Thoughts on San Pedro and Slideshow

Coming to San Pedro to finish my student teaching was a huge deal for me. I lived at home all 4 ½ years of college and commuted. I have never been away from home for this long. I travel a lot, but mostly throughout the US, and very rarely out of the country. When I heard about the opportunity to come here, there was something in me that knew I had to come and would regret it if I didn’t. When I first got here, I had a very hard time adjusting and could not wait to go back home. I am very lucky to have been here with Jen and Paige who helped me make it through the first few days when I was feeling very unsure. Once we started to settle in, my whole perspective on this experience change. I stopped thinking about the fact that I was so far away from home, and focused on the experience and what was in front of me. I am leaving San Pedro a completely different person than I was when I arrived. I cannot believe how fast these last two months went by and am not ready to say bye to this beautiful place.

 

The school alone was an eye-opening experience, and I feel as though I can handle anything as a teacher after being here. Some days were very stressful, but always ended with a smile and hug from students who love you very much. Saying goodbye to the students was very difficult for me, since I built relationships with each of them. There was one student in particular that could not even write his name when I arrived, and I worked with him throughout the weeks. By the end of my time here he was writing his name and was able to take notes from the board. Saying bye to him was heartbreaking and I will never forget him.

 

The people who live here make the island what it is. We have met so many people throughout or visit that we have built strong friendships with and spent a lot of time with. The people that live here are some of the nicest and selfless people I have ever met. It has made me realize how uptight and selfish most people are around me at home. Jen, Paige, and I frequently joke about how weird it will be to go home and not just wave and say hi to random people. We got so used to saying hi, smiling, and waving at everyone we walk by. At home people do not even make eye contact and just walk by with their heads down or in their phones. The hardest thing about leaving for me is having to say bye to all the friends we’ve made and people we’ve met.

 

I feel so lucky to have shared this amazing experience with Jen and Paige. Going home, I know I now have two lifelong friends. The bond we have as we leave here is something no one else could ever understand. We’ve been through a lot together here and at times only had each other to depend on. I hope one day the three of us can come back together on vacation.

 

If you have any doubts about coming to Belize to finish your student teaching, all I can say is just do it. This experience has been so amazing and I would not trade it for anything. Besides the experience of teaching in the schools here, being on this island was an experience alone. It’s safe to say that I have never had this much fun before and been able to do so many fun things a short period of time. I decided to make a slideshow with pictures from our trip to attach in the blog, enjoy!

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