As I sit here, lounging at the beach, I cannot express how amazing this trip was. The beautiful sunsets, the Gatorade blue sea, exploring the island/country and especially working at LICA has been the highlights of this adventure. At LICA, I was placed with a first year teacher. She went through two and a half years of college and completed her twelve-week internship. My teacher has definitely been trying her best to help provide her students with the best education. I wish LICA was fortunate enough to have access to the materials that America has to offer. The lack of resources on this island makes it difficult for teachers to reach the needs of each individual, especially students with autism and of other needs.

Some of the nine educators at this school are also first year teachers or completing their internships (without a mentor). The education system and process of becoming a teacher is completely different than the US. The Professional Development meetings held at the school contained information that I have learned from taking course at BSU. It was nice to see the teachers grow. Us BSU students taught them classroom management, how to recognize and deal with students’ emotions, along with multiple other skills. It was evident that these teachers began to apply these skills each day. I think it was a great learning experience for us student teachers, as well as the teachers at LICA. If you are contemplating whether or not to student teach abroad, DO IT.  You will not regret it.

Adios, Caye Caulker.

Hello! I cannot believe it has already been six weeks! The time is really flying by. LICA recently hosted Cultural Day, where different cultures of Belize were represented with certain food, clothing, music and dances. Friends, family, and the community were all welcome to watch the students perform. The teachers put together food items to sell as a fundraiser for the school. It was such a great experience!

For students coming to Caye Caulker in the future, you will need to get your passport stamped approximately 30 days after you arrive. The office is located on San Pedro. The fee is $50BZ. The Immigration Office does not accept credit/debit cards or American money.

The six of us here were able to visit the primary and high school on San Pedro. I went to The Island Academy, which was absolutely AMAZING. The classrooms were very small, but the location of the school is right on the beach. The school consists of mini cottages with a few classrooms inside each. I had the opportunity to meet Jen and chat about our student teaching experiences in Belize.

Two weeks ago the six of us went on another snorkel tour for the day. We swam with sea turtles, manatees, sharks, and all sorts of fish. As we sailed back, we watched the sunset. I highly recommend snorkeling, whether its half or full day. The next day two of us traveled to a Mayan Ruin called Lamanai. To get there, you have to take an hour ferry, an hour car ride, and an hour riverboat tour. There were five different monuments to climb and takes pictures of. We were able to hear and see howler monkeys jumping from branch to branch. Definitely check out one of the Mayan Ruins while you are here! If you’re not up for the long trip to Lamanai, Altun Ha is the closest Mayan Ruin to Caye Caulker.

Another place to visit is Koko King on the north side of Caye Caulker. It only takes two minutes by boat to get here. Koko King is more of a beach setting where you can walk right into the water, whereas Caye Caulker has concrete walls you can jump off of.

One and a half more weeks to go!

 

 

 

Caye Caulker is a beautiful, five mile long island. You’ll find yourself greeting all the stray dogs and cats who follow you to school or dinner. The locals are very friendly and welcoming. I feel very safe on this island, especially being with five others. The six of us tend to do everything together. This past weekend we went snorkeling with sharks and stingrays! We went through a company called Raggamuffin and it only cost $35 for a half day tour with all equipment provided. Other recommended places to go on the island include morning yoga at the Namaste Cafe, the Split, and watching the sunset at the Iguana Reef Inn. My family recently visited me and stayed at this hotel. At night, the owner feeds the pelicans, stingrays, and nurse sharks right at the dock. I was able to help feed the pelicans and swim with the stingrays. There are also swings and hammocks in the water you’re able to watch the sunset on.

I highly recommend future students who travel to Belize to wear LOTS of bug spray because the mosquitos are terrible at night, bring snacks, toiletries, and small bills. Though I have not had a problem with breaking larger bills, it is much easier to pay in smaller bills. In Belize, they accept American money, which is a 1US to 2BZ dollar conversion. However, US coins are not accepted.

At La Isla Cariñosa Academy, I am placed in Infant 1, which consists of five year olds. This class is equivalent to a kindergarten class. My class has twelve students, six boys and six girls. Some of the students arrive to school in golf carts or bikes with their parents. There is a fifteen minute break where students are allowed to leave the classroom to purchase a snack or a drink from the cafeteria. For lunch, there is an hour break. Sometimes I like to bike back to my room at Vista Del Mar and sit in the AC. Though the school has AC, it often does not work. Last week the power went out and the students remained in school. My teacher has already been absent twice and I had the opportunity to introduce different learning strategies and techniques. This coming week I will assess the students on letter and number identification. There is no form of assessment besides the four quarterly exams. So far this experience has been quite interesting, but I am enjoying my time here!!