the field of speech-language pathology, and the interactions I will be privy to working in this field. It truly was such a humbling experience and one I will keep with me always. One of my most memorable experiences was going to one of the elementary schools and there must have been about 30 little girls and boys that surrounded me, took turns telling me riddles (“Miss! Miss! Riddle me this!”), took selfies with me, and when it was time for me to go, THEY ALL gave me the biggest group hug I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of! Luckily I have pictures to forever remember that moment and those sweet kiddos! Thank you, Katie, and the team at Therapy Abroad for planning our wonderful trip and therapy sessions to a T and never missing a beat! 💛💜